[Mr V]

One thing that everyone needs to know is that you do not have to give your SSN. That is one thing that they covered in everyone of the sessions on the YPP at the Global Community Conference this year.

Also the secondary contact does not have to be someone who is present at all the meetings. In the case of teams that have a sole coach they suggested that the secondary contact could be someone like a vice principal if you are at a school.

Yes one of the reasons for the YPP is to protect FIRST but following the guidelines can protect us as mentors too. If you are one on one with a student it will be your word against his or hers if the student or their parents were to make unfounded accusations. It is also nice to know that your fellow mentors have also had their background checked.

YPP is long overdue so I welcome it despite the inconveniences it causes. I'd rather thousands of us be inconvenienced than one bad person slipping through and something happening. Will it prevent something from happening? No but it will minimize the possibility that something does.

One of the interesting things they shared at the Global Community Conference is that about 40% of the people who had signed up at that point were willing to pay the $2.50 themselves instead of letting FIRST do so.