Charity Reg No: 1202602

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Subject to meeting mandatory requirements, all volunteers are welcome. We particularly welcome volunteers from the black and ethnic minority communities.

 

This policy details our procedures and will be applied, as appropriate, to help each volunteer find the role he/she would most enjoy, and which will enable him/her to contribute most to our work.

 

That may range from a substantial time commitment and a requirement for professional qualifications and in-depth experience, to simply a willingness to join in and help out.

 

Process

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• Checks and administration, including policies and procedures.

o Induction into our safeguarding procedures and:

▪ If applicable, relevant DBS checks and any safeguarding training required.

o Relevant identity and right to work checks.

• Welcome and induction into our work, by a team member.

• Welcome and induction and/or on-the-job training for their role, by a team member from that area, including health & safety at work, such as fire procedures.

• Ongoing support and mentoring, and refresher training, as required.

 

Mandatory Requirements

 

• A commitment to our work.

• A desire to help and be kind to others.

• Sufficient time/flexibility to be able to carry out his/her role.

• Where a role specifically requires professional qualifications, experience or accreditation, or other requirement, such as a licence to practice.

 

Those overseeing activities must undertake any necessary training in order to do so.

 

This may include:

 

• Safeguarding. If working in a professional capacity, you must have up-to-date relevant training and undertake refresher training every 2 years.

• We encourage all volunteers working with vulnerable people to undertake training to Level 1 or 2.

• First Aid. Must hold Emergency First Aid At Work (EFAW) and, ideally, First Aid At Work qualification and undertake refresher training as necessary.

• H&SW. A minimum of IOSH Working Safely or NEBOSH Safety Simplified and, ideally, IOSH Managing Safely, or similar qualification.

• Food Handling & Preparation. If volunteering on an ongoing basis or handling high risk food, we may require you to undergo training.

o Food handlers - the equivalent to level 2 in food safety and hygiene.

o Supervisors and managers - at least level 3 in supervising food safety and hygiene.

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We will provide or provide access to any relevant training and refresher training.

 

Desirable Skills and Experience

 

• Knowledge of, or experience of working in a charity, or role relating to your volunteering role.

• Relevant professional qualifications or experience.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Strong interpersonal and people management skills.

• Good verbal communicator, able to get on well with people and to ask questions positively.

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Outdoor Activity Volunteers

 

• Be over 18 years of age.

• Ideally, with experience of working with young people in a similar role, such as at an outward bound centre, Duke of Edinburgh Awards or the Scouts.

• Have a current first aid certificate and a life-saving certificate if you will be instruct water-based activities.

• Significant experience in the area you will be working in, including any relevant qualifications or licences required.

• Ideally a Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Skills and Activities for Sport and Active Leisure (Outdoor Education), or equivalent, such as the Mountain Training England Award in Mountain Leadership.

• A sound understanding of activity learning objectives, structure and content.

• Able to assess and report on attainment and the extent to which the activity was seen to be enjoyable and valuable.

• Able to run activities in an open and engaging way that encourages discussion amongst those attending and enables them to make up their own minds.

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All activity volunteers will be paired with an experienced mentor and will be assessed by the chair, or other nominated expert, as fully capable of delivering workshops and events positively, consistently and effectively.

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Indoor Activity Volunteers

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• Must have significant relevant experience in delivering any specialist topics to be covered that is also sufficiently broad to be able to respond effectively to more general questions that may come up.

• If running workshops, must have a substantive track record of in doing so and able to deliver training outcomes effectively.

• A sound understanding of course/workshop learning objectives, structure and content.

• Able to assess and report on attainment and the extent to which the course was seen to be enjoyable and valuable.

• Able to run courses/workshops in an open and engaging way that encourages discussion amongst those attending and enables them to make up their own minds.

• Must be confident in tackling difficult issues and discussing subjects that attendees may have difficulty in talking about.

• A teaching or other relevant professional qualification would be highly beneficial.

• Qualifications and experience in coaching, mentoring or counselling would be very useful, but are not essential, as we do not deliver professional services.

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All activity volunteers will be paired with an experienced mentor and will be assessed by the chair, or other nominated expert, as fully capable of delivering workshops and events positively, consistently and effectively.

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Exceptions

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We welcome anyone who wishes to volunteer to help us but there are some circumstances where this may not be possible. For example:

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• you must have the right to work in the UK and for some visitors to the UK (on visas), asylum seekers and refugees this may not always be the case, or:

• the role you would like may require experience or professional skills you don’t have, and for some roles, there may be specific legal requirements that we must meet.

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We should stress that there are only a few occasions when this might apply, and we will always do our best to find a way to welcome you into our charity.

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Version Control - Approval and Review

 

Version No     Approved By      Approval Date         Main Changes         Review Period

      1.0              Board               Nov 23          Initial draft approved        Annually

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Regulatory Guidance

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Charity Commission: How to manage your charity’s volunteers.

Fundraising Regulator: Volunteers.

Health & Safety Executive: Volunteering – how to manage the risks.

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