Dcdguivwa resource manual2001

Standard Volunteer Resource Manual Section name A manual incorporating standards for best practice in management of volunteer-involving programs Volunteering Western Australia Phone: (08) 9420 7288 Fax: (08) 9420 7289 Email: community@volunteer.org.au Website: www.volunteer.org.au

2 Contents Introduction 3 Standard One: Policies and Procedures 8 Checklist 8 General information 11 Sample 15 Template 16 Standard Two: Management Responsibility 18 Checklist 18 General information 21 Samples 26 Standard Three: Recruitment Selection and Orientation 28 Checklist 28 General information 31 Samples 44 Templates 54 Standard Four: Work and the Workplace 63 Checklist 63 General information 66 Samples 76 Templates 85 Standard Five: Training and Development 102 Checklist 102 General information 105 Samples 112 Templates 116 Standard Six: Service Delivery 123 Checklist 124 Samples 126 Standard Seven: Documentation and Records 135 Checklist 135 General information 138 Samples 145 Templates 147 Standard Eight: Continuous Improvement 149 Checklist 149 Feedback Form 152 Index 153 V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

3 Introduction Introduction Volunteering Western Australia has great pleasure in introducing the new Volunteer Resource Manual that incorporates the last edition of the Volunteer Standards Manual. This valuable and practical publication is now a living document that will develop in line with future community needs, leading research, legislative changes and contributions from member organisations and individuals. Its new presentation in an electronic CD format will allow regular and rapid updates and changes for the benefit of all users. Earlier hardcopy editions were developed as distance education packages for members of Volunteering WA and others seeking to deliver support services to the community. With the ongoing impacts of the 2001 International Year of Volunteers and the dynamic growth of established, new and emerging Volunteer Resource Centres across the State, the Volunteer Resource Manual will complement the development and implementation of organisational policy, planning and procedures. The past and present commitment of researchers, trainers, managers, committees, coordinators and community leaders will ensure that strong networks continue to develop quality services and best practices in both regional and metropolitan areas. Through broad consultation with interested groups at a national, regional and local level, Volunteering Western Australia is confident that the manual is both user-friendly and recognises the National Standards for volunteer-involving organisations, produced by Volunteering Australia and launched during 2001. The commitment and support of all contributors to the new Volunteer Resource Manual must be fully recognised. Over many years the shared information and creativity of Volunteer Centres and volunteer- involving organisations across Australia have led to the development of the acknowledged National Standards. Within Western Australia itself these standards have been incorporated into a modern resource that is highly relevant to our diverse community needs, changing demographics and geographical expanse. Much of the credit for the latest research and production of this CD must go to the program managers of Volunteering Western Australia, especially the Services Development and Metropolitan Outreach divisions. We hope you will find this manual of value and of assistance with the future implementation of best practice. Please regard it as your resource and we always welcome feedback and practical suggestions for advancing volunteering for the benefit of the Western Australian community. Alan Melchert Executive Director Volunteering WA V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

4 Introduction Acknowledgements Volunteering WA, incorporated as the Volunteer Centre of Western Australia, acknowledges support from the Government of Western Australia through the Department for Community Development, the Commonwealth Department for Family and Community Services, and Lotterywest. Volunteering Western Australia would like to thank the participants who were involved in the development of this Volunteer Resource Manual. The following people gave up their time to attend a consultation on the development of the manual as well as provided samples for the resource manual. Jumae Atkinson Department of Veterans Affairs Sandy Beardwood Brightwater Care Group Jodie Crane Southcare Joanne Cutten Australian Red Cross Diane Forrester Rocky Bay Deb Furnell Kwinana Home Support Service Jean Garrett-Reed Mercy Community Services Ann Geling Kwinana Home Support Service Phylis Hardy Peel Volunteer Resource Centre Darren Johnston Volunteer Task Force Jan Mayze Armadale Home Help Service Sian Owen Volunteer Task Force Kaye Read Kwinana Home Support Service Julia Routledge Anglican Homes Paula Wilkins RAAFA Aviation Museum John Rea Volunteering WA Wendy Walters Peel Volunteer Resource Centre Louise Weaver Volunteering WA The Volunteer Resource Manual has been prepared by John Rea, Metropolitan Outreach Services Manager, and Louise Weaver, Services Development Manager, of Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

5 Introduction How to use this manual This manual contains eight sections incorporating the National Standards for involving volunteers. To assist users of the manual to develop their own volunteer systems the Volunteer Resource Manual has been divided into 3 distinct sections within each standard: a. a summary of the Standard including a user friendly checklist and general information about the criteria within the standards b. samples providing relevant examples developed by managers and coordinators of volunteers c. templates that can be used and modified for use within your agency. Volunteering WA is constantly looking for new material for the Volunteer Resource Manual. If you have a sample or some information that you wish to provide please forward to Volunteering WA. Introduction to National Standards The National Standards for Volunteer involvement in Not-for-Profit Organisations represent what Volunteering Australia regards as best practice in the management of volunteers. The standards have evolved from consultations and focus groups organised across Australia in 1996-97 and a national review panel has now been established to guide their ongoing development. Format of the standards The standards cover the following aspects of volunteer involvement: 1 Policies and procedures 5 Training and development 2 Management responsibilities 6 Service delivery 3 Recruitment 7 Documentation and records 4 Work and the workplace 8 Continuous improvement Each standard contains a brief statement that defines the scope of the standard and a set of criteria accompanies the standard. Notes to the standards The standards describe what elements should be part of a best practice system for managing volunteers. This approach recognises that the needs of organisations involving volunteers vary and that the design and implementation of a management system must reflect the unique conditions and circumstances of an organisation. Uses of the standards Not-for-profit organisations can use the national standards in a number of ways: • As an audit tool that provides an overall appreciation of where the organisation is placed with respect to best management practice for volunteer involvement • As a guideline or checklist to help identify opportunities for making improvements • As a framework of reference to assist in planning and establishing a new volunteer service • As a baseline from which progress in making improvements can be monitored and measured Adapted from National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations, Volunteering Australia, 2001. This resource manual has been developed using best endeavours. Please advise Volunteering WA if you consider any material unethical or inappropriate. We will be reviewing the manual regularly and welcome your feedback. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

