Volunteer Screening (ASV)
Sterling Volunteers (SV) - Background Check and Training
Adventist Screening Verification (ASV)
As part of our responsability to ensure the safety of our children, those over 18 who are called to serve within our Club Ministries, are asked to complete a criminal Background Check (FB 20) along with a Child Protection Training through the Sterling Volunteer platform before they can begin volunteering.
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Why a Background Check?
As followers of Christ serving in Seventh-day Adventist organizations throughout the North American Division, we believe it is our responsibility to nurture, protect, and provide a safe environment for the vulnerable members of our communities, including our children and youth.
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For this reason, we carefully screen and train individuals serving in volunteer roles to help ensure they are trustworthy, uphold the values and mission of our Church, and are committed to providing a safe and positive environment for all children and youth participating in our ministries.
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"Church should be a safe place to bring our children. Everyone involved in work with children who are minors must meet all Church and legal standards and requirements."
- Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, Edition 18, pp. 168-169
PLEASE SELECT YOUR ROLE:
STEPS TO COMPLETE SCREENING:
CREATE
New Account
Download Instructions
02
Provide the information requested on the screen and follow the prompts.
For "Role"
please, make sure to
ONLY select either "Pathfinder" or "Adventurer"
and nothing else.
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IF volunteer driver,
select the role as a "driver" and nothing else.
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Please read the instructions for the Child Protection Training and then proceed.
Select ‘Click Here’ to begin the online training.
Note: Training can take up
to one hour.
04
Confirm the information is correct and DON’T forget
to click on
“Submit Background Check”.
Once the background check has been successfully processed you will be notified via email.
Please, log back in at www.ncsrisk.org/adventist/ and retrieve your report on the left-hand side
"My Report" section.
*Background checks are valid for three (3) years ONLY.
**Reports should reflect an "Eligible" result before volunteer can begin serving.
ACCESS
Existing Account
Download Instructions
02
Enter the username and password you created during your initial registration.
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If you do not remember your login credentials, click "Need login information?" located on the left side of the login page, beneath the username and password fields, and follow the prompts to recover your account information.
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Upon login, you will be directed to complete any piece of the process that is not completed.
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If you are Eligible to volunteer but wish to be approved as a Driver, please email
Ellen Roberts at: eroberts@carolinasda.org
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Always confirm all the information is correct and DON’T forget to click the “Save” or “Submit Background Check” button at the end.
Once the background check has been successfully processed you will be notified via email.
Please, log back in at www.ncsrisk.org/adventist/ and retrieve your report on the left-hand side
"My Report" section.
*Background checks are valid for three (3) years ONLY.
**Reports should reflect an "Eligible" result before volunteer can begin serving.
​​​​​​​​​Need to find your "Eligibility" date?
(Verification Date for YMMS Registration)​
After completing the Background Check, please log out of your account and log back in. Then you will be able to access a report like the one linked below. Please, make sure to review the "My Report" section, instead of the "Training Report" section. Once you are there, confirm that your results show as “Eligible” under the "L2" OR "L3" screening types, before you begin serving.
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Would you like to volunteer as a driver?
Volunteers who will be transporting minors must select the "Driver" role when completing their registration with Sterling Volunteers. This ensures that a driving record screening is requested as part of their background check.
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In addition to meeting all standard volunteer screening requirements, volunteer drivers must:
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Be approved by their local church board.
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Have a Sterling Volunteers report that reflects a screening type of "DR" or "MVR," indicating that their driving record has been reviewed and they have been found Eligible to transport minors.
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Complete the Driver's Questionnaire (linked below) and submit it to their club leadership.
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Already eligible to volunteer?
If you are already approved as a volunteer but would like to become an approved driver, your driving record must still be screened before you may transport minors. To request this additional screening, please contact ​Ellen Roberts at:
She will assist you in initiating the driver's screening process.​​​​​​
*Background checks are valid for three (3) years ONLY.
**Reports should reflect an "Eligible" result before volunteer can begin serving.
Other Resources
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​Are You a Director or Secretary?
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Please remember that you are the primary resource for your local volunteers.​​
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Before asking your volunteers to complete their screening, take time to familiarize yourself with the process outlined above. Carefully review the instructions and read the document linked below, titled "Tips for Directors and Secretaries" which contains common mistakes, troubleshooting guidance, and recommendations that will help you successfully guide your volunteers through the process.
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If possible, schedule a time for everyone to complete the process together. This makes it easier to answer questions, resolve issues as they arise, and ensure that no one gets left behind.
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Once a volunteer completes the background check, ask them to send you a screenshot of their Sterling Volunteers report showing an "Eligible" status. Keep a copy of these reports for your club records.
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Important: You will need each volunteer's background check completion date when registering them in YMMS. Do not add volunteers to your club or allow them to begin serving until their Sterling Volunteers report reflects an "Eligible" status.
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*Background checks must be renewed every three (3) years.
**Reports should reflect an "Eligible" result before volunteer can begin serving.
Directors and Secretaries
Sterling Volunteer / Level 2 Coordinator
Level 2 Sterling Volunteers Coordinators have access to the latest Compliance Report through the Sterling Volunteer platform, which provides the current background screening status for all of your club staff.
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If your church does not currently have a Sterling Volunteers Coordinator, consider speaking with your pastor about appointing a volunteer to serve in this role. Having a Level 2 Coordinator at your church can greatly simplify the process of monitoring volunteer compliance and keeping your club's records up to date.
Club Safety Officer
It is recommended that every Pathfinder Club have an appointed Safety Officer for the duration of the club year. The Safety Officer should be the person to oversee that all the insurance and safety issues are dealt with properly. They would also make sure each Pathfinder has current medical forms on file; permission forms for off-premises activities, and updated parental contact information.
Some of the areas they would oversee would be:
​​​Prohibited Activities
Disaster / Emergency Plan
General Liability Insurance
Medical Coverage
​​​​​Mission Trips
Transportation / Insurance
Field Trip / Outing Planner​​
Resources
Forms