IPS Volunteer Management: General Information for IPS Admins

(Keywords: Volunteer, Management, Admin, Status, NotSet, Archive, AdverseAction, Expired, Invite, Sterling)

     In this support article, we'll be going over general information regarding volunteer management. If there's something we did not cover in this article that you have questions about, please contact us at [e-mail].

Topics Covered:
• Setting Up a Volunteer Opportunity (VO)
• Setting Up Your VO's Registration Form
• The Flow (Process) for Potential Volunteers & Existing Volunteers
• Statuses in Your VO
• Video Covering Searching for Volunteer & Status Meanings
• Accessing Sterling
• IPS Volunteer Opportunities Directory
• FAQs

Setting Up a Volunteer Opportunity (VO)

     Setting up a VO follows a process similar to setting up an Activity, with only some minor differences. To access the VO section within your school's AfterSchool HQ (AHQ) account, hover your mouse over Activity Center and click Volunteer Opportunities.

If you do not see this option, please contact us and we'll enable VOs for your school's AHQ account.

• Once you're on this page, click Create Your First Opportunity.

• From here, you can set up your VO. You can navigate through the setup menu by clicking the sections located on the right hand side. Alternatively, you can click Save & Next located at the bottom of each section to be taken to the next section.

Setting Up Your VO's Registration Form

    Similar to Activities, VOs have registration forms that you can set up! To access these registration forms, click Forms located on the left hand side.

• Once you're on this page, there will already be a volunteer form created by default. Click Edit.

• From here, you'll be able to start customizing your VO's registration form. The middle section is only visible for you and other administrators using your school's AHQ account. On the right hand is where you can navigate through the sections.

• You can click here to access our support article going over registration forms. Please note that this support article covers registration forms for Activities, but it functions similarly for VOs.

The Flow (Process) for Potential Volunteers & Existing Volunteers / Statuses

    There are a couple of steps a person can follow to complete the background check process. The one they follow they follow depends on their unique situation. Here are a couple of flows a person could follow and certain situations they may find themselves in:

• A New Volunteer - This individual has never registered as a volunteer. The individual will need to first register through an IPS VO. From there, they'll receive an email with their unique sign-up link to create an account in Sterling (information regarding Sterling is further into this article). Please note this step is necessary and cannot be skipped. After creating their account, they will be prompted to enter personal information for Sterling to conduct its screen reports. Once the information has been submitted, it could take up to 7 days for Sterling to finish its screening report. Please note this time frame is an estimate. Once Sterling has finished its screening report, the individual will be notified of the results and their status will be updated in your AHQ account (statuses and their meaning are further into this support article).

• This support article goes over each step in further detail and includes screenshots.
  
  
• Here is the Spanish version.

• An Imported Volunteer - This individual was imported from the previous system IPS used to run its background checks. They will have an AHQ account already created for them. To register to any VO, they will need to reset their password. This step cannot be skipped. Once they've reset their password, they will register to any IPS VO. From there, they'll receive an email with their unique sign-up link to create an account in Sterling (information regarding Sterling is further into this article). Please note this step is necessary and cannot be skipped. After creating their account, they will be prompted to enter personal information for Sterling to conduct its screen reports. Once the information has been submitted, it could take up to 7 days for Sterling to finish its screening report. Please note this time frame is an estimate. Once Sterling has finished its screening report, the individual will be notified of the results and their status will be updated in your AHQ account (statuses and their meaning are further into this support article).

  • This support article goes over each step in further detail and includes screenshots.
    
    
  • If they experience issues initiating the background check process, please have them contact us at [e-mail] for assistance.
    
    
    
• Active Sterling Link - This individual has initiated the background check process through AfterSchool HQ, but has not submitted their information to Sterling.
  
  
  • These are the remaining steps they need to complete.
    • Video Guide: Start at 2:40
    • Text Steps: Start at Step 6
      
      
  • Here is the Spanish version.
    
    • Video Guide: Start at 3:35
    • Text Steps: Start at Step 6

• Expired Sterling Link - This individual took too long to access their unique Sterling link and it expired (Sterling invites last for 30 days). To re-generate the link, they can go into their AfterSchool HQ accounts to do so.
  
  
  • This support article goes over each step in further detail and includes screenshots.

• Existing Sterling Volunteer - This individual has already completed the process through Sterling, was approved, and now wants to register for your school's VO. They would need to go to your school's AHQ VO registration page, register and that's it! Statuses of existing volunteers are updated across all VO with IPS.
  
  

  • You can share the registration link of your Volunteer Opportunity with them or the IPS Volunteer Opportunities Directory link.
    
    
    
• Expired Sterling Background Check - This individual created their Sterling account and was approved, but now their Sterling background check has expired.
  
  

⚒️ Instructions Coming Soon ⚒️

⭐ Please feel free to share these support articles with your volunteers ⭐

⭐ They can also contact us at [e-mail] for any assistance⭐

Statuses in Your VO

     You can view your registrant's statuses in VO by clicking the Volunteers tab located at the top.