6 Introduction National Standards for Involving Volunteers in Not for Profit Organisations STANDARD 1: Policies and Procedures An organisation that involves volunteers shall define and document its policies and procedures for volunteer involvement and ensure that these are understood, implemented and maintained at all levels of the organisation where volunteers are involved. STANDARD 2: Management Responsibilities An organisation that involves volunteers shall ensure that volunteers are managed within a defined system and by capable personnel with the authority and resources to achieve the organisation’s policy goals. STANDARD 3: Recruitment Selection and Orientation An organisation that involves volunteers shall plan and have clearly documented volunteer recruitment, selection, and orientation policies and procedures that are consistent with non-discriminatory practices and guidelines. STANDARD 4: Work and the Workplace An organisation that involves volunteers shall clearly specify and control the work of volunteers and ensure that their place of work is conducive to preserving their health, safety and general well-being. STANDARD 5: Training and Development An organisation that involves volunteers shall ensure that volunteers obtain the knowledge, skills, feedback on work, and the recognition needed to effectively carry out their responsibilities. STANDARD 6: Service Delivery An organisation that involves volunteers shall ensure that appropriate processes and procedures are established and followed for the effective planning, control, and review of all activities relating to the delivery of services by volunteers. STANDARD 7: Documentation and Records An organisation that involves volunteers shall establish a system and have defined procedures to control all documentation and personnel records that relate to the management of volunteers. STANDARD 8: Continuous Improvement An organisation that involves volunteers shall plan and continually review its volunteer management system to ensure that opportunities to improve the quality of the system are identified and actively pursued. Adapted from National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations, Volunteering Australia, 2001. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

Standard One Policies and Procedures Section name quote An organisation that involves volunteers shall define and document its policies and procedures for volunteer involvement and ensure that these are understood, implemented and maintained at all levels of the organisation where volunteers are involved.

8 Standard One Policies and Procedures This standard is concerned with the organisation clearly setting out its vision, direction and operational framework for involving volunteers. What is the intent of this standard? The intent of this standard is for an organisation to clarify its underlying philosophy for involving volunteers and establish a policy and procedural framework that will provide direction and structure to the way volunteers are managed. Within the framework, an organisation should ensure that its practices are consistent with certain basic principles for involving volunteers. For example, practices should be in line with the definition and principles of volunteering, the rights and responsibilities of volunteers and volunteer-involving agencies, the codes of practice and the National Standards. The standard specifically requires the development of: • A general policy that commits the organisation to establishing an effective system for managing volunteers • Management system policies that state the organisation’s intentions with respect to key elements of the volunteer management system • Operational procedures that describe how the policies of the organisation will be accomplished At each of these levels the standard requires that volunteer policies be (1) defined, (2) documented, (3) understood by those whom the policies affect, (4) implemented and (5) maintained. Having developed and implemented these policies and procedures, the standard further states that they be reviewed at intervals determined by the organisation as appropriate to ensure that they remain relevant and effective. Standard 1: Policies and Procedures An organisation that involves volunteers shall define and document its policies and procedures for volunteer involvement and ensure that these are understood, implemented and maintained at all levels of the organisation where volunteers are involved. Below is a checklist for you to determine how well you are achieving this Standard. General policy The organisation has a written general policy for the involvement of volunteers. The policy clearly states the organisation’s: • General philosophy on volunteer involvement • Commitment to establishing and maintaining a quality system for managing volunteers • Broad objectives for involving volunteers • Lines of authority and accountability for managing and implementing the quality system Acknowledgement to Volunteer Centre of Victoria Information Kit. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

9 Standard One Policies and Procedures The general volunteer policy affirms the organisation’s compliance with: • The definition and principles of ‘formal volunteering’ • The rights of volunteers • The Model Code of Practice for organisations involving volunteers • The National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations • Any recognised standards that may be relevant to the specific functions of the agency The general volunteer policy is made widely available and understood throughout the entire organisation. Management system policies The organisation has written policies covering key activities of the system for managing volunteers. Key activities may typically include: • Developing policies and procedures • Fulfilling management responsibilities • Managing the work and workplace of volunteers • Recruiting volunteers • Training and developing volunteers • Managing volunteer delivered services • Maintaining documentation and record keeping • Continually improving the management system The management system policies are: Consistent with the organisation’s general policy Simply and clearly stated Made available to, and understood by, all volunteers Operating procedures The organisation has written procedures that support and supplement the policies. Such procedures may include: • Policy/procedure development and review • Management system reviews • Pre-employment reference checks and/or police checks • Use of, and access to, confidential personal information • Use of private motor vehicles and insurance • Volunteer grievances • Planning and conducting system audits • Volunteer recognition • Volunteer appraisal/feedback • Volunteer screening, interview and selection • Controlling system documentation V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

10 Standard One Policies and Procedures These procedures: Describe how the policies are to be implemented or controlled Are made available to, and understood by volunteers, on a needs to know basis Are simply stated, and presented in accordance with an agreed and consistent format Policy and procedure reviews The organisation reviews and evaluates its general volunteer policy, management system policies and operating procedures at sufficient intervals. The procedures are established and maintained for making changes and additions to policies and procedures. The procedures should ensure that any changes are: • Based on an identified and agreed need for change • Communicated to, and understood by, those who they are relevant to • Implemented and maintained Effective systems are established for incorporating the views of volunteers when reviewing and updating policies and procedures. Records of all policy and procedure reviews and changes are kept and dated for future reference. Adapted from National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations’ Volunteering Australia, 2001. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

