Ko te haumaru o te tamaiti te mea nui. Keeping our students safe is important. All our volunteers need to complete a criminal record check before they can be an Inspiring the Future role model.
Having a criminal conviction doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t become a role model. We need people from different walks of life to share their stories at Inspiring the Future events, but we also need to keep students safe.
All volunteers must complete a Ministry of Justice criminal record check form as part of the sign-up process. We’ll make a decision based on your criminal conviction history before making your profile visible to schools.
We will ask all of our role models to complete a new criminal record check every 3 years.
Schools are required to follow their own safety check policies and procedures as part of running an Inspiring the Future event.
Ngā Pātai Auau
Frequently asked questions
Why are you asking me to fill out the criminal record check form?
We’re collecting this information as part of our sign-up process, and it helps to keep students safe.
How is this information being used?
This information will be used to inform decisions about role models’ eligibility for the Inspiring the Future programme.
How do you decide on my eligibility?
We use an index of categorised offences to decide on role model eligibility based on their criminal record check. If you have a recent conviction for a minor offence or a conviction that was more than seven years ago, it is unlikely to affect your eligibility. However, if you have a conviction for a violent or sexual crime or a crime involving children it is likely to affect your eligibility. See more information on this at the bottom of this page.
How do I know if I’m eligible for the Inspiring the Future programme?
We will tell you whether or not you have been accepted into the programme as a role model via email.
What if I have questions about the decision about my eligibility?
If you have questions about our decision you can contact us at inspiringthefuture@tec.govt.nz within two weeks from when you receive our email.
I’ve passed a criminal record check for another volunteer programme. Do I need to do another one?
Yes, you need to complete a separate criminal record check for the Inspiring the Future programme. We can’t see the results of criminal record checks done for other organisations.
I’ve had a criminal conviction in the past, can I still be a role model?
Having a criminal conviction doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t become an Inspiring the Future role model. We need people from all walks of life to share their stories at Inspiring the Future events, but we also need to keep students safe. We’ll make a decision based on your criminal conviction history, and inform you of our decision via email.
How long will you keep this information?
We will store your information in accordance with TEC’s retention and disposal schedule.
Do I need to fill out a criminal record check form if I already attended an ItF event as a role model?
Yes, you still need to fill out the criminal record check form. The Inspiring the Future event you attended was a trial event and these checks are now required for future events.
Ētahi atu pārongo
More information
Criminal Procedure Act 2011 – offence categories and types of trial.
Navigation Guide to: New Safety Checking Requirements under the Vulnerable Children Act.