VO is recruiting and deploying volunteers to respond to the volunteer needs specific to COVID-19 in Ottawa, Prescott-Russell, Lanark County and Renfrew County while ensuring proper screening and training protocals to safeguard the health of those volunteering and those they are assisting. Please see the intake portals for volunteers, for members, and for other agencies on our hompage. VO’s COVID 19 volunteer deployment program is supported by the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund and the Ottawa Community Foundation.
Blog > Gathering information about volunteer applicants – You need to link it to risk
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by Maria Lahiffe
*Updated May 1, 2020 to include risks related to COVID-19*
Please note that, while every effort has been made to provide accurate, up-to-date information, VO is not a Public Health agency. For the best, up-to-date information available, please consult Ottawa Public Health.
Volunteer screening is essential to making sure that every volunteer is the right fit for every assignment. It is an ongoing process which starts before a position description is developed, and continues until the volunteer’s service is completed.
Throughout the 10 steps of screening [1], volunteer managers need to gather information about potential volunteers, in order to check for fit. You might think that more information is better; however, gathering unnecessary information carries risks. Depending on the situation, it may even be illegal. You need to assess the risk associated with each volunteer position.
When assessing the risk associated with a particular volunteer position, consider that risk through three lenses:
There is a lot you can do to reduce the risk inherent to a given position. Here is a website which gives you a good start. When it comes to mitigating risks specific to COVID-19, consult Ottawa Public Health or the public health authority in your jurisdiction. You will need to check back frequently because the state of knowledge is changing so quickly. This disease was completely unknown just a few short months ago, which means there is a lot to learn.
Some things to consider in assessing the risk inherent in a given position are as follows:
Something to note is that risk is not related to the length of time the volunteer will serve your organization. If there are risk factors, then they apply just as much for a one-hour assignment as they do for a multi-year job.
The Government of Canada has created risk-informed decision-making guidelines for workplaces during the COVID-19 pandemic. This page is updated as more is known about the disease and its transmission. Please make sure you check back regularly to make sure that your decision-making takes into account the most current knowledge related to risk.
There is a lot of information you may want to gather about a potential volunteer. This could include: [1]
Note that all of this information is highly personal. It is imperative that you have robust privacy policies and procedures in place, to protect this information. Read our blog post to learn more about information privacy.
“A BFOR is a legal term for the essential tasks required to perform a job. If an employer can establish a particular BFOR that cannot be modified/adapted for an accommodation, they may not have to accommodate a worker in that job. BFORs are not preferences; they are duties or elements that are essential to the job.” [2] This means that all standards required of all staff (paid and unpaid) must be rationally connected to the performance of the job, and that accommodations are either impossible or would impose undue hardship on the organization.
Screening on the basis of a standard which is not Bona Fide is a human rights abuse, and is illegal. [3] [4] In the case of some screening information, it can be illegal to collect information which is not related to a BFOR. [5]
In sum, recruiting volunteers is complex. You must adopt strong policies and procedures which protect your organization, its employees and volunteers, and its clients. You must gather only the information which is relevant to making your decision if a given applicant will be a good fit for a given role. Let’s look at some examples:
Please note that these examples are only intended as general guides. For legal advice, please consult a lawyer.
Level of autonomy in the role |
Likely low |
Extent to which the person in the role interacts with the public |
Zero |
Physical risks inherent to the role |
Very low |
Extent to which the person in the role interacts with vulnerable populations |
Zero |
Level of responsibility associated with the role |
Very low |
Ability to maintain physical distancing |
depends on the layout of your storage space |
Thus, the risk associated with this position depends on the layout of your space. You may need to gather very little information in order to assess if the person would be a good fit for the role. Alternately, you may need to collect information related to the person's health status. This information will likely need to be collected at every shift.
Level of autonomy in the role |
High |
Extent to which the person in the role interacts with the public |
Medium |
Physical risks inherent to the role |
Low |
Extent to which the person in the role interacts with vulnerable populations |
Very high |
Level of responsibility associated with the role |
medium |
Ability to maintain physical distancing is very low |
high risk |
This is a very high-risk position. This person will be away from supervision, operating a motor vehicle, entering people’s homes, and interacting with vulnerable people. In addition, this person will have very limited ability to maintain physical distancing, making them vulnerable to coronavirus exposure. The following are certainly reasonable:
You may need the following information in order to make accommodations for the volunteer
Level of autonomy in the role |
High |
Extent to which the person in the role interacts with the public |
Medium |
Physical risks inherent to the role |
Low |
Extent to which the person in the role interacts with vulnerable populations |
Likely low |
Level of responsibility associated with the role |
high |
Ability to maintain physical distancing: very easy with telephone and video conferencing |
very low risk |
This is a high-risk position, particularly with respect to reputational risk. The following are reasonable:
Depending on the type of organization, your board members may also require a Vulnerable Sector Check. For example, in Ontario, Vulnerable Sector Checks are required of all staff and volunteers (including board members) with organizations who work with, or make decisions on behalf of, persons with developmental disabilities and persons needing long-term nursing care. [6]
Volunteer Screening is an essential part of an effective volunteer management program. It helps to match the right people with the right roles, improves the quality of service in the social sector, and manages risk and liability. You absolutely need to gather information about your volunteer applicants, but you need to develop your screening policies mindfully, balancing a number of needs.
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