11 Standard One General Information Policies and Procedures Developing a volunteer policy What is a policy? A policy is a statement of intent which sets out clearly an organisation’s views with respect to a particular matter or course of action. A policy can also be a set of guidelines which outline what a service will provide and how it will go about providing it. A volunteer policy guides the actions of the organisation and provides a rationale for those actions. It establishes continuity and affirms the status and legitimacy of volunteers within the organisation. What should a volunteer policy contain? A volunteer policy should reflect the philosophy and state the mission or purpose of the organisation, and establish its commitment to volunteer involvement. It could contain, for example, statements on: • reimbursement • grievance and disciplinary procedures • commitment to training • volunteer rights and responsibilities • insurance • support mechanisms • industrial considerations • the relationship between paid and unpaid workers • the principle of equal opportunity • areas of volunteer involvement and the time commitment • occupational health and safety • if appropriate, the rationale for police and medical checks. A volunteer policy should be written in consultation with: • Management • Paid workers • Volunteers • End users/consumers • Other agencies or networks. In addition to your volunteer policy you should also have: • Principles of volunteering • A code of practice incorporating a statement of volunteer rights and responsibilities • A procedures manual which contains information on such things as reimbursement, insurance, grievance procedures, health and safety regulations • Forms which have been developed to provide mechanisms to support the procedures set down in the manual, eg travel reimbursement, insurance, incident, personnel and attendance forms V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

12 Standard One Policies and Procedures Writing a Policy When writing your policy the following should be taken into consideration: • definition of volunteering • principles of volunteering • rights and responsibilities of volunteers • rights and responsibilities of volunteer involving agencies • model codes of practice Definition of Formal Volunteering Formal volunteering is an activity which takes place in not for profit organisations or projects, and is undertaken: • to be of benefit to the community and the volunteer • of the volunteer’s own free will and without coercion • for no financial payment • in designated volunteer positions only Principles of Volunteering • Volunteering benefits the community and the volunteer • Volunteer work is unpaid • Volunteering is always a matter of choice • Volunteering is not compulsorily undertaken to receive pensions or government allowances • Volunteering is a legitimate way in which citizens can participate in the activities of their community • Volunteering is a vehicle for individuals or groups to address human, environmental and social needs • Volunteering is an activity performed in the not for profit sector • Volunteering is not a substitute for paid work • Volunteering respects the rights, dignity and culture of others • Volunteering promotes human rights and equality Volunteer Rights Unlike paid staff, volunteer staff are not covered by award conditions or work place agreements. Volunteers, however, do have rights, which the volunteer involving agency is responsible for providing. The following is a list outlining the rights of a volunteer. Volunteers have the right: • to work in a healthy and safe environment (refer Occupational Health and Safety Act[s]); • to be interviewed and employed in accordance with equal opportunity and anti discrimination legislation • to be adequately covered by insurance • to be given accurate and truthful information about the organisation for which they are working • to be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred on behalf of the organisation for which they are working • to be given a copy of the organisation’s volunteer policy and any other policy that affects their work; • not to fill a position previously held by a paid worker V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

13 Standard One Policies and Procedures • not to do the work of paid staff during industrial disputes • to have a position description and agreed working hours • to have access to a grievance procedure • to be provided with orientation to the organisation • to have confidential and personal information dealt with in accordance with the principles of the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Amendment Act 2000) • to be provided with sufficient training in order to carry out the work Volunteer Responsibilities Volunteers have the responsibility to: • be dependable. If unable to attend, give adequate notice and try to assist in finding a replacement; • be willing to undertake relevant training and orientation pertaining to tasks that are to be performed; • ensure that confidential information is respected and treated appropriately • be open to other points of view • seek assistance, guidance or information where necessary and receive constructive feedback as appropriate • work as members of a team • report any incident to their supervisor that appears unusual • report any accident to their supervisor no matter how insignificant it may seem • use reasonable judgement in making a decision and check with their supervisor or leader if unsure • respect the rights, privacy and dignity of clients and fellow workers • deal fairly and impartially with all clients • employ necessary precautions to ensure the safety of both themselves and the client • abide by the rules and regulations of the agency Volunteer involving agencies rights and responsibilities Not only do volunteers have rights and responsibilities, but volunteer involving agencies also have rights and responsibilities. Agency Rights Agencies have the right to expect volunteers to: • be dependable. If unable to attend, give adequate notice and try to assist in finding a replacement • be willing to undertake relevant training and orientation pertaining to tasks that are to be performed • ensure that confidential information is respected and treated appropriately • be open to other points of view • seek assistance, guidance or information where necessary and receive constructive feedback as appropriate • work as members of a team • report any incident to their supervisor that appears unusual • report any accident to their agency supervisor no matter how insignificant it may seem • use reasonable judgement in making a decision and check with their supervisor or leader if unsure • respect the rights, privacy and dignity of clients and fellow workers • deal fairly and impartially with all clients • employ necessary precautions to ensure the safety of both themselves and the client • abide by the rules and regulations of the agency V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

14 Standard One Policies and Procedures Agencies also have the right to assess the capabilities of volunteers and say no to potential volunteers. Agency Responsibilities Volunteer involving agencies are responsible for providing: • a healthy and safe environment (refer Occupational Health and Safety Act[s]) • interviews and employment in accordance with equal opportunity and anti discrimination legislation • adequate insurance cover • accurate and truthful information about the organisation • reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred on behalf of the organisation • a copy of the organisation’s volunteer policy and any other policy that may affect the work of volunteers • job descriptions and agreed working hours • access to grievance procedures • orientation, training and support • confidentiality and personal information dealt with in accordance with the principles of the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Amendment Act 2000) V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

15 Standard One Samples Policies and Procedures SAMPLE Volunteer Policy Anglican Homes Volunteer Policy 1. POLICY 1.1 Formal volunteering is an activity which takes place in not-for-profit organisations or projects and is undertaken: • To be of benefit to the community and the volunteer • Of the volunteer’s own free will and without coercion • For no financial payment • In designated volunteer positions only (Taken from Formal definition of a Volunteer, Volunteering Australia 2001) RATIONALE: With the recruitment of caring and appropriate volunteers Anglican Homes will enhance the service provided by paid staff to residents. 1.2 Anglican Homes recognises and places great importance on the value and skills of volunteers. Volunteers may include members of families, parishes, schools, community groups and businesses. 1.3 Volunteers neither replace nor threaten the security of employment of paid staff. Rather, volunteers support staff and residents by providing services which would otherwise not exist. Volunteers complement the functions of paid staff and enhance the quality of services provided by Anglican Homes. 1.4 Volunteers are recruited in accordance with Anglican Homes procedures. 1.5 Volunteers are covered by personal accident and injury while undertaking legitimate volunteer work for Anglican Homes. Acknowledgement to Anglican Homes (Inc). V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

16 Standard One Templates Policies and Procedures Volunteer Recognition Procedure “A climate of mutual trust, recognition and support for and between staff and volunteers will be fostered.” 1. [insert agency name] ____________________________________ will recognise the contributions made by volunteer staff in the Annual Report, and the monthly Newsletter. 2. [insert agency name] ____________________________________ will recognise the contributions made by volunteer staff during National Volunteer Week, and International Volunteer Day. 3. Individual managers/coordinators will be responsible for acknowledging volunteer contribution and effort through praise, encouragement, extra support, and additional training. 4. [insert agency name] Volunteer staff at ____________________________ will be recognised with a certificate, presented by the Executive Director, or program Manager, after 3 months of service. 5. Volunteer staff will be formally acknowledged after one year of service. Acknowledgement will include an item such as ____________________________________________________ 6. Volunteers will be recognised for specific training they have completed, and for significant and outstanding service. The form of recognition will be the decision of the individual Manager. 7. Volunteer staff will have birthdays and other significant events acknowledged eg Manager will give/send a birthday card. 8. Volunteers will be recognised as valued team members with opportunity to have input into decision-making processes. This may take the form of written suggestions/feedback, verbal suggestions, or special forums/meetings where volunteers are given the opportunity to provide feedback. 9. Volunteers will be kept up to date with developments and information about through the morning [insert own communication sources] briefings, the weekly bulletin, the staff noticeboard and __________________________ [insert agency name] 10. Upon notification of a volunteer leaving ________________________________________ some form of recognition will be provided eg a card wishing the volunteer well in their future endeavours. This can be given publicly on the volunteers last day. In the case of a volunteer leaving suddenly, a card can be forwarded on through the mail. [insert agency name] 11. In the event of a volunteer leaving ____________________________________________ an Exit Interview will be conducted. This interview will allow the volunteer to give feedback on their volunteering experiences at [insert agency name], and will provide the coordinator with an opportunity to thank the volunteer for their efforts and provide verbal recognition. Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

Standard Two Management Responsibility An organisation that involves volunteers shall ensure that volunteers are managed within a defined system and by capable personnel with the authority and resources to achieve the organisation’s policy goals.

18 Standard Two Management Responsibility This is one of the most important standards to implement effectively. If management gives practical effect to the vision and direction set out in the organisation’s policies, then all other standards will fall into place. What is the intent of this standard? The intent of this standard is for the organisation to establish a management system that is capable of effectively implementing volunteer policy directions. The standard allows an organisation to structure its management system in any way it sees fit, so long as the intent and requirements of the standard is met and the system is effective in producing good outcomes for volunteers and the customers of volunteers. The requirements for this standard are basic to good management practice and include: • establishing a management system that is able to meet all appropriate standards and has clear and understood lines of responsibility; • ensuring that the system is able to identify and effectively manage any existing or potential areas of risk; • defining who is directly responsible and has authority for implementing and maintaining the management system; • fulfilling community expectations in areas such as the environment, ethical practices, accountability for expenditure of public monies, public health and safety; • reviewing the management system to ensure it is meeting the organisation’s policy objectives; • ensuring that the management system is sufficiently resourced to enable it to function effectively. *Standard 2: Management Responsibility An organisation that involves volunteers shall ensure that volunteers are managed within a defined system and by capable personnel with the authority and resources to achieve the organisation’s policy and goals Below is a checklist for you to determine how well you are achieving this Standard. Management system The organisation has an identifiable and defined system for managing volunteers. The system for managing volunteers is the primary means by which volunteer policies are implemented and maintained. Means are established for ensuring that the volunteer management system conforms to the requirements of the National Standards that the organisation has deemed appropriate to its operations. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

19 Standard Two Management Responsibility Reasons are documented where the National Standards are not considered appropriate to the operations of the organisation. The organisation applies systematic risk management processes and practices to the task of identifying, analysing, assessing and monitoring risk for such areas as: • Volunteer/customer dissatisfaction • Unfavourable publicity • Mismanagement • A threat to physical safety of volunteers/customers • Failure of equipment or computer systems • A breach of legal or contractual responsibility • Fraud • Deficiencies in financial controls and reporting • Effective methods are established to treat, avoid or minimise emerging or potential risks. • Lines of reporting and communication are clearly defined for all areas where volunteers are involved Authority and responsibility The organisation has a designated manager with defined authority and responsibility to implement and maintain the volunteer program. The authority and responsibility of the volunteer manager is documented and dated in a duty statement. The duty statement should include: • Key areas of responsibility • Decision making authority • Lines of accountability • Skills required (eg education, experience, training) The organisation has determined the required level of competence, experience and training of the volunteer manager. The volunteer manager holds a position in the organisations overall management structure that is at an appropriate level considering the scope, nature and extent of responsibility. The volunteer manager is involved in all organisational decisions likely to affect volunteers and the volunteer management system. Social responsibilities The volunteer management system observes social and legal responsibilities to the community for such matters as: • Conservation of the environment • Ethical and non-discriminatory management practices • Accountability for expenditure of public monies • Contributing to the knowledge base and general development of the volunteer sector • Public health and safety V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

