[Artemisia] Question(s) re risk from system errors; Other positive steps

Wed Apr 18 15:45:35 CDT 2007

CJ

As far as identifying where the kids belong: 

Back when I was MOY, we toyed with the idea of making tabards for the kids that identified where they belonged. That was nixed due to the cost involved.

Then there was discussion of making a favor that is easily recognizable.. definitely do-able...and much cheaper.... it's making sure the kids wear 
them that's the problem.    Answer... parents and youth ministers... deal with this one.  

As far as the sign in and out of the youth center.... I wish..... we've tried to implement that as well.. it's getting folks to actually do it that's the problem.  It's hard enough just to get the paperwork filled in at registration.  Keep in mind... I'm a 'paperwork' type... so I'm strongly FOR a sign in sheet both for the kids as well as the adult 'helpers' who are not the MOY.   In fact, I developed such a form a very long time ago... but then I 'hear' that I'm a 'forms' kinda person too ;0) If anybody wants a 'sample' let me know. I've also gone so far as asking a 'teen' helper to 'keep role' for me... so that I at least knew what kids were there.  This does two things... I know who they are... I know who their parents are, and I also know what activities they were involved in that might have earned them a signature in their pages programs, etc. 

I like the idea of the 'buddy' system as it would answer the question of what to do if a kid needs to walk a few yards and go to the restroom (the adults do NOT go with them)... or going to and from activities  Sorcha if you're watching... might add that to the MOY manual? 

Behavior thing... we've done something like that here several times... we called them 'chivalry points'... in other words, 'You got caught being good by someone that was 'watching' and they gave you a card to prove it... the winner got a grand prize, the rest of the kids got lesser prizes just for earning points. 

As far as the rest of it is concerned... I think paranoia might be setting in... 

Yes someone can steal your identity. 
Yes, they can actually get arrested and convicted under your name. 
However... when a person gets arrested pictures are taken... it wouldn't take much to prove it wasn't you. 
less of course the person who stole your identity looks just like you. 

If someone steals your identity and screws up your credit, that would most likely not be something that would affect your ability to work with kids. 

I'm sure the powers that be either have the criteria worked out or are well on their way to doing it. 

Good luck everyone, 

Bethoc

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Xplex at aol.com<mailto:Xplex at aol.com> 
  To: artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org<mailto:artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org> 
  Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 1:27 PM
  Subject: [Artemisia] Question(s) re risk from system errors;Other positive steps

  In a message dated 4/17/2007 9:51:11 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time,  
  artemisia-request at lists.gallowglass.org<mailto:artemisia-request at lists.gallowglass.org> [Gareth] writes:

  >> unless there is a way to know why the fail status occured.

  Exactly.

  However, more is needed than simply a way to know why the "fail"  status 
  occurred.

  Even in cases where someone actually has nothing on their record, and  has 
  done nothing that might cause them to fear a background check, the system  WILL, 
  on occasion, malfunction somehow, and produce a "fail" status for this  
  person, in error, anyway (...whether due to tech error, human error, the  
  never-ending side-effects of ID theft, or whatever -- please see my earlier post  for 
  examples and clarification of this concern).

  These kinds of non-human-based systems tend to breed major  bureaucratic 
  nightmares for actual human beings, due to the nature of the  "corporate/legal 
  machine" aspect to which others have recently alluded. And  being "innocent" 
  doesn't help, when you then have to spend eons  and/or $Ks fixing the problem, 
  through no fault of your own, all too  often with no recourse for restitution.

  My question is: Will the SCA, and whoever the outside contractor  is, be able 
  to ensure there's a speedy,  free, and non-insanity-inducing way to FIX the 
  resulting  mess, WHEN this happens, without it eating a big chunk out of 
  everyone's  lives involved? This (and the perils of not addressing it -- again, see  
  previous post) is what's setting off alarm bells for me. 

  (And after the previous mention of the possibility of libel-related  
  problems, it occurs to me that libel accusations, or something of that  nature, by the 
  person whose good name is sullied by the "system," could also  result from 
  false "fails." Is this also a risk for the SCA?)

  The first step in helping with this is, indeed, having a way to  know why the 
  "fail" status occurred. But there also needs to be a sane, speedy,  free 
  *correction* (not "appeal") process, for when errors  do occur.

  In summary:
  Background checks = hoorah! 
  Implementation = much risk in instances of false 'fail' status;  can this 
  risk be avoided; and if so, perhaps someone could please  enlighten us as to how 
  it's being effectively addressed, so we can run kids  activities and/or 
  volunteer for them without fear of incurring exorbitant  personal or Society costs 
  when the inevitable system errors do occur... 

  (Dumb rookie question: Do the folks who are setting up the process get  any 
  input from lists like this one, or should these concerns be  sent separately to 
  the address that someone mentioned in an  earlier message?)

  =====
  A slightly different subject: someone mentioned the freeform nature of  kids' 
  activities in the SCA... this does contrast with some other groups (not to  
  say that's a bad thing)...

  With Girl Scouts, for any event, the kids have to have a release form.  
  Larger scale events they have to be signed in and out when their parent drops  them 
  off and picks them up, and the perimeters of the property are scouted by  
  participating adults to prevent/intercept wanderers, whether in or out. The  
  girls also always go in pairs -- you always have to do things with your  "buddy," 
  including going to the restroom, getting something from your backpack,  etc. 
  In most kids programs I've run across, they also avoid problems by  requiring 
  two adults to be present at meetings. 

  However, as others have mentioned, most of these precautions, including  
  background checks, do not make children safe. They're only a part. Parents  (and 
  kids, to the degree they're able) have to be wise and use common sense, and  
  understand the need for "due diligence" on their own parts, as well. 

  In response to the "how do we really fix the problem" question, a few  
  possible additions: 
  (1) Educational endeavors (handouts at check-in, classes, articles,  
  whatever) to make people more aware of the risks and therefore, one might hope,  
  safer, due to their personal choices; 
  (2) Start/encourage a "buddy system" as mentioned above, for SCA  kids. 
  (3) During a local Girl Scouts "Harry Potter" day camp a couple of  years 
  ago, the girls were divided into "houses" and their houses  got points for the 
  good deeds, fine behavior, etc., of the individual  girls, and were docked for 
  the opposite. At the end, the winning "house" had  some sort of recognition. 
  This was used by the adults, in part, to reward girls  "caught" ;-)  following 
  the safety rules. Some of the more  responsible older kids were enlisted as 
  "prefects" for each house (as  in the books), and helped with this as well. This 
  was fun for the kids,  and seems like something that could be adapted to the 
  SCA  environment.
  (4) We've also toyed with the idea, in Arrows' Flight, of adding some sort  
  of visual identifiers to our Shire's youngsters (seems like someone  suggested 
  using henna to inscribe "Please return to Arrows' Flight" on  their foreheads! 
  ;-) ). We never actually got so far as to devise a real  plan :-) , but some 
  sort of color coding or something (we used colored  paint, on t-shirts the 
  kids decorated themselves, to ID and  sort the Girl Scouts' Harry Potter houses 
  quickly) could  help supervising adults (and other event participants, as well) 
  to  steer unfamiliar kids toward the places they're supposed to be, if they  
  stray...

  Some thoughts, anyway... :-)

  CJ

  ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com<http://www.aol.com/>.
  _______________________________________________
  Artemisia mailing list
  Artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org<mailto:Artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org>
  http://lists.gallowglass.org/mailman/listinfo/artemisia<http://lists.gallowglass.org/mailman/listinfo/artemisia>