eyes on, hands on volunteer handbook 2021

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VOLUNTEER AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMME

CWGC

EYES ON, HANDS ON VOLUNTEER

HANDBOOK 2021

WELCOME

CWGC VOLUNTEER AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMME

EYES ON, HANDS ON VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK 2021

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HELLO AND WELCOME!

Thank you for volunteering for the Eyes On, Hands On Project (EOHO). Your help will make a real difference to our work commemorating the service men and women who died during the First and Second World Wars and are buried in the UK.

We want you to have the very best experience as a volunteer for us and feel supported throughout. This handbook provides important information about what you can expect from us and what we expect from

volunteers. We hope it will answer the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that some of you may have at the start of your volunteer journey with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Throughout your time as an Eyes On, Hands On volunteer, you will be supported regionally by your Regional Eyes On, Hands On Co-ordinator. You will be given the opportunity to feedback through the process of your training as well as at regular intervals later on.

Dear Eyes On, Hands On Volunteer

Tower Hill Memorial, UKChester (Blacon) Cemtery, UK

CONTENTS



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CONTENTS

Hello and Welcome! 2Section One: Introduction to Eyes On, Hands On 4Section Two: Eyes On, Hands On Volunteer Reference Guide 5 1. Code of Conduct for Volunteers 5 2. Volunteer Training and Guidance 5 2.1 Guidance 5 2.2 Training 5 3. Information for Eyes On, Hands On Volunteers 6 3.1 Your Duties – What We Will Ask That You Do For The Project 6 3.2 Site report and photo uploading instructions 6 4. Health, Safety & Wellbeing 8 4.1 Eyes On Activities 8 4.2 Hands On Activities 8 4.3 Protecting Children and Vulnerable Adults - Safeguarding 9 5. About the CWGF 10Section 3: Appendices 11 Appendix A: Eyes On, Hands On Volunteer role profile 12 Appendix B: Volunteer guidance 14 Appendix E: Glossary 19 Useful Contacts 20

Runnymede Air Force Memorial, UK

Brookwood Military Cemetery and Memorial, UK

SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION TO EYES ON, HANDS ON



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SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION TO EYES ON, HANDS ON

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) was established by Royal Charter in 1917 as the sole organization charged with the commemoration of Commonwealth service men and women who died during the First World War (this remit was later extended to cover the Second World War). Today, we maintain the graves or commemorations of over 1.7 million of such fallen service personnel worldwide, including more than 165,000 war graves at over 12,000 locations in the UK.

Many of the UK locations have a single or small cluster of graves that are not in a CWGC plot (we call these ‘scattered graves’). We currently inspect these scattered graves on a rolling basis every 2 to 5 years. The Project was conceived to help ensure that scattered graves are inspected more frequently and where needed, receive attention.

Every grave is a history and we hope that you will want to find out more about the person whose name is carved on the headstone. This could include research in the local community and using online resources. You may wish to share interesting stories with the community and the CWGC’s wider audience.

There is a team of Eyes On, Hands On Regional Co-ordinators to support Project volunteers. The Regional Coordinators are part-time employees of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission who live and work in your part of the country. They will be your primary point of contact and will ensure you are trained and have all the information you need to do your job. Your Regional Coordinator will contact you soon after you register with the Project. They will make sure you know how to keep in touch and will be your main link person for the project.

The Eyes On, Hands On Project has been made possible through a grant from Annington Homes.

CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE GRAVES?

HOW WILL THE CWGC SUPPORT ME?

Tower Hill Memorial, UK

Edinburgh (Comely Bank) Cemetery, UK

SECTION TWO: EYES ON, HANDS ON VOLUNTEER REFERENCE GUIDE



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CWGC employees work in accordance with Our Values and we ask everyone who works and volunteers with us to do the same. Our headline values are set out below. Central to Our Values is Respect; for the service personnel we commemorate, the environments in which we operate in, for those we meet when we undertake such activities, for each other and for the CWGC.

You will be expected to adhere to all aspects of the CWGC code of conduct which can be found on our online volunteer portal.

