VOLUNTEER SCREENING PROGRAM (open on June 17 2024)

You do not need to be a member of Volunteer Alberta to use the resources and funding available through the Volunteer Screening Program.

The Government of Alberta and Volunteer Alberta have partnered to deliver the Volunteer Screening Program (VSP). The goal of the VSP is to help build a thriving, resilient civil society by supporting Alberta’s nonprofit organizations in developing a deeper understanding of volunteer screening and engagement practices toward the broader goal of community safety.

With funding from the Government of Alberta, VSP provides educational opportunities, online resources, and financial support to ensure nonprofit organizations have the tools you need to develop and implement good practices* in volunteer screening and engagement, and risk management.

Financial support

To access financial support, nonprofit organizations must serve/work with vulnerable populations and must engage volunteers in positions of significant trust or authority with vulnerable populations.

For the purposes of the Volunteer Screening Program:

• A vulnerable person is defined as: One who, because of their age (under the age of 18 or over the age of 65), or a disability (mental or physical disability or mental illness), is in a position of dependence on others or is otherwise at greater risk than the general population of being harmed by a person in a position of trust or authority towards them.
• A position of trust or authority is defined as: A position in which a volunteer has a significant degree of authority or decision-making power over a vulnerable person and unsupervised access to a vulnerable individual. A position of trust may also include the development of a close, personal bond between the volunteer and the individual (e.g. mentor). A significant level of trust and authority must be inherent within the position, and not incidental or occasional.

Screening Development Grant

Volunteer Screening Development Grant applications for 2024 open on June 17th!

This grant supports the development of effective screening practices and processes. We provide up to $3,500 to support nonprofit organizations facing resource and capacity challenges in the area of volunteer screening.

Approved applicants for the Grant must participate in foundational learning by viewing the webinar, Goals-Based Approach to Volunteer Screening: How to Nourish Relationships and Trust in Volunteer Programming. Approved applicants will be sent a link to a pre-recorded webinar, and related guides, which can also be found through our resources page. Additionally, throughout the granting period we will offer a community of practice for grant recipients to check in with Volunteer Alberta and interact with other grant recipients. At the end of the granting period (March 31, 2025) a Final Report Survey will be required to be completed.

Please review the Screening Development Grant eligibility criteria and the eligible costs the grant can be applied to for further information.