Beyond
Police Checks: The Definitive Volunteer and Employee Screening Guidebook
Beyond Police Checks is a comprehensive “how-to”
manual on screening paid and unpaid staff in positions of trust.
This definitive resource helps employers understand screening responsibilities
and provides specific details on how to carefully choose screening
methods matched to the requirements of any given position - paid,
stipended, or volunteer. Full of practical tips, helpful cautions,
and fully reproducible forms and checklists, this comprehensive
guidebook will lead you step-by-step to increased screening effectiveness
and program safety. Learn about more than 14 different screening
devices, including interviews, reference checks, qualifications
checks, police records checks, drivers’ records checks, credit
bureau checks, performance assessment, medical testing, and home
visits. Don’t wake up one morning to a tragedy and find yourself
wishing you had paid more attention to the escalating liabilities
and higher standards of employee and volunteer screening.
Linda Graff And Associates Inc. 1999. Spiral bound,
150 pages, 6 1/2" x 9".
Review
• Readers' Comments
• Excerpts •
Contents
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Order Form • Canadian
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Beyond
Police Checks... Review
by
Mary Merrill,
consultant, trainer
www.merrillassociates.com
Linda
Graff’s book, Beyond Police Checks: The Definitive Volunteer
and Employee Screening Guidebook, is a wonderful resource for
every volunteer manager. Those new to the field will find the information
invaluable, and long-term practitioners will find new, interesting
tools and approaches to assist with the ever-present task of screening
volunteers.
The first half of the book lays the foundation through a general
discussion of the principles of screening and includes such topics
as screening board and committee volunteers, screening of short-term
positions, and screening on-line volunteers. Linda does a excellent
job of identifying the challenges of maintaining the balance between
job demands and risks in the screening process, between the well-being
of clients and the rights of volunteer applicants; between our need
for information and candidates’ right to privacy; and between
the need for detail and a process that is too complex. Building
on the concept that "the nature and extent of screening should
be determined by the characteristics and demands of the work to
be done"(Graff, p.49), Linda identifies a three-step position
assessment process to help administrators determine the most appropriate
and effective screening tools. "The thoroughness of the screening
process should increase with the demands of the position, including
the vulnerability of the client, the nature and requirements of
the tasks to be assigned, and the intensiveness of the relationship
between the staff and the client." (Graff, p. 57)
The second half of the book is devoted to fourteen widely-used screening
tools, from written volunteer position descriptions, to reference
checks and credit bureau checks, to home visits and probationary
periods. There is even a section titled "Gut Feelings and Intuition."
Linda has developed two "bar graph exercises" that this
reviewer found interesting and practical. Both help to quickly and
graphically highlight useful, relevant information and aid in the
screening protocol decision making. They may also be useful tools
when working with upper management. "If you find yourself in
a position of having to explain or defend your screening protocol
to a supervisor or board of directors and, in particular, if you
are meeting some resistance to your recommended degree of thoroughness
in screening, these two graphs can be valuable educational instruments."
(Graff, p. 129)
This is a book filled with practical, useful information. It is
easy to read, with an innovative set of icons that facilitates quick
scanning for critical points, practical tips, or educational material
of particular relevance to senior administrators. Readers are encouraged
to copy, adapt and use all samples and checklists. Topics range
from "why" and "how" to strategies for saying
"no" and "re-screening."
Linda understands the changing nature of volunteer work and our
workplaces. As we strive to deal with the critical social problems
of our day, both staff and volunteers are assuming increasing responsibilities.
Volunteer managers must protect clients and volunteers, and be ever
mindful of both legal and ethical requirements. "The challenge
for each administrator of human resources is to select the right
constellation of devices, based on the bona fide requirements of
each position that, in combination, generate reasonably sound and
defensible screening and placement decisions."(Graff, p. 146).
This book makes the challenge a little easier for each of us.
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Beyond
Police Checks Readers' Comments
"Best
$25 I've ever spent. Linda Graff addresses the delicate balance
between the need to protect the people we serve, our employees and
volunteers and the need for an efficient, effective way to recruit,
screen and place people. Clear, easy-to-understand and packed with
useful information." --Laurie E. Snyder, Public and Community
Relations Consultant
'Beyond
Police Checks' does exactly that ... it goes beyond the basic principles
associated with sound police checking procedures and explores some
of the more fundamental concepts of client protection, volunteer
rights and organisational responsibilities. This book is easy to
read, understandable and a great asset to any organisation involving
volunteers. Most importantly however, the book is as relevant to
my work in Australia as it will be to Volunteer Administrators everywhere.
--Andy Fryar, President - Volunteering Australia & Founder /
Director - OzVPM
Thank
you, Linda, for breaking through the mythology surrounding screening
methods, and offering practical, effective strategies for volunteer
administrators! In our Red Cross chapter, we have identified
several options for screening volunteers, based on the guidance
your book provides. We have used the Position Assessment Checklist
while updating volunteer job descriptions, explored other screening
tools and their implementation beyond the initial interview and
application process, and have seen excellent results. Most valuable
is the realization that screening is an on-going and evolving process
in the life of a volunteer that must include many layers, many variables.
I recommend this exceptional resource to my colleagues, especially
as our
conversations turn toward more effective placement of volunteers
and ultimately providing the highest quality service for the people
we serve. And isn't that what it's all about? --Liz Adamshick, Director,
Volunteer Resources, American Red Cross of Greater Columbus, Columbus
OH USA.
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Beyond Police Checks Available in Three Formats to Suit Your Needs!
Hard Copy
In the traditional paper format, Beyond Police Checks is a spiral bound, 150 page manual in a convenient 6½” x 9" size. Click on these links to download the Canadian Order Form or the US Order Form. Click here for information on how to order any of our publications in the United Kingdom.
 |
"Book-on-CD" Copy
Beyond Police Checks is now available in "Book-on-CD" format. The CD includes a quality PDF version of the book as well as a short bonus video featuring Linda Graff. The electronic format allows you to quickly search and print any topic of your choice making all forms and checklists immediately available for your use. Click here to go to the bookstore and order your CD today. |
Electronic Copy
For those readers who want an instant copy, Beyond Police Checks is available as an immediate download in PDF format from ENERGIZEINC. Click here to instantly order any of our publications directly from our electronic distributor.
Beyond
Police Checks Excerpts