2.1 GuidanceAll CWGC volunteers are issued with a volunteer profile document. You will be asked to indicate on the volunteer management system that you have read and understood it. You will find a copy of your personal volunteer profile in Appendix A of the handbook. You will also be given a volunteer guidance document specific to your role which you will find in Appendix B.

2.2 TrainingAll Eyes On, Hands On volunteers will be expected to complete the

following core volunteer online training courses. Additional local training may be available if suitable ‘Hands On’ opportunities arise.

1. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR VOLUNTEERS


In this section of the hand-book, we will look at what we expect from you as Eyes On, Hands On volunteers but also what you can expect from us. We will provide you with training, guidance and relevant advice on how to carry out your role.

2. VOLUNTEER TRAINING AND GUIDANCE

Grasmere Cemetery, UK

Training Module

A video introducing the CWGC and the EOHO project, also covering basic health & safety and social media use

• A general health and safety module for all CWGC volunteers• This module will provide an overview of our different types of memorial, as well as how to find them and assess their condition and legibility• This module will explain how to take the best photographs of our memorials and how to report their condition to us

A module explaining how best to clean and maintain CWGC memorials, including advanced health and safety training

Phase 1 - Project overview

Content

Phase 2 – including Health & Safety, Recognising, Locating and Assessing Memorials and Recording and Reporting

Phase 3 – Hands On




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3.1 Your Duties – What We Will Ask That You Do For The ProjectThe role undertaken by our EOHO volunteers encompasses two broad activity streams: as an Eyes On volunteer, you will go out into your local cemeteries and report back to us on the condition of any War Graves there, via our online form. If you opt to receive the optional Hands On training as well, you will also be able to help carry out certain maintenance tasks, such as trimming vegetation or cleaning the headstones.

3.2 Site report and photo uploading instructionsThis will also be covered in your training, but is included in this handbook for reference.

Site reportWhen you visit a site for the Eyes On, Hands On project, you will be expected to fill in an online site report which lets us know about the condition of our headstones and any work that needs to be done. The site report is found at the link below – you can fill it in on a smartphone whilst at the site, or you can note down the information and fill it in on a computer at home.

http://ow.ly/ZHWE50BXqql

Photo uploadingThe EOHO project is utilising the CWGC’s Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) which will store the photos that you take of our headstones. The DAMs system allows us to keep accurate track of all CWGC assets and utilise them across the organisation. The DAMs system replaces our Flickr groups, which previous volunteers will be familiar with, and will provide a simpler upload process for you as a volunteer and easier access for our works staff.

Signing up/logging inIf you signed up as a volunteer before 12th February 2021 then we have already pre-approved you as a guest user on the new system. All you will need to do is go to https://upload.dams.cwgc.org/p/press/login, enter the email you used when you signed up as a volunteer

and click ‘Forgot your password’. Your new password will be sent to you by email.

If you signed up as a volunteer after 12th February 2021, you will need to go to https://upload.dams.cwgc.org/p/register and fill in your details. Under ‘User type’, select ‘EOHO Volunteer’. Once you have been approved by a member of staff, you will be notified by an automated email, and you will be able to log in and set your password.

The first time you log in, you will be prompted to agree to the terms and conditions of DAMS. This also includes important details about copyright and permissions. Please note you will also be reminded of these terms and conditions once a month after that.

3. INFORMATION FOR EYES ON, HANDS ON VOLUNTEERS




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Adding photosFirst, log in to the system here: https://upload.dams.cwgc.org/p/press/loginSelect ‘Upload to a Cemetery’. On the next screen, search for the cemetery you will be uploading to

– the name will be the same as on the 708 you have been given. Once you have found it, click on its name to start uploading the photos.

Most upload jobs will be for 10 photos or fewer. These will be

done using the speedy one-by-one process so the individual casualties can be tagged. Larger jobs can be done in batches, but do let your regional coordinator know in advance to expect them.

When you are finished, click ‘Upload’. You will see a progress bar. Once it has finished uploading, the ‘Upload’ button will change to read ‘Upload more’. Click this to start the process for the next photo and repeat the above process for each photo – note that it will have saved the metadata, so you will just have to change the ‘Casualty Name’ each time.