20 Standard Two Management Responsibility Social responsibilities to the community Are reflected in the organisations volunteer policies Reviews are conducted at appropriate intervals and appropriate actions taken Management review The organisation reviews the suitability and effectiveness of the volunteer management system at appropriate intervals. The review should typically include: • Evaluations of the overall effectiveness of the management system in achieving its stated policies • Evaluations of internal audits of key elements of the volunteer management system • Considerations for updating the management system in relation to changes in strategic direction, resource allocation decisions, increased understanding of actual operations and improvements made in operating processes The results, findings, and recommendations of the management review are: Documented and brought to the attention of the organisations management Records are kept and maintained Resources In order for the volunteer management system to be effectively implemented, maintained and reviewed, the organisation: Allocates appropriate and sufficient resources Allocates appropriate time to the volunteer manager Has an identifiable budget Involves the volunteer manager in the planning, negotiation and utilisation of the budget Provides sufficient clerical, and administration resources and support Has an established method for identifying and addressing the training and development needs of the manager The volunteer manager has opportunities to access: • Appropriate professional development and training • Relevant external learning and support networks Acknowledgement to National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations, Volunteering Australia, 2001. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

21 Standard Two General Information Management Responsibility The Volunteer Budget Volunteers are a cost effective means of providing quality service delivery. They must not be seen simply as a means of saving money. As a manager of volunteers you should ensure that your organisation recognises the cost of volunteer involvement. For example if the volunteer policy states that volunteers will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses or travel, this should be substantiated in the budget. Built into the budget, should be items such as: Salary on costs (full or pro rata) for coordinator/manager/administrative support • Rent • Telephone • Postage/printing • Stationery • Volunteer reimbursement/recognition • Insurance • Training • Equipment • Publicity/advertising • Catering Support must come from the top for appropriate budget allocation if a volunteer program is to be successful. IMPORTANT: Include provision in your budget for National Volunteer Week (second week in May) and International Volunteer Day, 5th December. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

22 Standard Two Management Responsibility Funding Sources Many funding bodies, both government and private, have money available for community projects. Each body has its own guidelines for granting funding. Directories of Funding Programs State Government funding The Grant Referral Directory is produced by programs the Department of Local Government and The following state government agencies have Regional Development. It provides details of grant programs in keeping with their portfolio grants provided by State and Commonwealth interests. Government and private sector information for regional and metropolitan communities, business Lotterywest and local government. Funds a wide range of community projects 08 9217 1500 08 9340 5270 www.dlgrd.wa.gov.au/assistance/assist.htm www.lotterywest.wa.gov.au The Australian Directory of Philanthropy Healthway published by Philanthropy Australia Inc, is a Provides grants to health and research comprehensive reference on sources of non- organisations as well as sponsorship to sport, government funding in Australia. It includes: arts, racing and community groups that An index of organisations listed by fields of encourage healthy lifestyles and advance interest promotion programs. Accessible information about trusts, foundations 08 9476 7000 and corporate funds www.healthway.wa.gov.au 03 9620 0200 ArtsWA www.philanthropy.org.au 08 9224 7310 Australian Grants Register www.artswa.wa.gov.au The Australian Grants Register is an A-Z of Country Arts Australian Grants 08 9481 0077 9228 0882 www.countryartswa.asn.au www.grantsearch.com/book.html Department For Community Development GrantsLink www.communitydevelopment.wa.gov.au Information on Federal Government grant programs is available from GrantsLink which is Department of Environmental Protection an initiative set up to make it easier to find 08 9222 7000 relevant Federal Government grants for www.epa.wa.gov.au community projects. 1800 026 222 The Department of Indigenous Affairs www.grantslink.gov.au 08 9235 8000 www.dia.wa.gov.au Office of Multicultural Interests 08 9426 8690 www.omni.wa.gov.au V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

23 Standard Two Management Responsibility Department of Racing. Gaming and Liquor Myer Foundation works to build a fair, just, Gaming Community Trust Grants Program creative and caring society by supporting The money credited to the Trust Fund is derived initiatives that promote positive change in from unclaimed winnings that are payable from Australia, and in relation to its regional setting. gaming and betting that have not been claimed 03 9207 3040 within 12 months. Next round of funding is at the beginning of United Way (WA) Inc is a non sectarian, non 2004. Details will be posted on: political organisation affiliated to a host of www.rgl.wa.gov.au autonomous offices worldwide and is committed to helping a wide range of human and health Department of Sport and Recreation care organisations throughout WA. 08 9387 9700 08 9325 5505 www.dsr.wa.gov.au In Western Australia, a number of service Department of Training organisations have funding available for 08 9325 9322 community projects: www.training.wa.gov.au • Apex Women’s Policy Development Office • Lions International 08 9264 1920 • Rotary International www.wa.gov.au/wpdo Youth Grants WA 08 9476 2000 www.youthaffairs.wa.gov.au Federal Government Funding Sources Department of Family and Community Services’ Stronger Families and Community Strategy 1300 653 227 www.facs.gov.au Other funding sources A range of non-government and private sources also exist. These include: The Foundation for Young Australians focuses primarily on the development and implementation of strategic grant programs designed to effect positive, sustained change in the lives of young people who are disadvantaged. 03 9670 5436 www.youngaustralians.org V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

24 Standard Two Management Responsibility Categories of Receipts and Payments Outlined below are the categories that Volunteering Western Australia uses for receipts and payments. You may wish to use these categories, and add some of your own. Receipts Payments Funding grants Salaries Membership Other staff costs Superannuation Donations Workers compensation Saleable items Staff training Mileage Training Communications Miscellaneous Postage Telephone Fax Advertising Promotional material Subscriptions Services/contracts Insurance Legal fees Rent Other services/contracts Consumables Stationery Printing General consumables Office Electricity/gas Purchases Plant and equipment Other payments V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

