Providing world class youth soccer programs that enrich children's lives.

Serving the Ventura community for over 50 years!

VIOLUNTEER INFO & REQUIREMENTS HEADER

AYSO is an all-volunteer-run organization; all of our coaches, referees and administrators are volunteers.

Parents, neighbors, relatives and friends lend their time and talents so that each child gets a terrific AYSO experience.

THINKING ABOUT VOLUNTEERING?

Welcome!

If you are on this page, it's usually because you are already a volunteer, a new volunteer, or on the fence and looking for more information. Regardless, you are in the right place. We will walk you through how to volunteer, how to take the required training, why it's important, and how to verify you are in compliance to perform your role.

While looking through the required training, it can be a more of a time commitment in the beginning than you envisioned, however the rewards are much greater. The majority of the initial training is done once, which I will outline below.

The Child Volunteer Protection Advocate (CVPA) serves as the Safe Haven program representative in our local region. In doing so, overseeing child and volunteer protection in the region, includes registering volunteers, performing regional volunteer screening, and serving as a resource for the Region for good faith reporting of child abuse.

As with AYSO’s promise to provide a safe, fair, fun, positive family environment for youth soccer, AYSO wants to ensure all its volunteers receive the maximum protection under the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997.

Under the rules of the Safe Haven program, AYSO requires that each volunteer complete and eSign a volunteer application each and every year, including agreeing to background checks and to abide by the philosophies and policies of AYSO.

Our volunteers are also asked to complete Safe Haven courses and job-specific training in order to become certified. AYSO in-person and online training focuses on the best ways to work with children and important safety protocols.

If you need assistance, please contact your CVPA at [email protected].

What is SAFE HAVEN?

Our volunteers are also asked to complete Safe Haven courses and job-specific training in order to become certified. AYSO in-person and online training focuses on the best ways to work with children and important safety protocols.

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Volunteer Checklist

Volunteer Information

Would you like to have some fun, make new friends and volunteer your time for the children? For information about the various volunteer positions available in Region 39 click here. Why not find out about joining our Ventura AYSO Region 39 Board, contact the nomination committee at: [email protected].

How do I become a volunteer?

Step 1: Register As A Volunteer

1. Visit our Region 39 website at www.ayso39.org

2. Log into your Sports Connect account using the link in the upper right corner. If you don't already have an account you will create one here.

3. Click the Volunteer link, located on the left side of your screen.

4. Select the role(s) in which you would like to volunteer and complete and submit the Volunteer Form.
Some of your options will be:
* Board Member (This included Division Coordinator)
* Head Coach
* Assistant Coach
* Referee
* Team Parent (Not added until August when teams are assigned)

Step 2: Background Checks
In accordance with the 2017 SafeSport Act every registered adult volunteer must complete a Live Scan and submit for a background check and complete SafeSport training. Youth volunteers do not have to complete background checks.

1. Risk Level - If you have submitted your Volunteer Form (Step 1) you should receive an email from Sterling Volunteers to submit your background check which determines your risk level as a volunteer.
Please Note: Background checks are good for one full year. If you are a returning volunteer your previous background check may still be valid. You should receive an email 30 days before your background check expires to let you know it is time to submit for the new year.

2. Fingerprinting - NEW as of January 1, 2022 - California AB 506 requires Live Scan Fingerprinting for all adult administrators, employees, and volunteers.
Please Note: The Live Scan background check only needs to be completed once, as long as the volunteer registers/returns each year.
Volunteers who do not register for two to three years will be required to redo the Live Scan process. Please contact [email protected]

Step 3: Complete the Required Training
All volunteers must have completed a Safe Haven, CDC Concussion Awareness, Sudden Cardiac Arrest and SafeSport course at online at: www.aysou.org (You will log into the AYSOU training site with your same username and password as your Sports Connect account). * You must complete your volunteer form, Safe Haven, CDC Concussion Awareness, Sudden Cardiac Arrest and SafeSport courses before signing up for any additional training courses. Please Note: SafeSport is only for volunteers and players who are 18 or over.