First, add the first photo by dragging-and-dropping it in the indicated area, or ‘Browse files’ and add it from the file windowUnder ‘Asset Type’ please select ‘EOHO Asset’Under ‘Photographer/Creator’ enter your own nameUnder ‘Copyright’, please select ‘Non-CWGC (Permission to use)’. This is important, as this

permission is it shows anyone searching our database for images that we are allowed to use themUnder ‘Casualty Name’, enter the casualty’s nameUnder ‘Description’, just put a basic descriptor such as “Headstone”




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4.1 Eyes On ActivitiesFor Eyes On, this is an activity that takes place in a public place and is a normal activity, so there is no requirement to fill out a risk assessment. Nevertheless, you should ensure you have read and understood the Safe Working in Cemeteries document, as well as observing the precautions below:

4.2 Hands On ActivitiesIn addition to the ‘should do’ health & safety advice given above, before you undertake any Hands On activities you must follow the advice below:

4 HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLBEING

Your physical and mental wellbeing are of prime importance to us. Working outside, occasionally with other people, has a positive mental effect on us all, and this is an important aspect of our Project. Your physical safety is just as important, so this document outlines what you ‘must do’ as a volunteer to ensure you conduct your duties safely, as well as what you ‘should do’ as a sensible everyday precaution.

We will provide you with health and safety training (which might be via e-learning modules or in person) and you will be required to undertake all volunteering activity in accordance with this training.

Kilchrist Old Churchyard, UK

Take someone with you: It’s always better to have someone with you when ‘out and about’, particularly in country churchyards with uneven ground. The mobile phone signal may be unreliable in the locationDress and Footwear: There is no such thing as inappropriate weather, just inappropriate clothing. You should make sure you have the right clothing if you are outside for the day

You must not conduct any ‘Hands On’ activities until you received your mandatory Hands On training. The training is to keep you safeThe Point of Work Risk Assessment is available in our Working Safely in Cemeteries document. We ask that you familiarise yourself with the risks you may find when visiting sites and use the Point of Work Risk Assessment to keep yourself safe. It is very important that if you have any form of accident or near-miss that you report this to your Regional Coordinator Know your limits. If you are feeling unwell or have reached your endurance for the day you must stop. The headstone will still be there to clean on another day




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4.3 Protecting Children and Vulnerable Adults - SafeguardingAll organisations that involve volunteers now adhere to commitments to protect children as well as vulnerable adults. The CWGC is no different, and we have a Safeguarding Policy which is outlined in Appendix B below. It is important that you understand it.




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Aims:

Activities:

Through our network of staff and community volunteers, the Foundation engages with the following:

5. ABOUT THE CWGF

The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation was established as a charity in 2017 to sup-port and expand upon the work of the CWGC.

To raise the profile of the CWGC: highlighting the work of the Commission and the graves of the fallen abroad and at home, in the United Kingdom and other countries of the CommonwealthTo educate: broadening and deepening people’s understanding of the CWGC and the two World Wars, with particular emphasis on younger audiences, helping to make the past relevant to the present and bridging the gap between generationsTo engage with people and communities: listening to their stories and exploring our shared history togetherTo create a lasting legacy: future generations continue to remember the sacrifice of the fallen and hold high the torch of remembrance, so that the names of our war dead truly live for evermoreTo raise money: supporting the activities of the FoundationTo recruit volunteers and supporters: helping deliver a wide range of outreach activities

Supporting the CWGF’s flagship Internship programmeFunding and supporting a range of other projects including volunteering (e.g. the Eyes On, Hands On volunteering programme and the Speakers programme) and education (for example, the International schools commemoration project and the Noor Khan exhibition at Runnymede)Holding events - including talks and tours in schools and the local community - to highlight the work of the Commission, especially the 300,000 war dead we commemorate in the United KingdomCollaborating with external partners and organisations in local and national activities and events, helping us reach a diverse audience

SECTION 3: APPENDICES



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Appendix A : EOHO Volunteer Profile

Appendix B: EOHO Volunteer Guidance

Appendix C: Glossary of terms

SECTION 3: APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: EYES ON, HANDS ON VOLUNTEER ROLE PROFILE



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COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION EYES ON HANDS ON VOLUNTEER ROLE PROFILE

Thank you for volunteering for the Eyes On, Hands On Project (EOHO). Your help will make a real difference to our work in maintaining the graves of the service men and women who died during WWI and WWII and who are buried in the UK.

