Volunteer Screening & Values Alignment Specialist

Volunteer Screening & Values Alignment Specialist

Department: Volunteer Engagement / Operations

Role Overview The Volunteer Screening and Values Alignment Specialist is a pivotal volunteer role responsible for upholding the safety and integrity of GFS. This person serves as the first line of defense for our community, ensuring that all prospective volunteers align with our mission to be inclusive, safe, and anti-discriminatory.

While this role is welcoming, it is also protective. You will help ensure that those entering our spaces respect the dignity of the people we serve.

Key Responsibilities

• Digital Values Assessment: Conduct standardized reviews of public social media profiles and digital footprints to check for values alignment and safety risks (using provided guidelines).
• Risk Identification: Specifically screen for "Red Flag" indicators, including hate speech, transphobia, racism, and advocacy of violence.
• Documentation: Accurately record findings in our internal database (Google Forms) using factual, non-emotional language.
• Escalation: Identify complex cases or safety concerns and escalate them to leadership with clear context.
• Holistic Review: Look beyond the "Red Flags" to identify volunteers who demonstrate strong mission support and constructive community engagement.
• Confidentiality: Treat all applicant information with the highest level of privacy and discretion.

What This Role Is Not

• Not "Cyber Stalking": We only review publicly available information relevant to safety and values. We do not hack, friend-request, or use deception.
• Not a Decision Maker: This role provides the data and recommendations; leadership makes the final decision on acceptance or rejection.
• Not a Debate Club: We do not argue with applicants about their beliefs; we assess their alignment with our safety standards.

Qualifications & Skills

• Unwavering Values Alignment: A deep commitment to GFS’s mission, specifically regarding the inclusion and safety of LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and marginalized communities.
• Digital Literacy: Comfortable navigating major social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok) and understanding how public privacy settings work.
• Awareness of Social Context: Ability to recognize "dog whistles," coded language, or symbols associated with hate groups or discriminatory ideologies.
• Emotional Resilience: Ability to review potentially abrasive or offensive content objectively without taking it personally.
• Objectivity: The ability to distinguish between "political disagreement" (which is allowed) and "human rights violations" (which are not).