25 Standard Two Management Responsibility Risk management Every non-profit organisation faces a certain amount of risk, whether it’s ensuring the health and well- being of their volunteers or protecting their premises. What is a risk? Risk is virtually anything that threatens or limits the ability of a community or non-profit organisation to achieve its mission. It can be unexpected and unpredictable events such as destruction of a building, the wiping of all your computer files, loss of funds through theft or an injury to a member or visitor who trips on a slippery floor and decides to sue. Any of these or a million other things can happen, and if they do they have the potential to damage your organisation, cost you money, or in a worst case scenario, cause your organisation to close. What is a risk management? Risk management is a process of thinking systematically about all possible risks, problems or disasters before they happen and setting up procedures that will avoid the risk, or minimise its impact, or cope with its impact. It is basically setting up a process where you can identify the risk and set up a strategy to control or deal with it. It is also about making a realistic evaluation of the true level of risk. The chance of a tidal wave taking out your annual beach picnic is fairly slim. The chance of your group’s bus being involved in a road accident is a bit more pressing. Risk management systems Setting up risk management systems is about preparing some written procedures to be put in place to ensure you know what, how, and when action has been undertaken or is to be undertaken – and by whom. While it is important that your risk management plan takes in as many possibilities as possible, it is also important that your system be easily understood by your management team. To be effective, it has to be workable. Risk management resources Two comprehensive Risk Management resources have been published in 2003. For a step by step guide to managing risk in your organisation, check out the following resources. • Running the Risk? Risk management tool for volunteer involving organisations. Published by Volunteering Australia. Copies can be down loaded from www.volunteeringaustralia.org • Can you risk it? An introduction to risk management for community organisations. Published by Risk Cover, Insurance Commission of WA. Information can be obtained from www.icwa.wa.gov.au • Helps Sheets on risk management are available from www.ourcommunity.com.au Acknowledgement to www.ourcommunity.com.au V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

26 Standard Two Samples Management Responsibility SAMPLE Coordinators’ Network The Coordinators’ Network provides coordinators and managers of volunteers the opportunity to discuss issues pertaining to volunteer management, and keeps the sector informed about developments within volunteering. Vision Striving for excellence in the coordination and management of volunteer services. Mission The Coordinators Network will provide opportunities for coordinators and managers of volunteers to learn, share experiences and contribute to the development of volunteering. Objectives 1. Sharing of information and experiences, discussion and problem solving at a strategic level. 2. Involvement and influence in current developments affecting volunteering. 3. Supporting each other in issues relating to the management of volunteers. 4. The opportunity to have a collective and strong voice and provide feedback to VWA and Government. 5. Promotion of the Coordinators Network, and other VWA opportunities for Coordinators and Managers of volunteers, at all levels. Meeting times: 9.30 am to 12 midday Meetings are held at Volunteering WA, City West Lotteries House 2 Delhi Street, West Perth WA It is advisable to attend the Introduction to the Centre and a Principles, Policies and Planning session before attending the Coordinators’ Network, as these sessions will give you a sound background to participate in the Network Meetings. If you are new to your position as a coordinator of volunteers, or have not been to a Coordinators’ Network meeting before, and would like to attend, please contact louise@volunteer.org.au. Alternatively, to discuss any questions you may have, please phone (08) 9420 7288 and ask for Louise Weaver. An orientation to the Network will be organised for you. Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation An organisation that involves volunteers shall plan and have clearly documented volunteer recruitment, selection, and orientation policies and procedures that are consistent with non-discriminatory practices and guidelines.

28 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation This standard addresses the area that many organisations involving volunteers find the most difficult: that is, attracting and retaining volunteers. What is the intent of this standard? The intent of this standard is to ensure that the process of recruiting volunteers (1) is non- discriminatory, (2) is controlled in terms of following established procedures, and (3) meets the needs of both volunteers and the organisation. The standard is based on the premise that a planned and systematic approach to recruiting and selecting volunteers will provide the organisation with the best possible basis for attracting and keeping the optimum number of effective volunteers. Specifically, the standard requires that an organisation: • plans its volunteer recruitment and selection strategies based on the collection and analysis of factual data • handles all expressions of interest in volunteering in a non-discriminatory and expeditious manner • properly informs potential volunteers about the organisation, including how and to whom application for a volunteer position can be made • develops appropriate procedures to screen applicants and control the selection process • provides volunteers with an orientation program as soon as possible after joining the organisation Taken from National Standards for Involving volunteers in not for profit organisations Volunteering Australia, 2001. STANDARD 3: Recruitment, Selection and Orientation An organisation that involves volunteers shall plan and have clearly documented volunteer recruitment, selection, and orientation policies and procedures that are consistent with non discriminatory practices and guidelines. Below is a checklist for you to determine how well you are achieving this Standard. Policy and planning The organisation has a written policy on the recruitment, selection and orientation of volunteers. The policy should cover: • Objectives and rationale for recruiting, selecting and orientating • Volunteers are recruited in designated volunteer positions • Compliance with equal employment opportunity principles and practices, including advertising material The responsibility and authority for implementing and maintaining the policy is clearly designated. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

29 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Information is collected that is relevant to planning for volunteer recruitment and selection. Examples of this information include: • Optimal number of volunteers the organisation wishes to recruit and can effectively manage at one time • The nature of the work and the positions to be held by volunteers • The knowledge, skills and attributes required of volunteers to perform the work • Potential sources and methods of recruitment, and the relative effectiveness of each • Alternative methods of advertising for volunteers • Other options for applicants not selected for volunteer positions • Legal requirements to be met (eg equal opportunity) Information collected is analysed and used to assist in planning and implementing volunteer recruitment and selection strategies. The organisation has: A contact person responsible for dealing with initial volunteer position inquiries. The contact person is appropriately trained to respond to inquiries. All inquiries from potential volunteers are acknowledged. Relevant material is distributed in response to inquiries. Examples of this material includes: • Details about the organisation (mission, purpose etc) • Types of volunteer positions available and the nature of the work • An application form (if applicable) • The knowledge, skills and attributes required • Clear instructions on how, when and where to apply • Name and telephone number of the contact person Appropriate procedures are developed and maintained to screen the suitability of applicants for volunteer positions. Documented selection criteria are developed for each volunteer position. Procedures are established and maintained to control volunteer selection. Examples of procedures include: • Developing and reviewing selection criteria • Determining who should conduct interviews • Dealing with participants who do not meet the criteria for positions • Following up personal references • Checking credentials • Making the selection decision • Advising successful and unsuccessful applicants • Referring unsuccessful applicants to appropriate alternative avenues to pursue other volunteer work • Handling and storing application and selection documentation • Evaluating the recruitment and selection process V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

