Winter 2002

Community Literacy of Ontario

Do you know Volunteer Canada’s 10 safe steps to screening?

• Determine the risk
• Write a clear position description
• Establish a formal recruitment process
• Use an application form
• Conduct interviews
• Follow-up on references
• Request a police records check
• Conduct orientation and training
• Supervise and evaluate
• Follow up with program participants

The Ontario Screening Initiative (OSI) is an initiative of the Ontario government. The OSI has produced some excellent resources and training materials. It has four main objectives:

1. Raise awareness about screening
2. Create leadership on screening
3. Provide training and resources on screening
4. Increase access to resources on screening

You can learn more about the 10 Safe Steps or the Ontario Screening Initiative by visiting Volunteer Canada’s website at www.volunteer.ca.

Thanks to support from the Government of Ontario, Volunteer Canada has recently produced Rural Supplement—Safe Steps Volunteer Screening Workbook.

This informative 20-page workbook covers such topics as:

• Volunteering in rural Ontario
• Why screen?
• Safe steps volunteer screening process
• Implementing screening in your organization
• Recognizing challenges to screening in rural Ontario

You can either order a hard copy of this excellent resource from Volunteer Canada (a great deal at only $5.00!) or download a PDF file from their website. Please visit: www.volunteer.ca/volunteer/screening_initiatives_on.htm or call Volunteer Canada at: 1-800-670-0401.