Protecting vulnerable participants, volunteers and their organizations is a priority of the Newfoundland and Labrador High School Athletics Federation, Newfoundland and Labrador Parks and Recreation Association, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Federation, which in partnership with the Community Services Council, Volunteer Centre will be working to see this happens. These organizations have just received funding from Sandra Kelly, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation for a program called Screening Volunteers for Sports and Recreation Programs in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The funding will enable the sports and recreation organizations to develop and implement policies and procedures around screening volunteers who work with vulnerable participants, mainly children, within their systems. It will also ensure the delivery of the "National Education Campaign on Screening Volunteers and Employees in Positions of Trust with Children and Other Vulnerable People" (NEC) a program of Volunteer Canada throughout the sports and recreation communities in the province. "Funding by the province for this initiative clearly underlines the Department's and minister Kelly's concern that sports and recreation programs in the province deal with the issue of screening volunteers appropriately" said Tony Janes, President of NLPRA.

The National Education Campaign on Screening was developed by Volunteer Canada: The Canadian Association of Volunteer Bureaux and Centres with funding from the federal departments of the Solicitor General, Justice and Health and more recently Canadian Heritage. Sandra Murphy, lead person for the Community Services Council on the project and President of Volunteer Canada during the development of the NEC says: "I am delighted that the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation has supported this partnership and initiative. The sports and recreation communities got a wake up call last year with Sheldon Kennedy's revelations and the problems at Maple Leaf Gardens. Appropriate screening that starts before the volunteer enters an organization and follows through until he or she leaves is vital to ensuring that children and others are protected, that people are willing to volunteer and that worthwhile personal and community enhancing programs continue."

More information on this initiative can be obtained by contacting the Community Services Council, Volunteer Centre at (709) 753-9860.