How Do I Become a Class A Special Olympics
Pennsylvania (SOPA) Volunteer?
All Class A SOPA Volunteers must complete 2 separate clearance processes:

•
•

The PA State Police and National Background Check,
The PA Child Neglect/Abuse Registry Check

Note: Allow +/- 45 minutes to complete both clearances in one sitting

Fill out a volunteer application on the Special Olympics Volunteer Registration Website.
www.vsys.specialolympicspa.org/pages/app:newvolapp

When you click ‘Submit’ at the bottom of your volunteer application, you will be taken to a new
webpage to continue the registration process (required trainings, etc.). Download, complete and
sign the PA State Disclosure form and upload into your SOPA profile as instructed. This PA
required Disclosure Statement can also be mail, or faxed, or emailed per the instructions at the
top of the form.
www.specialolympicspa.org/images/Monthly_Update/Resources/SOPA_PA_Disclosure_State
ment_Signature_NOV_2016.pdf

NOTE: As noted on the Disclosure Statement, if you have not lived consecutively in PA for the past
10 years, an additional FBI Fingerprint Criminal History Record is required by law. Visit the link
below to find locations to support this requirement:
https://www.identogo.com/ and use code: 1KG6ZJ

Check your email for a message from TheAdvocates@SterlingVolunteers.com. This email will
have a link to the Sterling Volunteers website, where you will need to complete the PA State
Police and National Background check.

After clicking “Submit order” on your background check in Sterling Volunteers, you will
immediately be provided with a red pre-paid authorization code that you need to write down or
save, and a link to the PA Compass website, where you will complete the PA Child Neglect/Abuse
Registry Check. For a step-by-step user guide to completing this clearance, see SOPA website.

Click the link to the PA Compass site to complete the PA Neglect/Abuse registry check. On the
‘Application Payment’ page, enter the red pre-paid authorization code you received from
Sterling Volunteers in step 4.
If you have any questions or need assistance with completing this clearance or using your code,
please contact the help desk at Sterling Volunteers: SpecialOSupport@SterlingVolunteers.com
or call 855-326-1860, ext. 3

When your background checks have been completed, you will receive a notification email
from TheAdvocates@SterlingVolunteers.com. Throughout the process, you can confirm your
status by signing into your SOPA profile. Please reach out to your local program for more
information about beginning your Special Olympics of PA volunteer experience!