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Welcome to the district assemblyRotary Youth Protection Procedures
Kevin Laplante, D7040 Youth Service / New Generations Chair
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Background – Rotary Youth Protection
• 2005 – RI became involved– Youth Exchange was first youth program
targeted• Incorporation• Certification of District• Certification of Participating Clubs• Training• Background checks• Record retention
– Expanded over time to include all Youth Programs
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Rotary Youth Protection Policy – where we are today
Rotary's Youth Protection Policy now applies to all Rotary activities that involve minors. It is all inclusive including Interact, RYLA, Rotary Adventures.
It would also include a club that uses local students who are not part of a formal Rotary Youth Program on a highway cleanup or to individuals driving a student to an Rotary event.
There can be some surprises / unexpected areas
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Minors - defined
• Minors are usually defined as those under 18 years of age; however, since some youth exchange students as well as some Interactors may be slightly older, they are treated as minors in Rotary's efforts to protect youth.
• Rotaractors are college age or older and are not included as minors. They are not covered in Rotary's Youth Protection Policy.
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RI STATEMENT OF CONDUCT FOR WORKING WITH YOUTH
Rotary International strives to create and maintain a safe environment for all youth who participate in Rotary activities. To the best of their ability, Rotarians, Rotarians’ spouses and partners, and other volunteers must safeguard the children and young people they come into contact with and protect them from physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
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Rotary Youth Protection Policy
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ROTARY YOUTH PROGRAMS or EVENTS
– Youth Volunteer Affidavit– Sexual Abuse and Harassment Training– Background checks– Reference Checks– Personal interviews
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1. YOUTH VOLUNTEER AFFIDAVIT
• Three page form available on D7040 web site
• PAGE 1– Personal information
• Name, address, date of birth– Consent
• Permission to verify information including background checks.
– Waiver• Hold harmless RI, Districts, Clubs, etc from liability• Conform to the rules, regs and policies of RI &
District– Signature
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VOLUNTEER AFFIDAVIT - continued
• PAGE 2– Additional information
• Phone numbers, Rotary data
– Employment History – 5 yr history• Current and previous with addresses, dates,
position, phone number, supervisors name
– Volunteer 5 yr history with youths• Organization, address, phone, position, dates,
director’s name
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VOLUNTEER AFFIDAVIT - continued
• Page 3– Personal references (3)
• Addresses, phone, relationship• No more than one former of current Rotarian
– Qualifications and training – description– CriminalHistory – check the box
• Charged , convicted, pled guilty to any crime(s)• Subject to court order involving sexual, physical,
verbal abuse including domestic violence or civil harassment
– District use section for checking references
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2. SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT TRAINING
• A standardized, online youth protection training program is now available. It is required for all adult volunteers who will have direct interaction, either supervised or unsupervised with youth.
• This training meets the RI requirements as well as those of the US State Department, for both content and record retention.
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SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT TRAINING - continued
• How it works - Sherri Agnew or I will email training invitations to the adult volunteers.
• Individual volunteers, Rotary Clubs, or Rotary Youth Programs may request the training invitations by email to either:– Sherri Agnew for Youth Exchange Program
volunteers to [email protected]– Kevin Laplante for all other youth program
volunteers to [email protected]
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SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT TRAINING - continued
• The information needed for each volunteer training request is as follows:
• First name• Last name• Email address• Rotary Club (either as a member or
affiliation)
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SEXUAL ABUSE AND HARASSMENT TRAINING - continued
• Additionally, program specific training will likely be required and will be provided by that Program Committee.
• It is not important to know the difference between what is abuse and what is harassment. With Rotary's zero tolerance initiative, what is important is that either is always reportable, and never acceptable.
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3. Background Checks
• Police / criminal checks vary by the geographical regions of our District. There is no standardization at this point, and they are obsolete the moment they are issued, necessitating an annual update. Again, it's a deterrence measure and the search should encompass both criminal and sex offender registries.
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4. REFERENCE CHECKS
• This is a documented follow up with the references listed on the volunteer affidavit. These would be accomplished by the Rotary Club or Program that is holding the event.
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5. PERSONAL INTERVIEW
• Conducted when all of the above measures have been completed and a determination is then made to accept or reject the volunteer for working with our youth for the next year.
• It is through this best practices approach that we strive to safeguard our youth by creating and maintaining a safe environment for them.
