HOPE INSPIRED CIC
VOLUNTEER POLICY
Policy statement
At Hope Inspired, we value the involvement of volunteers and are committed to ensuring your time as a volunteer is enjoyable and rewarding.
We recognise that, as a volunteer, you will give your time for free and bring your unique experiences, skills and insights to our organisation, thus enhancing the quality of our service. In return, we will ensure that you are properly integrated into the organisational structure and receive appropriate induction, training, support and supervision to undertake your role safely and confidently. We want your time with us to be a learning opportunity and we are committed to your personal and professional development while you volunteer with us.
Volunteering relationships are based on mutual trust and understanding and do not form a contract of employment. This means that you do not have the same rights as an employee or member of staff. You do have a Volunteer Agreement which, together with this policy, sets out our commitment to you and what we expect in return. The Volunteer Agreement does not form a contract and is not legally binding; either of us can withdraw from it at any time.
What we expect from you
At Hope Inspired, we expect our volunteers to:
complete an application form and attend an informal meeting so we can get to know each other
support our aims and objectives
read, understand and comply with all our policies and procedures
treat fellow volunteers, staff, directors, external contractors and customers with respect and courtesy
be reliable and trustworthy
act with integrity and be honest with us at all times
represent us in a professional manner at all times and not act in a way that brings us into disrepute
be accountable for their actions
respect confidentiality and ensure that personal information relating to fellow volunteers, staff, directors, external contractors and customers as well as information relating to the overall business of the organisation is never shared with others
attend all training and development opportunities, and notify us immediately if they are unable to attend an agreed session
attend all activities/events as agreed, and give as much notice as possible if they cannot attend
ask questions and offer feedback about their experiences
declare any conflicts of interest or any circumstances that may potentially be viewed by others as a conflict of interest
accept the judgement and decisions of the directors with regards to any potential conflict of interest.
What you can expect from us
At Hope Inspired, we are committed to:
providing you a positive, rewarding experience and a great learning environment
treating you with respect and courtesy and acting in a professional manner at all times
respecting your confidentiality, which includes maintaining securely any documents containing your personal information (eg – Volunteer Agreement, supervision records)
ensuring you are treated fairly and in accordance with our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
developing a personalised plan that sets out what area of work you would like to focus on
providing thorough induction when you start your role so you understand our values, how we do things and what we hope to achieve
designating you as a Trainee Volunteer until you have satisfactorily completed the Induction period, which will include shadowing opportunities and observations of your practice
offering ongoing training and development opportunities
providing a named individual who will be your primary contact whilst volunteering and will offer support, supervision and training
being clear about any tasks we assign you and only expecting you to undertake the tasks once you tell us you are confident to proceed
offering opportunities to explore your personal and professional goals and develop Action Plans to identify how you will achieve this
honouring the time commitment you have agreed with us and not putting pressure on you to do more than you want to
being flexible in relation to your volunteering hours and recognising that from time to time you may have other pressing commitments (eg – caring responsibilities) which means you will have to withdraw from an agreed session
reimbursing agreed out-of-pocket expenses (eg – Day Saver) as set out in our Expenses Policy, on production of proof
organising the relevant DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check
responding in a timely manner when you have any questions or queries
providing opportunities for regular written and verbal feedback
doing our best to resolve swiftly any issues or difficulties you may be having in your role
formally recognising your achievements and contributions via internal awards, references and certificates.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At Hope Inspired we recognise that society is made up of people who have different values, backgrounds, beliefs, needs, experiences and aspirations. We appreciate these differences and treat people as individuals – respecting their identity and their choices, even when these are different from our own.
We are committed to treating you with respect and dignity in line with our DEI policy; we expect you to adhere to the policy and not behave in a way that offends, humiliates, intimidates or insults others. This is particularly important in respect of our obligations under the Equality Act 2010 which identifies the following protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion/belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy/maternity and marriage/civil partnership.
Insurance
Once you have signed the Volunteer Agreement, you will be covered by our Public Liability Insurance and Employers’ Liability Insurance. Please note, this does not cover personal possessions or valuables that are lost or stolen whilst you’re engaged in volunteering activities. You are advised to not bring any valuables with you or, at the very least, keep any valuables with you at all times.
Confidentiality
Our volunteers have the same responsibilities as staff in respect of data protection and confidentiality and have a duty to safeguard information relating to customers, fellow volunteers, staff, directors and external contractors, as well as partner organisations. As a volunteer, you may have access to information that is personal and sensitive. You must not at any time during your role as volunteer or after the end of the volunteering relationship, disclose this information or use it in any way.
At the start of your volunteering journey with Hope Inspired, you will be required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement. Any breaches of this agreement will result in our volunteering relationship ending.
IT equipment and Communications
Volunteers may occasionally be provided with digital devices (eg – laptop, smartphone) and internet access and are reminded that these remain the property of Hope Inspired CIC at all times and must be returned once the volunteering relationship ends.
You must take all necessary steps to guard against loss and accidental damage of any devices. You must take the appropriate steps to guard against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure or destruction of data. Under no circumstances should you divulge passwords to anyone else or let someone else use the device. A breach of this requirement will result in our volunteering relationship terminating.
Storage of personal files, messages, images, software or Apps should be kept to a minimum. You must not use Hope Inspired devices or internet connection to access content that promotes hate and/or violence, is illegal or pornographic.
We reserve the right to access and monitor the devices in your possession, including monitoring internet usage and email communications.
Concerns and Complaints
We aim to create a positive working environment for our volunteers and ensure volunteering with us is a rewarding experience.
However, sometimes things go wrong. If a problem arises or you are unhappy about something that has been said or done, please raise it first with your primary contact. They will make an appointment to discuss your concerns in private and seek to resolve the issue informally. If you are not satisfied with their response, then you are requested to contact one of the Directors at Hope Inspired - their contact details are listed on the Volunteer Agreement.
Moving on!
If and when you decide to leave the volunteering role with us, we would like you to take part in an ‘exit interview’. This is an opportunity for us to reflect on your time with us and an opportunity to celebrate your achievements. We welcome honest feedback from you about what worked well and what we might have done differently. This will help us grow and develop as an organisation.
You can of course, apply for any paid employment opportunities that arise at Hope Inspired. You will be expected to go through the same recruitment and selection process as other applicants.
Related policies and procedures
This policy is to be read in conjunction with the following policies:
Data Protection and GDPR Policy
Equity Diversity and Inclusion Policy
Date policy was last reviewed
30 November 2023
Date by which policy must be reviewed
30 November 2024