Youth Protection
Protecting minors on campus is not just a good idea, it’s part of Wi. Stat. 48.981 and the Clery Act. The Universities of Wisconsin Policy 625 Youth Protection and Compliance became effective March 2023 and sets minimum standards to protect minors on our campus. It is the SRCs role to implement this policy on campus and equip departments with the tools they need to ensure the protection of all minor’s visiting UWGB. To ensure compliance of this policy, the UWGB Youth Activities SOP is required to be followed for all youth activities.
Participating with Minors?
If you are considering serving at an UWGB event that will have minors, work with the activity Sponsor or Program Facilitator to coordinate your training and background check prior to the event. At a minimum, employees, staff, or volunteers participating with minors during youth activities will:
- Complete a Youth Event Agreement or Volunteer Agreement
- Complete a Criminal Background Check if serving in a supervisory capacity
- Receive training on Prohibited Conduct and Mandatory Reporting Responsibilities
- Be aware of the event’s Safety Plan
- Follow operational requirements necessary for the activity
Hosting a Youth Event, Camp or Clinic?
If you are considering coordinating an event with minor participants, you are required to follow the UWGB Youth Activities SOP. These guidelines ensure all sponsored youth activities or third-party events follow University policy.
- Register your program with the Pre-College Liaison. Sponsored programs should utilize the YARS System registry. If you are sponsoring a third-party organization, document your event on the Youth SharePoint Activity Registry. Access is provided by contacting maines@uwgb.edu.
- Comply with the standards outlined in the Event Checklist Matrix
- Comply with adult to student supervision ratios per University Minor Protection and Adult Leadership Policy
- Ensure your activity staff and volunteers have been properly vetted and trained through a Youth Event Agreement or VolunteerMatters training
- Work with the Pre-College Liaison to complete the necessary staff and participant Rosters, safety plan, hold harmless forms, and/or third-party agreement.
- Implement operational protocols that follow Wisconsin Statutes such as check in, medication, EMS, incident reporting, or food safety. Refer to the Reference Section of the UWGB Youth Activities SOP for requirements that may relate to your scheduled activities. The Camp Operations Guide is also a good resource.
Local School Agreements
UWGB has completed agreements with various local schools to ensure youth protections are in place when they visit our campus. Review the list for verification of an active agreement. If one is in place, request school complete the School Activity Worksheet to document the activity details.
Active School District Agreements
Schools are required to have an agreement in place prior to coming to campus. Contact UWGB's Pre-College Liaison at maines@uwgb.edu for questions.
Program Support
For questions or assistance in this coordinating a youth activity, contact our campus Pre-College Liaison at maines@uwgb.edu. You may also contact the Camps & Youth Programs Office to consider how they can support your event. Other Resources include: