volunteer handbook - southampton voluntary...

Volunteer Handbooka pocket guide

Student Volunteer Centre Volunteer Handbook

www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/volunteering2

So you want to volunteer?Well done you!What a wonderful person you are!

In your hand is your indispensible, (almost)pocket-sized guide to student volunteering.It should cover everything you’ll need to knowas a volunteer.

If after reading it you do still have anyquestions though, please check out ourwebsite for more details on all our policiesand procedures. Or why not get in touch –we’ll be more than happy to help.

IntroductionFor more info…Email: [email protected]: 0115 846 8750Log on to:www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/volunteering(You can also find us on Facebook)Drop in:We are based on B Floorof Portland Building.

We are open9am to 5pm

Monday to Friday- all year round.

“”

Mission Statement

To provide a diverse range ofvolunteering opportunities to enable

students to learn new skillsand enhance their personal development.

SVC volunteers are informed, supportedand active within the Students' Union

and wider community.

3www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/volunteering



Training & SupportYou should receive support and trainingfrom your project to enable you to carryout your volunteering role effectively.If you feel that you aren’t receiving thesupport that you need – let them know.

What is expected from volunteers?• Be reliable, punctual and committed

• If you can’t attend your volunteeringsession let the project know so thatother arrangements can be made• Never put yourself, another volunteeror client at risk

• Maintain professional boundaries- respect confidentiality and do notdisclose any personal information• Follow your project’s policiesand procedures

• Only carry out tasks that you are able to,say no if necessary

• If you are unhappy and consideringleaving a project please let them /the Centre know

What you can expect as a volunteer?

To read our fullEqual Opportunitiesand Diversity Policy

please see our websiteor ask a member of stafffor more information.

The University of Nottingham Students’ Union


The Student Volunteer Centre iscommitted to offering equality ofopportunity. We strive to ensurethat everyone that we work with –

including our staff, volunteers and allour projects – share this commitment.

We expect all volunteers to be treatedfairly and with respect and to feel freefrom discrimination and harassment.

Equal Opportunity & Diversity



The Centre is committed to maintainingthe confidentiality of its service usersand projects. In normal circumstances noinformation about an individual will begiven to an external organisation withoutprior permission. This isn’t alwayspossible though and so in this situationyou will be told what will happen and why.

This includes:• where the health and safety of anyvolunteer, or another individual, maybe at riskor• the disclosure to a volunteer of abuse,or details of other criminal activity(see Child Protection).

Responsibility of VolunteersIt is important that all volunteers keepinformation about others confidential.All projects should have their ownConfidentiality Policy which you shouldbe made aware of when you beginvolunteering with them.

Confidentiality & Data Protection



The Student Volunteer Centre strives toensure that all our staff and volunteers

remain safe from injury and harm.Therefore we all have a duty to provide for

the health, safety and welfare ofthemselves and others.

All the organisations that we work withshould have comprehensive Health &

Safety policies which you should be madeaware of when you begin your

volunteering placement.

For more details about Health & Safetyplease ask a member of staff or consult

our website.

Health & Safety



Policy for Protection of Childrenand Vulnerable Adults* (POVA)

*For further information,definitions of Vulnerable

Adults and tips onhow to keep yourselfand others out of riskplease see our website.

We have a full and comprehensive policyrelating to the POVA guidelines. If youare going to be working with Children orVulnerable Adults as a volunteer and areunsure about what is expected of youplease speak to a member of staff at yourproject or at the Student Volunteer Centre.



If you are likely to have regular contactwith children or Vulnerable Adults as avolunteer then you may be required tohave a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)check. This is a background check to

ascertain whether you have any unspentcriminal convictions.

Every organisation that we work with willhave a CRB Code of Practice which is

relevant to their activities.If you have any unspent convictionsplease speak with one of the Centre’s

staff team who will be able to advise youon your chosenproject’s policy.

For more information about the CRBprocedure please ask a memberof staff or check out the full CRB

policy on our website

Criminal Disclosure Records



ExpensesNo volunteer should ever be left out-of-pocket when volunteering so wherepossible we believe that all projectsshould pay back volunteers’ expenses.This will usually take the form of travelexpenses to and from your placeof volunteering.

If for any reason the project isn’t able topay these expenses do let us know andwe may be able to reimburse you.

While all of our projects should beaccessible by public transport you canalso claim back expenses for travelling toyour project by car or even bicycle.If you have any queries about what youmay be able to claim back and why,please just ask.



There is some confusion about whetheryou can volunteer and continue to claim

state benefits. As long as you inform yourbenefits advisor that you will be

volunteering then this should be fine.

Volunteering should not affect your claimfor Income Support, Disability Living

Allowance or Incapacity Benefit as long asyou do not receive any money other thanas a reimbursement for expenses. If youare on Job Seekers Allowance though

you must ensure that you remainavailable for and actively seeking work

whilst volunteering.

If you are uncertain about volunteeringand state benefits please talk to a

member of staff at the Centre

Volunteering & State Benefits



We hope that most problems can be dealtwith and resolved informally throughdiscussion with the Community Officeror SVC Manager.

In the interests of fairness and theprotection of volunteers, staff and ourservice users, it is necessary to haveprocedures for dealing with problems,complaints or other difficult situationswhich cannot be resolved informally.

For full details of our procedures fordealing with problems and complaintsplease see our website.

Problems with yourvolunteering placementIf you are having any difficulty as avolunteer please discuss it with someoneat the Centre. While we advise allvolunteers to be patient and give theirplacement a go for at least a fewsessions, we want everyone to be happy.There are plenty of roles to choose fromand we should be able to find somethingfor everyone. So if it isn’t working out asyou thought please do let us know andwe’ll do our very best to sort it out.

Dealing with problems



We welcome feedback.The Centre constantly seeks new ways toimprove our services to students, and to helpus do this we welcome suggestions andfeedback from everyone involved inour activities.

*Suggestions and feedback can be givenanonymously and if this is the case weensure our student’s anonymity is respected.

Student Feedback

Complaints ProcedureEveryone at the Students’ Union wantsour members and customers to be happywith our services. However, from time totime things do go wrong, and you mayfeel you wish to complain.

We have an Informal and a FormalComplaints Procedure both of whichare available on our website and as ahard copy.

Printed on recycled paper

This document is available in Braille, tape,electronically and on disk upon request.

Please ask a member of staff.

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