Standards for Working With Youth
These standards support your club in conducting programs in a safe and secure environment for participating youth. All clubs participating in Dream It, Be It or with another project involving youth are required to adhere to the guidelines and standards below.
Club Compliance Checklist
Before beginning to plan for a new Dream It, Be It project, each club must take the following steps. For more information, download the full PDF below.
- Develop your club-level background check procedures
- Have each club member interacting with youth read and sign the SIA required materials
- Collect consent and release forms from participating girls
Download Club Compliance Checklist (PDF)
As of January 1, 2026, Soroptimist will be partnering with Global Investigative Services (GIS) as our new preferred background screening provider. While the partnership is new, the platform and workflow will feel very familiar. The overall experience remains streamlined and easy to use. Members will continue to initiate, track, and manage background checks through a similar user-friendly system.
Please review the NEW Background Check Policy and recently UPDATED Background Check Frequently Asked Questions!
Obtain VOLUNTEER BACKGROUND CHECKS
Background Check Request Instructions
Please note that each name searched (e.g., a maiden name or previous name) will incur a separate charge for each volunteer. This is necessary to ensure the safety of all participants.
Questions? Contact customersvc@gispi.com or program@soroptimist.org.
If you have any questions regarding a background check requested with HireImage before the transition, please contact stacy@hireimage.com or program@soroptimist.org.
Important Materials
Standards for Working with Youth
Find information on general rules for engaging with youth, background checks, training and other necessary steps for your club.
Youth Programs Compliance and Release Agreement
Form confirming you have read and understand Standards for Working with Youth and authorize club leadership to conduct a background check.
Background Check Frequently Asked Questions - UPDATED!
Find answers to your questions about SIA’s background check and youth-compliance requirements.
Background Check Request Instructions
Find a step-by-step guide for how to request a background check for your club.
Tips for Working with Youth Safely and Virtually
SIA’s Standards for Working with Youth apply whether you are working face-to-face or virtually. However, meeting virtually requires some additional preparation!
Abuse Prevention When Working with Youth
Abuse Prevention Resources for Youth-Serving Organizations