30 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Provision is made for volunteers to undergo police checks prior to undertaking work that involves direct and unsupervised contact with vulnerable members of society. Appropriate procedures are established and maintained for carrying out these police checks. Volunteer orientation The organisation provides an orientation for newly appointed volunteers. An orientation may typically cover: • The organisation’s mission, goals and activities • The organisation’s commitment to the definition and principles of volunteering, the rights of volunteers, the model code of practice for organisations involving volunteers, and the national standards for involving volunteers • The role, functions and responsibilities of volunteers • The structure of the volunteer management system • Relevant operating policies, procedures and work forms • The lines of authority, accountability and communication • An introduction to risk management and health and safety issues • Legal and statutory requirements • Introductions to other volunteers and staff • A guided tour of the building, site or office as appropriate • Confidentiality and customer rights • Volunteer training calendar or timetable • Familiarisation with volunteer amenities, work conditions and entitlements The orientation of volunteers includes an information package that covers all key aspects of the volunteer management system appropriate to volunteers. New volunteers receive the orientation program as soon as possible after recruitment to the organisation. Responsibility and authority for the planning and implementation of volunteer orientation is clearly designated. Adapted from National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations, Volunteering Australia, 2001. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

31 Standard Three General Information Recruitment Selection and Orientation Recruitment of Volunteers Process • Identify need for volunteers • Identity the motivators you can satisfy • Prepare the Job Description • Write the Catch Phrase • Advertise and publicise • Interview, Screen and Select • Place and Match • Orientate and Train • Review and Evaluate Recruitment Planning Only when the program has been planned and has the support of paid staff is it time to commence a recruitment drive. Ensure that dates for interviews and advertising, for example, are agreed by all involved. Organisations vary in the way they recruit volunteers. Some have specific recruitment drives conducted at regular intervals, whilst others take on new volunteers continuously. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Choose the one that best suits your organisation, your resources and the sort of people you want to attract. When to Recruit When specific needs and skills have been defined the active recruitment of volunteers can be initiated. Some points to consider about timing are: • Recruit when paid staff and regular volunteers are free to assist the new volunteers • Don’t attempt to recruit when things are going badly – more new people only add to existing stress • Recruit at the right time for your target group, for example, the time of year, prevailing weather conditions, or school holidays will impact on their willingness to become volunteers Where to Recruit The position description should provide an indication of the needs, interests and motivations of the people you prefer to attract – your target group. This can help you locate where your target group may be found. For example, young people can be found through schools, youth clubs, TAFE colleges and universities; unemployed people can be reached through the Centrelink and Job Network programs; and a special interest group can be contacted through an appropriate newsletter, or SkillsBank at Volunteering WA. The mass media is often best used to promote the services you offer but it can be effective in recruiting volunteers in a general way. Take care when dealing with the media as often the information you submit may be severely edited and the context of the story altered by the time it goes to press. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

32 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Local newspapers are usually helpful with free publicity if it can include a public interest story involving a local resident. Popular magazines can also be persuaded to write human interest articles for publicity purposes. Radio and television stations often provide short community service announcements and are encouraged to provide community access. Local publicity can be gained from local shop windows, libraries, school notice boards, supermarket boards, doctors, dentists, banks, community health centres, etc. A small poster with an eye catching message in simple appealing language will attract prospective volunteers to take a closer look and follow up. Word of mouth is still one of the best methods of attracting people, therefore the best recruiters are enthusiastic staff and happy volunteers, as well as satisfied service users. Volunteer Referral Agencies or Volunteer Centres in your locality assist your recruitment drive. The Advertised Message Your message to attract volunteers has to compete with the large quantity of information that we are all subjected to every day. Getting the message across has become an art form. Private enterprise and government services spend a great deal of money developing messages that will gain our attention. • Have a short catchy phrase to attract attention • Appeal to the target group • Be very specific, stating exactly what is required • Indicate possible benefits to the volunteer (ie What’s in it for me??) • Avoid “Help” and “Desperate” tones in the message and riding on guilt; use a light touch • Provide a contact name, address and telephone number for inquiries Preparing for the Response All the very best planning and advertising can go awry if the first person the prospective volunteer speaks to in your organisation, knows nothing or little of your recruitment drive, or is unable to provide the information required. Ensure that you have information ready for those who are likely to answer the telephone or receive callers. Make sure that a suitably trained person is responsible for dealing with initial volunteer position inquiries. A recruitment kit complete with information relating to the organisation, an application form and job description can be posted out to applicants. Acknowledgement to Volunteering NSW. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

33 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Adverts in a Nutshell First principles: Before you advertise, think about why someone would want to volunteer for you and who you need to attract. Be clear about the role that volunteers play in your organisation. Short but sweet: Provide enough information to interest people but keep it short enough to maintain their attention. Explain the need: Start with a ‘statement of need’ that tells people about your work and why it is important – rather than focusing on your need for volunteers – this makes potential volunteers stop and think “somebody should do something about that”. Avoid jargon: Give details of what you want your volunteers to do in a clear and accessible way. Terms like ‘advocate’, ‘support worker’ and ‘befriender’ can be confusing if they’re not explained. People are more likely to come forward as volunteers if they can see themselves in the role. What’s in it for me?: Sell the role by describing how a new volunteer will benefit. This might include meeting people, having fun, receiving training, gaining work experience. Dispel fears: You’ve got their interest this far but they still may have some doubts. All sorts of things could be going around in their heads: “But I don’t know anything about computers”, “It could clash with my other commitments”. You can reassure people by explaining, for example, that you don’t need previous experience, that costs of food and travel are covered, that you welcome people from all sections of the community and that hours can be flexible. Acknowledgement to Volunteering, Number 80, August 2002 V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

