Volunteer Background Checks

First, thank you for volunteering to serve the Lord at Olive Chapel Baptist Church!

Quick Start

To work with children or youth in any way, or to work in any Sunday School Class as a teacher or substitute, you will need a positive background check from Sterling Volunteers. Any volunteer who refuses to consent to a background check will not be considered for service.

The process begins with your request for a background check. This can be done by sending an email to backgroundcheck@olivechapel.org or by calling the church office at 919-362-7479. Once your request is received, you’ll get an email from Sterling Volunteers that contains an invitation link to a Sterling Volunteers web page. A free background check can only be started through the link in this invitation email. For additional information that may be useful as you begin the process, go to www.sterlingvolunteers.com.

Please understand you will be providing private information for the background check record search, but that no one at Olive Chapel will ever see, have access to, or be able to use this information.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to have a positive background check?

A positive background check means to have a Sterling Volunteers status of CLEAR or to have been declared ELIGIBLE in the Sterling Volunteers system by the Background Check Review team. Any volunteer who refuses to consent to a background check will not be considered for service.

What are criteria for the Background Check Review team to declare a background check INELIGIBLE or NOT CLEAR?

At Olive Chapel, our goal with background checks is to protect our children, youth, the disabled, the elderly, and those with special needs. We realize that many of us have not been Christians all our life and sometimes background checks may reflect this. To make sure that everyone has a fair chance to serve, the Background Check Review team uses the following disqualifying factors to determine if a background check should be marked INELIGIBLE or NOT CLEAR:

Disqualifying Factors

A person will be disqualified and prohibited from serving as a volunteer if the person has been found guilty of any of the following crimes as identified below. Guilty means that a person was found guilty following a trial, entered a guilty plea, or entered a no contest plea accompanied by a court finding of guilty,

regardless of whether there was an adjudication of guilt (conviction) or a withholding of guilt. This does not apply if criminal charges resulted in acquittal, Nolle Prosse, or dismissal. Any applicant who has been charged with any of the disqualifying offenses will not be allowed to

volunteer until disposition of the charge. A serving volunteer who has been charged with any of the disqualifying offenses will have their service suspended until disposition of the charge.

Disqualification Based on Offense:

SEX OFFENSES

    • All Sex Offenses – Regardless of the amount of time since offense. Examples include: child molestation, rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sodomy, prostitution solicitation, indecent exposure, etc.

FELONIES

    • All Felony Violence – Regardless of the amount of time since offense. Examples include: murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, kidnapping, robbery, aggravated burglary, child endangerment etc.

    • All Felony offenses other than violence or sex within the past 10 years. Examples include: drug offenses, theft, embezzlement, fraud, etc.

MISDEMEANORS

    • All misdemeanor violence involving a minor (unless the applicant was themselves a minor) – regardless of the amount of time since the offense.

    • All misdemeanor drug & alcohol offenses involving a minor (unless the applicant was themselves a minor) – regardless of the amount of time since the offense.

    • All other misdemeanor violence offenses within the past 7 years. Examples include: simple assault, battery, domestic violence, hit and run, etc.

    • All misdemeanor drug & alcohol offenses within the past 5 years or more than one offense in the past 10 years regardless of whether the offense involved a minor. Examples include: driving under the influence, simple drug possession, drunk and disorderly, public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia, etc.

    • Any other felony or misdemeanor within the past 5 years that would be considered a potential danger to vulnerable populations as described herein.

    • Any felony or misdemeanor conviction that involves a crime against a member of the vulnerable population as identified in this procedure. (Example: contributing to the delinquency of a minor, exploitation of an elder adult or disabled adult.)

What is the cost of the background check from Sterling Volunteers?

As a volunteer at Olive Chapel, the background check is provided free to you by the church. Should you wish to donate the current cost of the background check, the Sterling Volunteers web site gives you an opportunity to pay during the check process. Please note that the payment goes directly to Sterling Volunteers and not to Olive Chapel. The instructions can be confusing when using the payment system at Sterling Volunteers, but if you wish to donate, select options that use the word volunteer (the church is consider the customer).

Who makes up the Background Check Review Team?

The Background Check Review Team is made up of the persons holding the following positions or their designee: Chair of Personnel Committee, Chair of Youth Advisory Board, Sunday School Director, Designated Staff member or Church Secretary, Chair of Deacons. This team meets yearly in August and as needed to review background checks.

How often must a background check be renewed?

Olive Chapel requires a background check to be renewed every 3 years, and the renewal must be complete and marked ELIGIBLE again by the Background Check Review team BEFORE service begins.

Once again, Thank you for volunteering to serve at Olive Chapel Baptist Church.