VOLUNTEER POLICY
Young people and volunteers play a key role throughout Young Devon and its affiliated membership, helping ensure that Young Devon continues to be shaped by a wide range of people.
This policy has been developed to address the role of volunteer workers within Young Devon and its projects.
A volunteer is someone who contributes their time, skills and experience to an organisation or group and gives their time for free.
In return, a volunteer may gain work experience, broaden their own skills, develop new interests and become more involved with the community. There may be opportunities to gain recognition, qualifications or accreditation. Young Devon offers volunteers training, support and opportunities for self-development.
Someone who does work because they don’t have a choice. For example, initiatives such as New Deal and Community Service orders are often wrongly labelled as being “voluntary”, when in fact there is an element of coercion – loss of benefits or imprisonment.
To ensure equality of opportunity, volunteering opportunities will be advertised as appropriate. (see Young Devon Recruitment policy).
The project manager will manage the recruitment process, which will involve a formal interview. The recruitment process will seek to identify the volunteer’s skills, suitability, desired outcomes and reasons for wanting to become a member of the group. It will include a Police Check and will always require references. Recruitment is subject to Young Devon’s Criminality Policy (see staff handbook) – a criminal record will not necessarily prevent a volunteer being placed, but any relevant information must be disclosed.
If - for any reason - Young Devon is unable to offer a voluntary position, the person managing the recruitment process will give an explanation.
All volunteers will receive an induction into Young Devon and the relevant project. They will receive a copy of the Young Devon Staff Handbook and will be made aware of the framework of policies and procedures within which they will be volunteering.
Additional, role-specific training will be provided as appropriate. Young Devon seeks to respond to the needs of its volunteers whenever possible, and training will be provided as a result of an identified need.
Young Devon has many different projects and volunteer roles vary within each one. In addition to the basic principles contained in this volunteering policy, each volunteer will receive a written description of the specific activities and the time commitment they agree to undertake.
All volunteers will receive support from within their project as well as from their line manager. Regular supervision sessions will help identify training needs and encourage personal and professional development.
A volunteer within Young Devon chooses to give their time and commitment. They have the right to be treated fairly and equally and with respect by everyone they work with. They and their work will be valued.
As a volunteer they have the right to
Young Devon expects all staff and volunteers to work within the organisation’s policies and procedures at all times and to adhere to the Young Devon Code of Conduct. All Young Devon policies and the Code of Conduct are contained in full in the Staff Handbook.
All Young Devon volunteers will have their travel and other reasonable out of pocket expenses reimbursed on receipt of an approved claim (See Young Devon financial procedures). (Receipts or other evidence of expenditure will be required).