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DISTRICT 5170 Sexual Abuse and Harassment Prevention Policy: What Does it Mean for Santa Cruz Sunrise?. Rotary Club of Santa Cruz Sunrise 12 September 2006. Overview. Compliance: Club Certification Scope of the policy Definitions Requirements Certification Youth Services in General
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DISTRICT 5170 Sexual Abuse and Harassment Prevention Policy: What Does it Mean for Santa Cruz Sunrise? Rotary Club of Santa Cruz Sunrise 12 September 2006
Overview • Compliance: Club Certification • Scope of the policy • Definitions • Requirements Certification • Youth Services in General • Youth Exchange Program • Volunteer Affidavit & LiveScan • Training & Screening Requirements • Next Steps
Current Sunrise Rotary Compliance WHAT WE HAVE Members fully trained: 5 Volunteer Affidavits: 1 Qualified counselors: 1 LiveScan submissions: 1 Club certification: Incomplete WHAT WE NEED Done! (minimum of 3) 3, one male, one female 3, one male, one female 3, one male, one female Complete
Scope of the Policy (1) • Applies to Rotary Youth Services • Youth Exchange • RYLA • Rotoract • Interact • Speech Contest • Mentoring
Scope of the Policy (2) • Applies to all adult volunteers involved with Rotary Youth Services who have direct interactions with students (youth), either supervised or unsupervised: • Club Youth Exchange officers and committee members • Rotarian Counselors • Rotarians and non-Rotarians and their spouses or partners who • host students for activities or outings • drive students to events or functions • have other one-on-one contact with youth
Definitions (1) • Sexual Abuse: Engaging in implicit or explicit sexual acts with a youth, or forcing or encouraging a youth to engage in implicit or explicit sexual acts, alone or with another person of any age of the same sex or the opposite sex. Examples: • Indecent exposure • Exposing a youth to sexual or pornographic material • Sexual leering, whistling, obscene language, gestures • Inappropriate physical contact • Making threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances
Definitions (2) • Harassment: Conduct that erodes the dignity of the victim, particularly based on the victim’s race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, gender, physical characteristics, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disability. Examples: • Unwelcome remarks and jokes • Displaying or distributing racist or other offensive material • Practical jokes that are based on race or other prohibited grounds • Verbal abuse or threats • Inappropriate gestures or touching • Physical assault
YOUTH SERVICE CLUB CERTIFICATION (1) • Adopt the Statement of Conduct for Working with Youth (RCP 2.110.1): Rotary International is committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for all participants in Rotary activities. It is the duty of all Rotarians, Rotarians’ spouses, partners, and other volunteers to safeguard to the best of their ability the welfare of and to prevent the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of children and young people with whom they come into contact.
YOUTH SERVICE CLUB CERTIFICATION (2) • Adopt Rotary International’s zero-tolerance policy on abuse and harassment: Even one incident of abuse or harassment is unacceptable, and every incident must be treated as a serious matter
YOUTH SERVICE CLUB CERTIFICATION (3) • Develop club policy, guidelines, and procedures for addressing the following: • Ensuring adults have training and certifications needed • Based on their level of involvement with youth • Some training required for 100% of members • Reporting serious incidents to designated District officials • Reporting sexual abuse or harassment to law enforcement • Establishing a reporting hierarchy for allegations • Separating youth from alleged offender • Designating alternate housing for safeguarding youth who make allegations • Designating appropriate support services for youth who make allegations
YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM CLUB CERTIFICATION • Initiate screening and selection of adult members of youth exchange host families • Select Rotarian Counselors • Ensure participation of the following in the appropriate District Orientation: • Youth Exchange committee members • Rotarian counselors • Rotarians and non-Rotarians who are volunteers for Youth Exchange activities
Screening Requirements (1) • Youth Service Volunteer Affidavit • Personal information, including SSN • Employment + volunteer histories with youth: 5 years • 3 personal references • Narrative on qualifications and training • Self-report of any criminal convictions • Self-report of any restraining orders, civil harassment injunctions, domestic violence-related court orders
Screening Requirements (2) • LIVESCAN • Electronic taking of fingerprints vs ink blotter • Fingerprints forwarded electronically to DOJ • Results returned to designated entity on form (Hyde) • Procedures • Complete “Request for Live Scan Service” form on-line (Ensure club number is on the form) • Print 3 copies • Take 3 copies to a LiveScan station for fingerprinting • Operator returns 2 copies to applicant • Applicant mails one copy to Ron Hyde, District Sexual Abuse and Harassment Prevention Coordinator
Local LiveScan Locations • Santa Cruz Co. Office of Education 809-H Bay Ave, Capitola / 479-5354 M-F, 8:30-11am / $18.00 / Check, Money Order • Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Center @ Cabrillo College 6500 Soquel Drive, Bldg 950, Aptos / 479-6314 M-Th, 1-4:30pm / $18.00 / Cash, Checks • Santa Cruz Co. Sheriff’s Office 701 Ocean Street, Room 340, Santa Cruz / 454-3007 M-F, 9-11:30am, 1:15-4:00pm / $18.00 / No credit cards • Watsonville Police Department 215 Union Street, Watsonville / 728-6001 M-Th, 5:30-7:30pm, / $18.00 / Cash, Checks
Next Steps √ Adopt required statements and policy • Form a Club Sexual Abuse and Harassment Prevention Committee • Ultimately, get as many certified volunteers as possible • Begin identifying and certifying club trainer(s) • Identify an independent, non-Rotarian counselor for the club • Get psyched to participate in at least 1 hour of training