Volunteer Policy
Long Sutton Parish Council believes that volunteering offers mutual benefits to all parties involved and provides the opportunity for people to make a valuable contribution to their community in a practical way.
The Parish Council involves volunteers to:
Increase its contact with the local community it serves.
Help ensure its facilities and services reflect the needs of the community.
The Council will ensure that volunteers feel part of the Council’s structure by involving them in staff information sessions and providing regular supervision.
Long Sutton Parish Council does not aim to introduce volunteers to replace paid staff.
All Council employees will be expected to work positively with any volunteers and where appropriate, will actively seek to involve them in their work.
Volunteers require satisfying work and personal development and the Council will seek to help volunteers meet these needs, as well as providing training for them to do their role effectively.
Volunteers may come through various partners organisations, direct from the community or be students from a local educational institute.
Guidelines
The following guidelines deal with practical aspects of volunteering with the Parish Council,
Recruitment
All prospective volunteers will be interviewed to find out what they would like to do, their skills, their suitability to perform a task and how best their potential might be realised.
One reference will be sought for each volunteer, checks of any kind can appear a very intrusive process but they are necessary for a number of reasons:
1.It takes account of Long Sutton Parish Council’s responsibility to the public and the community.
2.It gives the volunteer a degree of credibility
3 It re-assures colleagues
Volunteer Agreement and Task Descriptions
Each volunteer will have an agreement agreeing what the Council undertakes to provide for them (see appendix 1),
All volunteers are asked to provide a risk assessment and a description of all activities or specific work they will be undertaking.
Neither of these documents is intended to form a contract. Long Sutton Parish Council has no intention of creating a contract with any volunteers.
Support
All volunteers will have a named person as their main point of contact. They will be provided with regular supervision to feedback on progress, discuss future development and any problems.
Training
Training will be provided as appropriate.
The Volunteer’s Voice
Volunteers are encouraged to express their views about matters concerning Long Sutton Parish Council facilities and services to their main point of contact.
Insurance
All volunteers are covered by Long Sutton Parish Council’s insurance policy whilst they are carrying out tasks on behalf of the Parish Council.
Expenses
No expenses will be paid
Health and Safety
Long Sutton Parish Council has a legal obligation to ensure it complies with health and safety legislation, it has a duty of care to avoid exposing volunteers to risks to their health and safety and to make sure volunteers are aware of this. Practical issues will be discussed as part of a volunteer’s induction and a copy of the Parish Council’s Health and Safety Policy is available on request.
Equal Opportunities
Long Sutton Parish Council operates an Equality Policy in respect of both paid staff and volunteers.
Volunteers will be expected to have an understanding of and commitment to our equal opportunities policy.
Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults
If the volunteer is to work in a regulated activity within the Council, the Council will require proof of a DBS check. The Council has a Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy which will be made available to the volunteer.
Problem Solving
We aim to identify and solve problems at the earliest possible stage.
Confidentiality
Volunteers will be bound by the same requirements for confidentiality as paid staff.