Project Description - Why do we need Volunteers? There are thousands of CWGC graves scattered throughout the UK, primarily in local churchyards. Many of these sites have a single or a small cluster of graves (we call these ‘scattered graves’). We currently inspect these scattered graves on a rolling basis every 2 to 5 years. The Project was conceived to help ensure that scattered graves are inspected more frequently and where needed, receive attention.

About the role – What We Will Ask You To Do?The role undertaken by our EOHO volunteers encompasses two broad activity streams, as outlined below.

‘Eyes On’ Activities If you can spare just a few hours a month, then we will ask you to:

Burbage Christ Churchyard, UK

Visit graves in your local area. The number will depend on your location and time commitment. We will provide you with the information you require to locate the graves. The frequency of visit is not prescriptive; once every few months is more than sufficientTake a photograph of each grave visited, and then upload these photos and report any issues to our online portalMaintain regular contact with your regional project co-ordinator who will contact you when you sign up for this Project




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‘Hands On’ ActivitiesFor volunteers who want to do more, then we will train you in simple additional tasks that are intended to maintain the headstones in a satisfactory condition. By doing this you will release our highly skilled workmen to focus on the more complex headstone maintenance activities (such as re-engraving or stone repairs using specialist tools). However, you will need to commit to undertaking the following additional actions:

What Skills Do You Need? The skills needed for this role are not onerous:

Volunteer Guidance and CWGC’s Code of ConductThe role is subject to the CWGC’s Volunteer Policy (which deals with issues such as Health and Safety, and Safeguarding) which will be sent out to you in due course and the CWGC’s Code of Conduct which is attached to this profile. We do not anticipate that a DBS check will be required for this role.

We are delighted that you would like to become a CWGC EOHO Volunteer. Volunteers are an essential and appreciated part of our organisation. Please note that the way CWGC paid staff and volunteers relate to the public is governed by a Code of Conduct. This outlines the need to act with decorum and respect any conventions associated with our sites. We have an experienced communications team who manage social media, queries from journalists and media organisations. Please ensure that should any such query arise you inform your Regional Coordinator as soon as possible.

Role DevelopmentAs the project grows, there may be opportunities to become a volunteer group leader. This role will involve working with the local EOHO Coordinator to select and assess sites and leading group EOHO activities in your area. This role is subject to local conditions (volunteer numbers, distribution of sites etc), and discussions and decisions will happen at the Coordinator’s discretion.

Undertake mandatory Hands On training. The focus is on cleaning headstones and limited clearance of grass etc. The training will focus on how to clean and brush headstonesBe prepared to then visit allocated sites and clean headstonesTake opportunities to work under CWGC supervision with fellow volunteers in group activities (cleaning parties at larger sites). Ensure that you work to the terms and conditions of the Commission’s Lone Working policy

You must have access to and be able to use a smart phone or digital cameraYou must have basic IT skills which include: being able to use and

have access to the internetbeing able to send and receive emailsbeing able to rename photo files

APPENDIX B: VOLUNTEER GUIDANCE



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About us The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) was established by Royal Charter in 1917, as the sole organisation charged with the commemoration of the service men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the First World War (with this remit then extended to also cover the Second World War). Today, we maintain the graves or commemorations of over 1.7 million service personnel worldwide, caring for more than 165,000 war graves at over 12,000 locations in the UK alone.


Thank you for volunteering to take part in the Eyes On, Hands On project (the “Project”). We recognise and greatly appreciate your help.

