Dear Members:

As we continue to service our community, our highest priority is the safeguarding of our girls. Considering that our volunteers make up 99 percent of the Girl Scouting "workforce," with 80 percent providing direct service to girls, volunteers are on the front lines of Girl Scouting. Therefore, it is necessary that we effectively screen our volunteers, placing them in the right volunteer positions.

The guidelines include the following:

Terminology and Blue Book Standard

Volunteer screening is the process of authenticating the information supplied to an organization by a volunteer applicant. Criminal background checking, one type of volunteer screening, is the process of looking into the history of an individual to determine whether she or he has a criminal record. Also, read details about the Blue Book Standard approved by the GSUSA's board in January 2010.

GSGATL's Additional Safety Measures

As of July 1, 2012 Georgia revised the reporting law to include child serving organizations (employees and volunteers) as mandated reporters. The law requires that mandated reporters, "having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused, shall report or cause reports of that child abuse to be made. You can access Mandated Reporters: Critical Links in Protecting Children in Georgia online for free.

Once you have completed this online course, please email a copy of your certificate to volunteerl&d@gsgatl.org and it will be added it to your Girls Scouts of Greater Atlanta Transcripts.

GSGATL's New Policy for Screening Volunteers

Beginning October 1, 2013, GSGATL will begin communication with former and current active volunteers that require an updated background check - Policy 4A in Volunteer Essentials, page 27-28. If you are a volunteer that is identified as needing an updated background check, you will receive an e-mail communication from us notifying you of this information. 

Thank you for helping to protect the safety of our Girl Scouts.