What is Raptor?

A couple of years ago we as an organization made the decision purchase a technology that has helped us keep the children in our facility a little bit safer. The technology is called Raptor and it is an instant scan of the nationwide sex offenders database. The database is automatically scanned twice a year with the names of all of our members, volunteers, and employees.

However, this is also a tool that we employ in the hiring process. This means that each new hire is put through a three step background check. First, a state (or national is needed) criminal background check is completed. Then a child abuse check is completed through DCFS, and the final step is done through Raptor.

This, combined with our Child Abuse Prevention training, illustrates how important member and participant safety is to The Y.

Please contact the Director of Business Operations for more information on Raptor or with ideas on how utilize this technology in other ways.

Balance of Give and Take

There was a great article in the December/January is of AYP Magazine on the importance of balancing being a "Giver" and being a "Taker". You can download the article here.

Even if you feel you knew that this was important the visual above alone is worth looking at. Measure where you are at on this scale and make an effort to realign your balance.