About the Project Many of the UK locations have a single or a small cluster of graves that are not in a CWGC plot (we call these ‘scattered graves’). We currently inspect these scattered graves on a rolling basis every 2 to 5 years. The Project was conceived to help ensure that scattered graves are inspected more frequently and where needed, receive attention.

Volunteer management We provide all volunteers with an EOHO Regional Coordinator. They will be your first port of call for any queries about your volunteering with this project.

Our Values: When undertaking volunteering activities you will be expected to act appropriately, with all due consideration and keep our values to the forefront in everything you do as a CWGC volunteer. Central to our values is respect, for each other, the CWGC and our objectives and for the service personnel we commemorate. These are set out as below and in our values handbook, which will be sent to you electronically. The values booklet is a document created for CWGC employees. As a CWGC volunteer these values pertain to you but not every comment in the booklet about how the values are demonstrated is applicable.

Glasgow Western Necropolis Cemetery, UK




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Equality and Inclusion We are committed to equal opportunities and inclusion and to ensuring that volunteering is open to all regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs or disability. We promote volunteering opportunities widely to ensure accessibility to all members of the community.

Health and Safety We take health and safety extremely seriously.

We will provide you with health and safety training and our Working Safely in Cemeteries document (which we will send you electronically) and you must then undertake all volunteering activity in accordance with this training and policy.

We apply a safety-first approach; if you have any concerns as to the safety of any volunteering activity you should please stop immediately and discuss with your Coordinator. Similarly, if you are feeling unwell,

please immediately stop and if appropriate contact the Emergency Services. Please also notify your Regional Coordinator, or by using the details in the Contact Us section.

Risk Assessments A risk assessment has been completed for these roles, which can be found in the Working Safely in Cemeteries document. You must undertake your volunteering activity in accordance with this risk assessment.

Ribblesdale Churchyard, UK




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Safeguarding We take our responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults extremely seriously. You must disclose any convictions or cautions that relate to children or vulnerable adults so that we may take these into account (noting that we may require you to produce a DBS check to evidence this and that any such conviction need not preclude you from volunteering. We also require you to abide by the following safeguarding measures:

a.

b.

c.

Practicalities of Volunteering

What to do if you are unable to undertake volunteering activity Please give as much prior notice as possible to your Regional Coordinator if you are unable to undertake a volunteering activity which has been previously agreed. If you are unable to carry out the activity on the day of volunteering, please contact the Coordinator as soon as possible..

MedicalVolunteering activity may involve physical exertion and we rely on you to let us know if there is any medical (or indeed other reason) that may impact on your ability to undertake volunteering activity, so that we may consider this with you and make the appropriate adjustments (noting that, as part of the application, we asked you to let us know if you have any mobility constraints or indeed if your medical or mobility circumstances have changed since completing the application). You can discuss this with the Coordinator (or if you would prefer, with us directly). Please see Contact Us.

Should you encounter any child or vulnerable adult when volunteering with us, for your own protection and that of the child or vulnerable adult, you must never put yourself in a position where you are alone with any child or vulnerable adult.

Should you encounter any child or vulnerable adult as part of a group (for example, in the case of children, a guide, school or scout group), you must abide with any directions given by the group leader (who will have safeguarding responsibility for the group).

If circumstances are such that you have no alternative but to be alone with a child or vulnerable adult (for example, in the event of a medical

emergency), you must, as soon as is possible, report this to us – please see Contact Us (and we will then include this as a safeguarding incident on our safeguarding log and ensure that the appropriate action is taken).




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Attire and equipmentWe may also provide you with a CWGC branded high-visibility vest to help identify you to our staff, other volunteers and the public. You must return the uniform, vest and any other CWGC property to the co-ordinator (as per the co-ordinator’s directions) at the end of your time as a volunteer.

Ceasing to volunteer and termination We hope that we will have a long and successful relationship with you. However, we also recognise that your circumstances may change, and you may need to stop volunteering with us. In this event, we would ask that you give us a month’s notice. Please also note that it may be required to suspend or terminate our relationship with you if it is deemed that the continuation may be of detriment to either party.