Here is the list of statuses you may find for individuals:

• Email Sent To Volunteer: The individual has registered to an IPS VO, but has not created their Sterling account to submit their information.
  
  
• Expired Invite: This means that the individual's unique Sterling sign-up link has expired. Sterling invites last for 30 days. (Please note that everybody receives a unique signup link. There isn't a general link.)
• Pending: The person has submitted their information to Sterling and is waiting for them to complete their screening report.
  
  
• Complete/Archive: This means Sterling completed the individual's screen report and found no oddities; they're approved to volunteer.
  
  
• Adverse Action:  This means Sterling completed the individual's screen report and found oddities; they're NOT approved to volunteer (declined).
  
  
  
  
• Expired: This can be found in the IPS AHQ District account in the Volunteers tab. This person's background check has expired and will need to renew their background check. These people are either imported volunteers or their Sterling background check as expired. You can check by clicking View Volunteer Details next to their name:
  
  
  
  
  
• NotSet: This can be found in the IPS AHQ District account in the Volunteers tab. This means that a person has initiated the background check and either needs to submit their information to Sterling, their Sterling link has expired, or has already submitted their information to Sterling and is waiting for their results. This status should not appear in your own AHQ accounts.

If any individuals reach out to you and state that they need assistance, you can refer them to [e-mail] or you can contact us on their behalf as well.

Video Covering Searching for Volunteer & Status Meanings

• Link to the approved volunteers spreadsheet: IPS Approved VM List

Accessing Sterling Dashboard

   This section will show you how to access the Sterling Dashboard via AHQ.

Note: This section is for those who have access to the Indianapolis Public Schools AHQ account and have credentials to access Sterling.


• When in the Volunteer section, click either the Background Check or Volunteers tab located at the top.

• On the right-hand side, you will see a View Background Check Dashboard button.

• Once you've clicked the button, you will be directed to a Sterling login page. Here you will need to enter your credentials to log in.

⭐ You can also provide this link to volunteers who have already created their Sterling account ⭐

IPS Volunteer Opportunities Directory

     This directory hosts all of the IPS schools that have created Volunteer Opportunities. This directory can be useful to share with parents who express interest in registering to other schools' VOs, but don't happen to have the link to them.

• Click here to access the IPS Volunteer Opportunities Directory.

• If you would like to share a support article created for people who want to register to other schools' VOs, but don't happen to have the link to them, click here.

• In the case you have created a VO, but are unable to locate your school's AHQ account in the directory, please contact us at [e-mail].

• Please note that this directory will only direct people to your school's VOs.

FAQs

Q: What is Sterling?
A: Sterling is the service provider that the Indianapolis Public Schools District uses to run background checks for potential volunteers.

Q: If a volunteer has a valid background check from the previous system that IPS used, will they need to renew it?
A: No. If a volunteer has a valid background check and if IPS can validate its legitimacy, they will only need to renew through Sterling once it expires. 

Q: Are background checks free for volunteers?
A: Yes. Potential volunteers do not need to pay a fee to undergo a background check through Sterling. If anybody states they're prompted to pay, please report it to [e-mail].

Q: What should a volunteer do if they are declined and disagree with the results?
A: The parameters of the background check screening report were set up by IPS. If a volunteer is declined, it is due to one or more reports revealing discrepancies that IPS considers significant enough to warrant the rejection. The individual receives the results of their screen report. If they are insistent, [e-mail] will be able to provide further clarity.

Q: Do potential volunteers need to enter their full Social Security Number?
A: Yes. It is needed for Sterling to conduct its comprehensive screening report.

Q: Does Sterling accept paper forms?
A: No. Sterling only accepts submissions through their secure website.

Q: A volunteer has told me their background check was completed and approved, but their status has not been updated on my AHQ account.
A: Please contact [e-mail] and we can assist you! Please also provide us with their full name and email address.

Q: A volunteer has told me they cannot register for my VO. What can I do?
A: Please contact [e-mail] and we can check their account and provide them with additional information. Please also provide us with their full name and email address.

Q: How long does it take Sterling to Complete a screening report?
A: It can take up to 7 days for Sterling to complete a screening report.

Q: Will it take Sterling the full 7 days to complete every single report?
A: No. This is an estimate.

Q: What should I do if a volunteer states that their background check screening report has not been completed and it has been over 7 days?
A: Please contact [e-mail] and we can check their status in Sterling.

Q: Is there a list of every single approved volunteer?
A: Yes. Click here to access it.

Q: My question is not on here. Who can I contact for further assistance?
A: Us! You can contact us for any questions you may have regarding volunteer management at [e-mail].

💡If you have any questions or experience any technical difficulties with IPS Volunteer Management: General Information for IPS Admins, don't hesitate to contact our support team at [e-mail]. 💡