What is screening?
Screening is an on-going process designed to identify any person (volunteer or staff) who may harm children or vulnerable persons. Volunteer screening serves two main purposes:
1. to create and maintain a safe environment
2. to ensure an appropriate match between volunteer and task
Though a relatively new concept, volunteer screening is being adopted by a growing number of organizations. The process includes assessing risk, writing position descriptions, discerning suitability of an individual for a given task, providing training and, when necessary, modifying the setting and arrangement of task.
Volunteers frequently have a highly public role on behalf of a non-profit organization; they are persons that individuals dealing with the non-profit organization see first and most often. We can manage several risks by effectively screening, evaluating and placing volunteers.
Why screen?
Any organization that provides programs to vulnerable people has an obligation to appropriately screen people who for them, including volunteers. Screening is not only the right thing to do; it is legally required under the principle of “Duty of Care.”
Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening
All Team Bench Staff and Volunteers must have a Criminal Record Check - Vulnerable Sector Screening within the last 3 years before participating in any Minor Hockey activities.
Volunteers can visit the OPP website linked here http://opp.ca/recordchecks and follow the instructions to submit their no-cost volunteer application. Print and fill in the Association request letter, linked below, with the date, your name and your volunteer position. Simply scan or photograph your filled in letter and attach it with your application.
SDMHA_VSC_Letter_2025-26
The OPP will not accept in-person applications unless you fall under exceptions listed on the website.
NEW this year - a collaboration between 3 Ontario Hockey branches (Hockey eastern Ontario, Ontario Hockey federation and Hockey Northwestern Ontario), a centralized VSC process has been launched that will streamline and strengthen background checks for all involved in youth hockey, ensuring that vulnerable sector checks are conducted with greater efficiency.
All VSC results must be submitted through the new centralized process.
The new centralized process can be accessed via the HEO website and contains detailed instructions: Vulnerable Sector Check | Hockey Eastern Ontario