Volunteer policy

1. Purpose

   1. Heulwen Trust (the Trust) is committed to encouraging and support volunteering opportunities.

2. Policy Scope

   1. The Heulwen Trust (the Trust) recognises that there can be situations in which volunteers’ help can make an appropriate and significant contribution to the work and service objectives of the Trust. This document, the Trust’s volunteer policy, defines the term and sets out the principles, practices and procedures which the Trust will follow in the appointment, management and control of volunteers.

3. Definition

   1. Volunteers may be described as individuals who put their experience, knowledge, and skills at the disposal of an organisation, free of charge, with the primary aim of helping the organisation to achieve its service objectives and or with the primary aim of bringing some benefit to the local community. In this sense, volunteers are to be distinguished from students, other work placements, and secondees, where the primary aim is usually for the student or secondee to obtain certain work experience or to carry out work or research in certain areas.

4. Principles

   1. In appointing volunteers, the Trust will adhere to the following principles:
      • Volunteers will not be engaged in work which facilitates the loss of an existing employee’s post, nor on any tasks or projects which (within the past two years) were done by paid employees whose posts have since been deleted.
      • Volunteers will not be used to do the work of paid staff during an industrial dispute.

5. Recruitment of volunteers

   1. Volunteers will be selected through the following process:

      Step 1

      The following items must be agreed by the management committee before a proposed volunteer placement at the Trust is implemented:
      • a role description, outlining the specific tasks, responsibilities and reporting lines of
      • the volunteer.
      • terms and conditions including the duration, hours, expenses, insurance, etc, relating to the placement;
      • a specification, outlining the relevant experience, skills, knowledge, abilities and equal opportunity awareness necessary to carry out the role effectively.

      Step 2

      The prospective volunteer will be invited to a meeting with a Trust member. Using the role outline and the specification the parties will engage in a two-way discussion of the proposed role, of its requirements and of each other’s expectations, with a view to assessing mutual suitability.

      Step 3

      Prior to commencing their placement at the Trust successful volunteers must provide a reference from two suitable persons (excluding relations) attesting to their character and suitability for the position have completed a satisfactory CRB check (if required for the position).

      Step 4

      Prior to commencing their placement at the Trust each successful volunteer shall be formally allocated to a particular employee or trustee who will manage and supervise the volunteer throughout the duration of her/his placement at the Trust. The manager’s responsibilities will include ensuring that the volunteer receives the following:
      • a planned induction to the Trust.
      • regular supervision and support sessions.
      • positive feedback on their contribution.
      • adequate office accommodation, equipment and services to perform their tasks effectively.

6. Equal opportunities

   1. The Trust recognises that the activity of volunteering can provide a volunteer with experiences and opportunities for self and career development. In accordance with the Trust’s equal opportunity policy, volunteer placements at the Trust will therefore be open to individuals irrespective of race, gender, disability, sexuality, age or marital status. In addition, the specification must set out the equal opportunity dimension and any specific equality requirements of the role. Where, during the meeting (see above) a prospective volunteer demonstrates hostility to, or a clear lack of support for equal opportunity policy, s/he will be deemed automatically to be unsuitable for a volunteer position at the Trust.

7. Termination

   1. Where appropriate, the role and placement of the volunteer may be terminated by the volunteer co-ordinator or the chair of the trustees at one week’s notice, or immediately, where behaviour equivalent to gross misconduct has occurred. In all cases the volunteer will be entitled to an explanation of the decision and action taken. The volunteer co-ordinator will report any such terminations to the Chair of the executive committee.

8. Discipline and grievance

   1. Volunteers will not be subject to the Trust’s disciplinary procedures. Correspondingly, volunteers will not have access to the Trust’s grievance procedures. However, volunteers will be entitled to use the Trust’s complaints procedure. Where appropriate, the complaint will be investigated fully by the Director or her/his representative.

9. Expenses

   1. Volunteers will be entitled to such travel expenses, and subsistence allowance, as may be agreed but may not receive payment for any reason.

10. Insurance

    1. Volunteers will be covered by the Trust’s employer’s public liability and civil liability indemnity where appropriate.

11. Training and involvement

    1. Where a volunteer is based at the Trust on a day-to-day basis s/he will be expected to be involved and included in general staff activities, such as staff meetings and training, and to have general access to Trust offices.