Some municipal functions, such as parks and recreation, rely heavily on volunteers or contracted services to help facilitate recreational activities offered to youth. Parents trust these workers with their children, and so they must take care to provide a safe and healthy environment for every participant.
A 2023 case where the City of Napa, California, and the Friends Scientopia settled a child burn lawsuit for $18.5 million demonstrates an example of what can happen when cities do not take proper steps to vet outsiders providing instruction during a city-sponsored event.
When vetting volunteers, instructors or coaches, municipalities should establish standard procedures to ensure that the person or organization is qualified and does not increase risk for the city. Following these steps will help ensure participants of recreational programs are in good hands.
- Applications: Have candidates complete an application to gain an understanding of their credentials, and other basic information.
- Background checks: Complete thorough background checks, including criminal history, employment verification and reference checks, to assess the suitability of candidates.
- Certification and qualification verification: Verify instructors’ certifications, qualifications and training relevant to their roles, such as first aid and CPR certification, as well as specialized training in specific activities.
- Skills assessment: Evaluate candidates’ teaching abilities, communication skills and knowledge of safety protocols through practical assessments or mock teaching sessions.
- Behavioral interviews: Use behavioral interview techniques to assess candidates’ problem-solving skills, conflict resolution abilities and commitment to safety and professionalism.
- Reference checks: Contact previous employers, colleagues or mentors to gather insights into candidates’ work ethics, teaching styles and reliability.
When the city selects candidates, it should provide onboarding and training to ensure that instructors and coaches understand safety and injury prevention. Vetting recreation instructors is essential for ensuring participant safety and program quality. By implementing thorough background checks, skills assessments and ongoing support mechanisms, cities can build a team of qualified and dedicated instructors who contribute to the success of recreational programs and promote a positive and safe participant experience.
Members of the South Carolina Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund can access the Parks and Recreation Liability Toolkit for additional guidelines. For more information on reducing liability risk exposures in your recreation programs, contact Bethany Pendley, loss control manager, at 803.933.1210 or bpendley@masc.sc.