Wayne Magazine Holiday 2019 | Page 51

METROPOLITAN YMCA OF THE ORANGES OUR #1 PRIORITY: PROTECTING CHILDREN WHAT WE ARE DOING SCREENING All employees and volunteers undergo a background check prior to hiring and on an annual basis, and they must provide at least four references. Our members and guests are also screened through a Raptor system daily that integrates with The National Sex Offender Registry. TRAINING Comprehensive online and in-person child abuse prevention training is mandatory to all YMCA employees and volunteers, and they are required to refresh their training annually. The goal is to educate on inappropriate conduct, while also teaching the warning signs of abuse. AUDITING To ensure we continuously uphold the highest standards in child safety and protection, we have developed internal teams that routinely audit our operations, and utilize a Know Your Score! assessment tool developed by Praesidium, a consulting firm that specializes in abuse prevention and risk management. REPORTING Should any allegation arise, the YMCA will proactively work with the authorities and all parties involved to respond in a prompt, thorough and empathetic manner. RAPTOR This web-based platform identifies unwanted visitors instantly by scanning driver’s licenses and state-issued ID’s and keeps unwanted guests from entering our YMCA. If a potential threat is identified, the Raptor system will send an instant alert to designated management staff. If necessary, law enforcement will be notified. POLICY The Metro YMCA maintains a zero tolerance policy toward child abuse and child endangerment, and staff are to report any questionable behavior they see, or violations of their Employee Code of Conduct. PROTECTING KIDS TOGETHER Metro YMCAs of the Oranges • 139 E. McClellan Ave., Livingston, NJ 07039 • metroymcas.org/prevention