Insurance We have public liability insurance in place for our locations, but we don’t have any other insurance that applies to you (for example, you would need to insure any of your own belongings that you bring with you and if you are driving your car to and from events and activities, you must ensure that your car insurance policy covers you to drive for volunteering).

Photographs As part of your volunteering activities, you will be capturing images for the CWGC. Please do not send us any images including people. You should not, in any circumstance, capture any images of children or vulnerable adults.

Please also note that by sending us any such images you give us the rights in these images (so the CWGC and/or the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation may use these images freely for our purposes). By uploading your images to our Digital Asset Management System, you agree to abide by the terms and conditions of that system.




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Your role as a VolunteerYou are a volunteer and not an employee of the CWGC/CWGF (noting that nothing in this document or indeed our volunteer programme is intended to create a legal relationship of employer and employee as between us). Your role is entirely voluntary (and therefore comes without any pay or benefits).

Representing the CWGCAside from your agreed volunteering activities, we do not authorise you to represent us and you may not make any statement (on social media or otherwise) concerning the CWGC or your volunteering activity without this first having been approved by your Regional Coordinator at CWGC.

Data ProtectionWe will store and process your personal information (including your address and othercontact details) to assist with the administration of the volunteering project (noting that wemay share this information with other project staff, the CWGF and others). If you have anyquestions or concerns regarding the processing of your data, you can contact our Data Protection Officer directly on [email protected].

Our Policies and Other DocumentsAs a CWGC volunteer you are expected to comply with all our policies relating to volunteering activity. All the policies mentioned in this guidance and any other relevant policies will be sent to you electronically.

UpdatesPlease also note that this guidance will be updated from time to time and that the version of the Guidance we have most recently issued and sent to you by email will apply to your volunteering activity.

APPENDIX C: GLOSSARY



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APPENDIX C: GLOSSARY

Terms used on the Inspection Database, 708s and other technical documents:Please contact your Regional Coordinator for further information about any of the terms, or if you come across a term not listed here.

AC – Alternative Commemoration

ADM – Admiralty Cross

BP – Bronze Panels

C (or COS) – Cross of Sacrifice

CG – Common Grave

CH – Commission Headstone

CHPM – Commissioned Headstone – Private

Memorial

CM - Commission Maintained

CREM – Cremation Memorial

CWD – Civilian War Dead

DOD – Date of Death

FH – Foreign headstone

FN – Foreign National

FOC – Free of Charge

GC – George Cross

I&C – Incidental and Conducive

K – Kerb

KOP – Keep in order in perpetuity

LA – Local Authority

LHS – Left hand side

LT – Level Turf

M – Special Memorial

MA – Maintenance Agreement

MR – maintained by Relatives

NCC – New Commemorations Case

NHMP – No horticultural maintenance possible

NI – No inscription

NOK – Next of Kin

NSD – No service details

NWCC – Not within commission control

NWCH – Non War Commission Headstone

NWG – Non War Grave

NWSH – Non War Service Headstone

NWWD – Non World War Dead

NWWG – Non World War Grave

OOP – Out of plumb (requires attention)

P - Plot

PCC – Parochial Church Council

PI – Personal Inscription

PM – Private Memorial

PPM – Permanent Private Memorial

PSA – Denotes sites formerly maintained by the

Property Services Agency but which are now the

responsibility of the MOD

RAC – Reverse Alternative Commemoration

RHS – Right hand side

RR – Relative Refused

S - Seat

SM – Special Memorial

SOOP – Slightly out of plumb (attention not required)

SOR – Stone of remembrance

SW – Screen Wall

TM – Temporary Marker

UM – Unmarked

VC – Victoria Cross

W – Screen Wall

WM – White marble

VOLUNTEER AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMECONTACT DETAILS

Eyes On, Hands On TeamFor general Eyes On, Hands On [email protected]

CWGC Enquiries TeamFor enquiries about the CWGC’s work,including policy and [email protected]

CWGC VolunteersFor enquiries about other [email protected]

2 MARLOW ROADMAIDENHEADBERKSHIRESL6 7DXUNITED KINGDOM

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