Thank you for your interest in becoming a volunteer at Northeast PA Youth For Christ!
The setup process to volunteer in a position that you are working with kids does have several steps involved and for good reason. Our priority in this process is to make sure that our students and our leaders are all as safe as we can be as we go forward taking the Gospel to high school students in NEPA. We are glad to work with you through the process, so please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or if you need any assistance at all.
Firstly, it’s helpful to understand that there are two sides to this process. The first and largest side is the more automated side which leads you through an entirely online process of steps that every leader that works under Youth For Christ anywhere in the United States is required to complete. Starting with the volunteer application, when each step is completed, you will receive an email taking you to the next step. The second side of this process is the side of information that’s specific to the NEPA chapter of Youth For Christ. Each item is something required either by the state of Pennsylvania or by us at NEPA.
Steps
Volunteer Application
- Completing and submitting this application begins the automated process that everyone working with students under the YFC Umbrella must complete. Everything is pretty simple.
- Please Note: 3 personal references are required (1 reference must be your pastor or ministry leader) and moving to the next step is contingent on every references responses. As soon as you submit the application, the references receive an email so please make sure to acquire permission and give them a heads up that it’s coming.
- Completing and submitting this application begins the automated process that everyone working with students under the YFC Umbrella must complete. Everything is pretty simple.
YFC Background Check
- Once the volunteer application and reference checks are reviewed and approved, you move on to the background check. Youth For Christ uses an outsourced vendor, Sterling Volunteers, to complete a thorough background check. Once the background check is initiated on our end, you will receive an email (from Sterling Volunteers, not Youth For Christ!) with a link to create an account with them and provide some personal information for them to run the check. Once started, the check usually takes approximately 48 hours to come back.
- Please Note: Youth For Christ does pay for this background check. You will be given the option to choose to pay for it yourself, but you’re not obligated in any way to do this.
- Please ALSO Note: Although this background check does look through all the same background information that the state of Pennsylvania requires any adults working with anyone under 18 to submit (plus a whole bunch more!), once applicants get to step 3 – Prerequisites, applicants will still be required to complete the individual background checks for PA that are necessary to work with young people.
- Once the volunteer application and reference checks are reviewed and approved, you move on to the background check. Youth For Christ uses an outsourced vendor, Sterling Volunteers, to complete a thorough background check. Once the background check is initiated on our end, you will receive an email (from Sterling Volunteers, not Youth For Christ!) with a link to create an account with them and provide some personal information for them to run the check. Once started, the check usually takes approximately 48 hours to come back.
Prerequisites
Online Training, PA Specific Background Checks, and some signatures:
- YFC automatically sends a link via email to read and sign a few documents. If you can’t find the email, contact CALEB at caleb@nepayfc.com!
- “YFC Welcome” trail online training, which includes “Creating Safe Environments”, our abuse prevention requirement (initiated through an email).
- If you do not have an email in your inbox or something happened to it, please use the below link to the training platform, click “forgot password?” and reset your password. Your username on file is the email address you submitted your application under. If you have questions, ask Caleb!
LINK: https://yfcusa.my.site.com/knowledgebase/s/login..
- If you do not have an email in your inbox or something happened to it, please use the below link to the training platform, click “forgot password?” and reset your password. Your username on file is the email address you submitted your application under. If you have questions, ask Caleb!
- YFC Driver’s Documents, if applicable (must be 21 or older with drivers license and minimum insurance coverage limits of $300k per incident / $100k per person) (Initiated through an email)
- YFC Safety Standards signed (Please use this link!)
- PA Criminal Background Check (Please use this link!) – Free for volunteers!
- INSTRUCTIONS: Open LINK below and click “New Record Check” and fill out required info.
- LINK: https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp
- Upon Completion, submit certification form HERE
- PA Child Abuse Clearance(Please use this link!) – Free for volunteers!
- INSTRUCTIONS: Open LINK below, Create Individual Account, create Keystone ID, log in with Keystone ID, create clearance application, and submit.
- LINK: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home
- Upon Completion, Submit certification form HERE
- Act 114 Fingerprint FBI Check (only if a PA resident less than 10 years) (Please use this link!)
- INSTRUCTIONS: Open LINK below, scroll down and select “Digital Fingerprinting”, Enter 1KG6XN as the service code, select “Schedule or manage appointment”, submit required information and choose location and appointment time to get fingerprints scanned.
- LINK: https://www.identogo.com/locations/pennsylvania
- Upon completion, submit certification form HERE