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Parish Life » Volunteer Requirements

Volunteer Requirements

Our Lady of Sorrows abides by the Archdiocese of Detroit Safe Environment policy.

 
In our diligence toward a safe environment for our children, youth, and vulnerable adults, ALL volunteers must complete:
  • a Protecting God’s Children (PGC) workshop through VIRTUS Online
  • a Criminal Background Check.
Per the AOD, those who completed a Protecting God's Children workshop before January 1, 2020, are required to update their certification by completing the Protecting God's Children Online Awareness Session 4.0 with Vulnerable Adults Training 2.0 module.  This module is self-paced and takes approximately two hours to complete. Individuals may pause, save, and resume their position in the training if they cannot complete it in one sitting.  Volunteers who completed Protecting God’s Children before January 1, 2020, must complete a new Criminal Background Check form.  Any new volunteer must complete an in-person or Zoom session of the Protecting God’s Children class and complete a Background Check before they can volunteer.

To complete Protecting God’s Children (PGC), please click the button below or go to www.virtus.org to fulfill the safe environment training requirement. Please Note: If you do not remember your login, please DO NOT create a new login. Please contact Sue Siemiesz at 248-474-5720 or via email at [email protected] with the email you want on your VIRTUS account and logon information will be sent to you.
 
Once you have completed the online or in-person class, please return to the parish office: the signed and dated “Church Personnel and Volunteer Criminal Background Check Disclosure and Authorization Form”
 

Ongoing Recertification

All individuals will be required to complete the Protecting God’s Children online recertification module within three months of the third anniversary of their previous Protecting God’s Children certification. The Virtus system will automatically send a notification to a participant’s email on file to prompt them to complete recertification. Regular background checks add another layer of security to keep kids safe.  Not allowing potential criminals and sex offenders around children is critical.  Completing background checks and rescreens protects children from harmful people and creates a safe environment for all.  Background checks can also help identify adults who should not drive children and vulnerable adults.  Background checks will be renewed annually.
 
Thank you for your time, talent, and ongoing support, and thank you for your diligence in making our parishes, schools, and, ultimately, our communities a safer place for all of God's children.
 

Teen Volunteers

High school students who wish to volunteer at any AOD parish or school must complete Virtus’ online workshops: Healthy Relationships for Teens 2.0 Online Module Expansion with SafeEnvironment Components. This module is accessible online through Virtus and is intended to help youth identify the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships. The module also equips teens to follow a plan to do the right thing for themselves and others upon recognizing an unhealthy situation. This module takes approximately 35 minutes to complete. To access the module, teen volunteers need to register on the Virtus site. After inputting their date of birth, the system will know they are a minor and will assign them the Healthy Relationships forTeens 2.0 module.