VolunteerHub’s integration integrates with Sterling Volunteers’ background check services to automate much of the approval process for your new volunteers.

Once implemented, the Sterling Volunteers integration workflow places users into specific user groups indicating the status of their background checks (see screenshot below). The full integration workflow is described in the sections below.

Step 1. User creates account in VolunteerHub.

Automated Workflow
The first step in the integrated workflow requires a potential volunteer to create their account in VolunteerHub, just as a new volunteer normally would. Once the user has finished creating an account, they will be prompted to initiate a background check. Until the check is complete, the user will be prohibited from registering for events until the background check process is complete.

At this point, the user’s account is placed into the Redirected to BG Check user group, which signifies that the user has created an account in VolunteerHub but has not yet requested a background check.

Remember: Users will remain in this group indefinitely if they never complete the background check request process. This may be because the user did not want to purchase a background check (if payment is required) or that the user did not wish to submit to a background check.

Manual Workflow
If you desire, the workflow can be triggered manually rather than upon initial account creation (e.g., volunteers can be manually added to the Redirected to BG Check group after signing up for and completing an orientation event in your site). If you would like to change the workflow to allow volunteers to sign up for certain events before being required to submit to a background check, or if you would like only certain volunteers to complete the background check process, please send an email to [email protected] with details regarding the desired workflow.

Step 2. User is routed to Sterling Volunteers.

Once the user’s account is created in VolunteerHub, they will be prompted to initiate a background check (see image below).

Clicking on the Initiate Background Check button will take the user to Sterling Volunteers, where the user will complete the background check request process by entering personal information and authorizing the screen.

Once the screening is complete, Sterling Volunteers will pass an update to VolunteerHub. The user will then be moved into the Background Check Requested user group, signifying that the user has requested a background check and that account approval is pending the results of the screen.

Step 3. Sterling Volunteers completes background check.

Once the user’s background check has been fully processed, Sterling Volunteers will pass an update to VolunteerHub. From that point, the user may fall into one of the following categories:

  1. Approved: If a user’s background check is 100% clean, the user will be approved and notified automatically that their account has been activated. The user will be removed from all background check user groups and will be able to sign up for events.
  2. Pending: If any negative data is returned, a background check report URL link will be placed in the user’s profile in VolunteerHub and the user will be added to the Background Check Ready for Review user group. An administrator will then click on the background check URL from within the user's profile to review the report to determine whether the user may be approved by approving or rejecting the volunteer based on their background check results. If approved, the user will be removed from all Sterling Volunteers user groups in VolunteerHub, enabling the user to register for events. If not approved, the user will be placed in the Background Check Ineligible user group in VolunteerHub.
  3. Unapproved: Once you determine that the pending user is ineligible to volunteer with your organization based on the results of the background check report, the user will be added to the Background Check Ineligible user group. As a result, the user will be blocked from volunteering with your organization in the future.

Ready to implement VolunteerHub’s integration with Sterling Volunteers in your Hub? Contact your VolunteerHub Account Manager or send an email to [email protected].