The Archdiocesan Council of Chicago (ADC) implemented the Safeguarding Program in May 2024. In accordance with the Safeguarding Policy, all St. Vincent de Paul Chicago members must have an active Virtus account with the Society within 60 days of the launch of the program.
According to the SVdP USA National Website:
At the National Council meeting in Houstin in August 2021, delegates approved Resolution 189 – National Safeguarding Policy for all Member Councils. This resolution asks all Council to create a Safeguarding Policy that would follow te guidelines and also address their local circumstances, paying attention to local laws and the policies of their diocese.
Ralph Middlecamp, National Council President, released a statement explaining the reasoning behind the Safeguarding Program for Vincentians: A Letter from Our Servant Leader.
If you are familiar with the Safeguarding program and are looking for additional resources, printable guides, and who to contact, scroll to the bottom of this page for more information.
What is Safeguarding?
The purpose of Safeguarding is to protect those we serve to ensure that the human rights of all persons are not violated, and that vulnerable people feel safe and empowered when they use the services which our Society provides.
“The protection of minors and vulnerable people is an integral part of the Gospel message that the Church and all its members are called to proclaim throughout the world. Christ himself, in fact, has entrusted us with the care and protection of the weakest and defenseless: ‘whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me’ (Mt. 18:5).
Therefore, we all have the duty to welcome openheartedly minors and vulnerable people and to create a safe environment for them, with their interests as a priority. This requires a continuous and profound conversation, in which personal holiness and moral commitment come together to promote the credibility of the Gospel proclaim and to renew the education mission of the Church”.
– Pope Francis
What is expected of me for the Safeguarding Program?
There are three main components to the Safeguarding Program:
1. Background Check every 5 years
2. Training Every 3 years: Protecting God’s Children, Vulnerable Adults
3. Once time: Acknowledgement and electronic signature of the Safeguarding documents
Background Check
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago will be utilizing Sterling Volunteers as our background check provider. There is no cost to the member or the Conference; however, you may make a donation to the ADC to cover the cost if you choose to do so.
Training
We have been working with Virtus for the mirroring of the two mandatory trainings “Protecting God’s Children” and “Vulnerable Adults”. If a member has an existing Virtus account with these trainings completed within the past 3 years, we will obtain them so the member does NOT need to retake it.
Acknowledgement & Electronic Signature
There will be 2 documents that members will be asked to sign on their SVdP Chicago Virtus account. Members can electronically sign these 2 documents and do not need to mail anything in with a physical signature.
Am I required to work through the Safeguarding Program?
I have to complete the Safeguarding Program. What’s next?
For each of the below sections, choose the option which best suits you.
Option 0: I am a New Member
Welcome! Please email Nicole (nicole@svdpchicago.org) the following information to get started:
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Full Name
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Conference you are associated with
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SVdP Membership start date
Option 1: I do not have a Virtus Account
I DO NOT have an Archdiocese of Chicago Virtus Account and I DO NOT have an SVdP Chicago Virtus Account
Please use the link below to create your SVdP Chicago Virtus Account:
Option 2: I have an existing Virtus account but do NOT have an SVdP Chicago Virtus Account
I HAVE an existing Virtus Account with the Archdiocese of Chicago, but I DO NOT have an SVdP Chicago Virtus Account
DO NOT CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT WITH US. Please email Nicole (nicole@svdpchicago.org) the following information, and she will get your account mirrored to SVdP:
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Full Name
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Conference you are a member with
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User ID for your Archdiocese of Chicago Virtus Account
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Email associated with your Archdiocese of Chicago Virtus Account
Please note: If you have been inactive with your Archdiocese of Chicago Virtus account for 3+ years, it is best to create a new account with SVdP Chicago. In this case, revert back to “Option 1”.
Virtus has taken the responsibility of comparing SVdP membership records with those of the Archdiocese of Chicago. You will be given credit for background checks (dating back to 5/7/2024) and trainings that you have previously taken. If you have taken our required trainings through other organizations, we will investigate if we can give you credit for this. In any case, if the training you received was more than three (3) years ago or the background check dated before 5/7/2024, you will be required to take them again.
Option 3: I ONLY need to complete a background check
Please use this link to complete the background check: Sterling Volunteers x SVdP Chicago.
Once completed, email Nicole (nicole@svdpchicago.org) that it was completed.
If you are having difficulty getting into your Sterling account or completing the background check, please contact Sterling directly:
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Phone: 855.326.1860 (Option 3)
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Email: theadvocates@sterlingvolunteers.com
Option 4: I ONLY need to electronically acknowledge and sign the Safeguarding Documents
You can find these documents when you log into your SVdP Chicago Virtus account. On the home page, find the “Resources” box (picture below).
There will be 2 documents for you to view:
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Safeguarding Policy
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Safeguarding: Standards of Behavior
If you do not see this when you login, email Nicole (nicole@svdpchicago.org) and she will reset the page for you.