3. Sign up to be a coach, assistant coach, referee or board member. You'll need additional specific training (available courses are in AYSOU). For Coach questions, please contact our Coach Administrator at: [email protected]. For Referee questions, please contact our Referee Administrator at: [email protected] or access the Referee section of this Website.

How does AYSO protect its volunteers and athletes?

Safe Haven™

Safe Haven^™ is a program designed to address a growing need for child and volunteer protection. There are four elements in the Safe Haven™ intervention cycle: Create Policies, Screen Volunteers, Train Volunteers, and Promote Education and Awareness. These are intended to stop child abuse and its agents before they get into the program. In AYSO, children play in a friendly and safe environment.

The Volunteer Protection Act of 1997
This law grants immunity from certain types of prosecution for volunteers who meet its requirements. In order to receive full protection under the law, AYSO volunteers need must: 1. be properly trained and certified; 2. be performing duties as laid out in a position description; 3. act within the scope of AYSO's Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines.

Thank you for volunteering for AYSO Region 39. Feel free to contact our Region 39 Child and Volunteer Protection Advocate with any questions or assistance you may need at [email protected]

STEP 1 - COMPLETE A VOLUNTEER FORM (NEW & RETURNING)

STEP 1

NOTE: If you are not the Primary Parent who registered your child, instead of selecting LOGIN, select REGISTER NOW and create an account. This is important if you are the volunteer to ensure that your training is linked to you and not the parent who registered the child.

How to Register as a New Adult Volunteer in Sports Connect

Go to your Region’s Sports Connect portal at www.ayso39.org and click on Register Now if you are new to AYSO or Login if you are returning.
Enter your own email address
Create a password if you are new or enter password if you are returning
Click on Create Account
Fill in the Account Holder 1: Primary Parent/Guardian Information as “yourself” then, click Continue
Select the middle circle “I am a coach or other team personnel”
Select the program that applies to the season and your volunteer role (these may appear different for your specific region) then, click View Available Positions.
Scroll through to find your preferred division and volunteer position and click Sign Up then scroll down to bottom of page and click If you are volunteering for multiple divisions and positions, you can select them all now to complete at once.
Your name should be selected by default since you are signing up yourself so, click Continue.
Fill out all the required information on your volunteer application, then, check the ‘I accept’ box and click Continue.
Review the information then click Submit signed volunteer application at bottom of page.

STEPS 2&3 - BACKGROUND CHECKS - MANDATORY

AYSO performs two (2) background checks, Sterling and Live Scan Fingerprinting.

NOTE: YOUTH Volunteers (under 18 years of age) are exempt from this requirement.

1. The Sterling Background check is completed annually.
2. LIVESCAN Fingerprinting is completed once, provided that your volunteer service does not lapse more than 2 years.

Sterling Background Check
The invitation to complete the Sterling Background Check is triggered by submitting your volunteer application. This invitation is often immediate and can take up to 24 hours to receive (please check SPAM folder). Click on the link within the email and you will be redirected to the Sterling website.

If you are a new volunteer; you need to create an account first and register as a volunteer to complete the background check.

Existing volunteers can click the link within the email and use your existing login credentials to renew your background check.

Failure to renew your background check before the expiration date will affect your eligibility to volunteer as well as your access on AYSOU (if applicable).
If any issues arise with your Sterling background check, you will be contacted directly as to your next steps.

LIVE SCAN Fingerprinting - only done once

Note: LIVE SCANs between employers and other youth sports are not transferrable.

Our local region will typically hold 2-3 onsite events to ensure that all volunteers have been fingerprinted, depending on the need. It is crucial that if you have not been LIVE SCANNED with AYSO, that you get this done as soon as it's available. **Failure to do so can impact you being able to volunteer. There is no cost to the volunteer.

To pre-register for a LIVE SCAN event, go to https://www.applicantservices.com/ayso-billed. Select your city or zip code to see available events.

Step by Step directions can be found here. how to register for live scan.pdf