Why Volunteer Background Screening Matters Just as Much as Employee Screening
Volunteers often interact directly with your community, your clients, and your brand, sometimes in extremely sensitive environments. Even though they are unpaid, volunteers can pose the same level of risk as any employee. In some cases, the risk can be even greater due to direct access to vulnerable populations.
A comprehensive volunteer background check program helps protect:
- Your organization’s reputation
- The individuals you serve, especially children and seniors
- Your staff and other volunteers
- The general public
- Your financial and physical assets
Whether your volunteers support operations, work with clients, handle funds, or represent your organization in the community, the right screening program reduces risk and strengthens trust.
Designing a Volunteer Screening Program Around Your Population
No two organizations serve the same demographic, so a “one-size-fits-all” screening approach does not work. The level of screening should match the level of risk, access, and responsibility a volunteer will have.
🔸 Volunteers Working with Children or the Elderly
For volunteers who interact with vulnerable populations, a deep and thorough background check is essential. Recommended components include:
- Criminal Background Search (County, State, and Federal)
- Nationwide Sex Offender Registry Search
- Primary Source Verifications
- Drug Testing – We have a nationwide network to support your program.
- Social Media Screening
These background searches help identify behavior patterns, safety concerns, or red flags that could endanger vulnerable individuals or expose your organization to liability.
🔸 Volunteers with Driving Responsibilities
If a volunteer will operate a vehicle on behalf of your organization, whether transporting clients, delivering goods, or driving organizational vehicles, an MVR (Motor Vehicle Record) check is strongly recommended.
This helps verify:
- Prior accidents
- License status
- DUI/DWI history
- Significant Moving violations
- Failure to appear in court / unpaid tickets
Screening ensures you place qualified, responsible drivers behind the wheel.
🔸 Volunteers with Financial Responsibilities
Volunteers involved in fundraising, handling donations, managing inventory, or accessing financial systems can unintentionally or deliberately create financial risk.
To mitigate this, consider adding:
- Credit History Search
- Identity Verification
- Criminal Records Search for Financial Crimes (many times in the federal criminal districts)
This helps safeguard your organization’s financial integrity and donor trust.
Social Media Screening: Understanding Public-Facing Risk
Volunteers often represent your organization publicly, both in person and online. A compliant social media background check can help identify:
- Hate speech
- Threats or acts of violence
- Harassment or discrimination
- Fraudulent activity
- Explicit or inappropriate content
This proactive measure helps protect your organization’s public image and community trust.
Volunteer Screening Protects Your Mission
Regardless of the role, every volunteer should be screened to maintain a safe and secure organizational environment. Volunteers are ambassadors of your mission, and their actions, positive or negative, reflect directly on your brand.
A well-structured volunteer screening program ensures:
- Safer interactions with clients and community members
- Greater confidence for staff, families, donors, and partners
- Reduced organizational risk
- Stronger community reputation and compliance
Why Choose Reliable Background Screening
Reliable Background Screening provides customizable volunteer screening programs designed to match the exact level of access, responsibility, and risk associated with each volunteer role. We help organizations create safe, trustworthy environments, supported by accurate, compliant, and fast background checks. Check out the reasons why Reliable Background Screening offers more value than other screening firms. We are here to help!
Contact us today to learn how easy it is to integrate background screening into your organization’s onboarding process.
AWARDS & AFFILIATIONS
To request information or to ask questions regarding background screening call (800) 787-2439 or click above.
Reliable Background Screening is the trusted source for all your volunteer screening needs, with customized searches, unparalleled quality control and live-agent verified reports. Volunteers can submit their own background check information electronically, including having them digitally sign authorization forms, freeing your staff from administrative tasks.
