Case Study: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee
Organization Background
Established in 1969 and part of the oldest and largest youth mentoring organization in the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee helps children reach their potential by building professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with community members that measurably impact each child’s life. Matches meet weekly and spend time together on activities ranging from working on school assignments to attending sporting events. The agency’s coverage area includes all of Nashville and Davidson County as well as the contiguous counties. In 2015 alone, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee connected 1,510 children with a mentor.
Background
For many years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee used a different background check provider. Myron Harvey, the agency’s Engagement & Enrollment Specialist – and the individual responsible for managing the criminal background screening process for the agency – found the turnaround times to be slow and inconsistent. Worse, the volunteers regularly pointed out omissions on background checks, putting their accuracy in question. Whenever he had a question about a background check, the company’s customer service was either unresponsive or unhelpful, leaving him waiting for days while volunteers waited to be onboarded.
Solution
In 2014, Harvey and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee began exploring other background check options. They were impressed by a presentation Sterling Volunteers made to another local organization. Convinced that Sterling Volunteers would provide the results and experience they needed, the agency upgraded to Sterling Volunteers – and to a more robust and comprehensive background check program for all volunteers.
Results
According to Harvey, the move to Sterling Volunteers was a great decision. Its online platform has freed up more of his time by empowering volunteers to enter their own personal information and let them opt to pay for their background checks if they desire. He’s also seen an improvement in turnaround times and, most importantly, service. His Sterling Volunteers’ account representatives are always responsive, friendly and helpful with any question or request he may have.
Key Highlights
Frustrated by poor service from its previous background check provider, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee found Sterling Volunteers to be extremely responsive to the needs of service organizations and passionate about helping them fulfill their missions.
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