Volunteer Policy 

1        General Statement

1.1        Reasons for having a Volunteer Policy

• To demonstrate our commitment to our volunteer programme and to our individual volunteers
• It is good practice for any organisation which uses volunteers
• It helps to ensure fairness and consistency in our dealings with our volunteers
• It informs volunteers what they can expect from us
• It helps ensure that paid staff, senior management and trustees fully understand how and why SM is using volunteers.

1.2        Objectives of the policy

• To gain more volunteers, by reaching more individuals and overcoming potential barriers to volunteering
• To retain more volunteers, by supporting them better and recognising their contributions and needs

1.3         Creating the policy

This policy was created following consultation with Sustainable Merton’s volunteers, trustees and paid staff. It will be reviewed annually by the trustees, with opportunities for additional input from volunteers.

2        Sustainable Merton and volunteers

2.1        Sustainable Merton is a registered charity which, for the benefit of the public in and around the London Borough of Merton, exists to promote:

(a) the conservation, protection and improvement of the environment, in particular but not exclusively, by encouraging the prudent use of natural resources, and raising awareness of environmental issues;

(b) the advancement of education of the public in the subject of sustainable development, in particular but not exclusively, by raising awareness of the issues associated with peak oil and climate change and the consequent need to develop a low carbon, sustainable future.

2.2        Sustainable Merton is a community led initiative giving local residents, groups, organisations and businesses the opportunity to stimulate practical action to make our area a sustainable community. We are engaged in projects covering renewable energy and energy saving, local food growing, water conservation and raising awareness of the issues associated with climate change. We work in partnership with schools, community groups and businesses across Merton, including Merton Council and local housing associations.

2.3        We receive no core funding and limited funding for projects we run. The charity therefore relies heavily on volunteers to support it in achieving its aims.

2.4         We value volunteers as a vital resource in all aspects of our operations, through direct involvement in project work as well as in supporting roles (eg office and communications work), enabling the charity to fulfill its aims. We recognise that volunteering can contribute towards rehabilitation, employability, and personal or career development, therefore we seek to offer volunteers opportunities to use their time and skills in productive and mutually beneficial ways.

3        Recruitment

3.1        We will use appropriate means to advertise for volunteers locally that take into account the principles of our Equalities and Diversity Policy. Some roles may require applicants to fill out an application form or provide a CV and take part in a selection interview; this will depend on the nature of the role. For roles where no application or interview is required an informal discussion will take place, to ascertain that the charity's and the applicant's needs can be satisfied by the applicant becoming a volunteer for Sustainable Merton.

3.2        Where relevant we will require volunteers to undertake Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks unless they have a valid one that we are allowed to accept

4        Induction and training

4.1        The project leader, or another manager, will provide induction which will include:

• Clarifying the role of the volunteer
• Providing relevant background information about the project (taking project in its widest sense, including support work)
• Confirming the hours the volunteer will be asked or invited to work
• Describing what to do if the volunteer is unable to attend (who to contact)
• Explaining the circumstances in which volunteers may be stood down (eg extreme weather)
• Outlining any available training (essential or recommended)
• Making available copies of Sustainable Merton's policies, including this one
• Explaining how to access more information about Sustainable Merton and its operations (eg other projects, its trustees etc)
• Providing other information as appropriate and answering the volunteer’s questions.

4.2        There will normally be a trial period (length determined by the project leader or other manager) to give the organisation and the volunteer time to discover if they are suited to each other. A review (formal or informal) will be made midway through the trial period and also at the end. Volunteers are encouraged to raise any questions or concerns they have as they arise rather than waiting for these meetings.

4.3         Upon request, Sustainable Merton can provide evidence of the voluntary contribution made by a volunteer.

4.4.         A log will be kept of all inductions and training given for each project

5        Expenses

Unless funding has been gained specifically for this purpose, Sustainable Merton will be unable to offer travel or subsistence expenses. Where we are in a position to re-imburse expenses, the mechanism for doing this will be explained as part of the induction process.

6        Supervision and support

6.1        The project leader or other manager will support all volunteers and will have regular meetings with them to discuss any problems or issues that may arise. Issues and actions from these meeting will be documented and kept on SM’s Dropbox files. These will be reviewed at regular intervals until resolved

6.2        The project leader or other manager (whether paid or unpaid) will receive support and regular supervision sessions from the Chief Executive (or from another named person). When issues are identified they will be documented along with the agreed actions. These will then be managed through to resolution. All relevant documentation will be held in the relevant Dropbox folder

7        Insurance

Sustainable Merton has public liability insurance which covers all our operations, including volunteer working.

8        Health and Safety, confidentiality and respect for others

8.1        Volunteers should familiarise themselves with Sustainable Merton's Health and Safety policy and obey any instructions given, particularly those relating to safe usage of tools and equipment. If a volunteer is unsure how to perform a particular task they should seek guidance from the project leader or other manager or from a more experienced volunteer.

8.2        Volunteers should make the project manager aware at the earliest opportunity of any existing medical conditions and necessary medication that may influence the type of work that is appropriate for them to undertake. A record of any medical conditions will be kept on the volunteer's file, but it is the volunteer's responsibility not to do any task that they think might put them at risk.

8.3                Sustainable Merton expects volunteers to respect others at all times, avoiding actions which may be perceived as harassment, discrimination, abuse or invasion of privacy, and to act in line with the charity's Equality and Diversity, Vulnerable Adults and Child Protection policies.

8.4        Any personal information or other confidential information acquired by a volunteer in the course of their duties with Sustainable Merton (eg staff or other volunteers' contact details) should only be used for the purposes for which it was made available. Specifically contact details must not be used for social purposes unless permission has been given by the relevant staff member(s) or volunteer(s).

9        Resolving problems

9.1        The relationship between Sustainable Merton and its volunteers is entirely voluntary and does not imply any contract. However, it is important that Sustainable Merton is able to achieve the required outcomes of its projects, and it is also important that volunteers should enjoy making their contribution to this service. We aim to be able to resolve problems informally, but if this does not happen we will deal with problems as follows.

9.2        If your role as a volunteer does not meet with Sustainable Merton's standards we will:

1. Initially arrange a meeting with the project leader or other manager who will explain the concerns.
2. If this does not resolve the concerns then a meeting with the Chief Executive will be convened.
3. If your work still does not meet with our standards then we shall have to stop using your services.

At all times you will be able to freely state your case and can have a friend to accompany you.

9.3        If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of your work you should:

1. Initially explain your dissatisfaction with the project leader or other manager
2. If that does not resolve the issue then a formal meeting with the Chief Executive should follow.
3. If after this, your dissatisfaction remains unresolved, and we are unable to resolve your grievance, then it would be inappropriate for you to continue to be a volunteer.

At all times you will be freely able to state your case and can have a friend to accompany you.