34 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Writing a Media Release A media release is still one of the most effective ways of informing the media when you want to make an announcement or tell them about something you would like them to report. Once you have decided to communicate your news by writing and distributing a media release, make sure your news item is relevant to the newspaper, magazine, radio or television station you want to cover it. There are no set rules for preparing a media release, but there are some guidelines that will help you and the journalists. When writing the media release: • Make sure you include the most newsworthy information in the first paragraph, the “lead” paragraph. Yours could be just one of hundreds of media releases vying for attention in a busy news room. You have to grab the attention at the start or they may not read on. • Expand on the story in the following sentences, putting the least important information last. • Make sure you cover the essential points. Check that you cover the who, what, where, when, why and how of the matter you want reported. • Make sure your facts are right - and that you spell people’s names correctly as well as providing their title and position. • Use short sentences and short paragraphs. Use simple English and avoid jargon. • Attribute all statements to someone who has the authority to speak on the matter and include quotes from people involved. • Include a contact name and telephone numbers, including an after-hours number. Remember that joumalists do not work a standard working day and may need to speak to someone at the weekend or in the evening. • Make sure the contact person can be contacted and is informed – it is no good giving a contact number for someone who does not answer their phone or does not have the authority or the knowledge to speak about the information in the media release. • Do not stress over trying to put a clever heading on a media release. Simply summarise the release in a few words such as “Volunteer wins national award”. The magazine or newspaper sub editors will put their own headline on any story that is published. • Put the date on the media release. • If the media release is longer than one page, identify this at the bottom of the first page and the top of the second page. Acknowledgement to BLOW YOUR OWN TRUMPET! A publication of Volunteering Western Australia and Mills Wilson, 2002. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

35 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation The importance of defining areas of responsibility for volunteer positions Recruitment Strategy Central to the successful recruiting strategy of any agency is the development of responsibility areas that will attract the right people into the organisation – and help keep them there. A carefully constructed position description ensures that the aims and objectives of the program are being met. It also protects the rights of the volunteer. Unlike paid workers, volunteers do not work under an award system, neither do they enter into an agreement based upon the provision of labour for a prescribed payment which is protected by law. They often do enter into a contract with an agency where they agree to perform certain tasks which are of benefit to the agency. Unless these tasks are formally written into a clear and concise statement of responsibilities, the agreement between agency and volunteer is open to misinterpretation. Benefits to Agency and Volunteers Bring a group of managers/coordinators of volunteers together in a workshop and within minutes they can develop a list of a dozen or so reasons why position descriptions are essential to successful volunteer involvement. The volunteer brief will: • set minimum sandards for the program • serve as a reference point for the volunteer who may be subject to the demands of a busy agency • put the volunteer in a position to make informed choices and have redress if something goes wrong • protect the rights of the client/consumer group • allow consumer/client input into the program • protect the agency from criticism of exploitation or discrimination • be a useful tool to bring into the agency skills to ensure that the agency can meet its objectives The statement of areas of responsibility should include the following basic elements: • a description of the placement objectives • skills and qualifications, essential and desirable • key areas of responsibilities and duties It should also clarify organisational relationships, answering questions such as: • who is the volunteer supervised by/ accountable to? • does the volunteer supervise other volunteers? • does the volunteer liaise with others in the organisation? The brief should also spell our the conditions of the position: • days and times required • training requirements V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

36 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation In summary The statement of responsibilities should be a concise document which is compatible with the overall aim of the program. It should be written to comply with relevant Equal Opportunity and Discrimination Acts and serve as a focus for the protection of the agency and the volunteer. Acknowledgement to Volunteer Centre of Victoria Volunteer Information Kit V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

37 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Information Kits for Potential Volunteers When potential volunteers approach your agency, it is important to acknowledge all inquiries and outline the process for which volunteers are recruited. This may involve having a brief discussion with the potential volunteer on the phone, taking some of their details, and following up the phone call by sending the interested person an information kit about your agency. Your “information kit” should contain relevant material about your agency and the services you provide, and enable the interested person to assess whether they would like to be a part of your volunteer team. An Information Kit may contain the following material: • An introductory letter, giving the name and contact details of the contact person for volunteers • Information about your organisation (mission, purpose) – this may be in the form of a flier/leaflet/newsletter • The types of volunteer positions that are available and a summary of what each position entails • The potential benefits of volunteering with your agency – the What’s In It For Me? details • Instructions on the application process – you may have a summary about how to apply for a volunteer position, when and where to apply • An application form • Details about the interview/screening process – does the applicant need a Police Clearance, references and so on • A copy of the rights and responsibilities of volunteers and agencies recruiting volunteers Remember, your Information Kit is a very useful promotional tool for your agency. Try to make it as informative as possible, but take into consideration that the information you provide should be easy to read and understand. You do not want to put a prospective volunteer off by making it too cumbersome/difficult for them before they commence volunteering. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

38 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Interviewing Volunteers – Getting it Right Interviewing potential volunteers for a position is an important part of your screening process. It gives the coordinator and the volunteer an opportunity to discuss the agency, the position, what will be expected of the volunteer, and what the volunteer expects to get out of their volunteering (ie their motivations). The process may vary depending on the number of positions and number of applicants and your own time frame. However, there are some essential elements to conducting an effective interview. Use the process outlined below to guide interviews. Prepare some guidelines for interviewing and do not hesitate to ask for references, work history or evidence of qualifications. As a manager of volunteers you are acting in the best interests of the organisation, consumers/clients and existing staff. Preparing for the Interview Arrange an interview time that is convenient for you, as well as the potential volunteer. Try to make sure that you will not be interrupted during the interview, so that you can focus all of your attention on the person. Have an outline of the information that you need to discuss with the potential volunteer, as well as any documentation/forms that need to be completed during the interview. You may like to have a list of questions that you would like to discuss. For many people, attending interviews can be very stressful. Try to make the person feel as comfortable as possible, and take into consideration that they may be nervous, and that it has taken a lot of courage to take this first step into volunteering. Try to be aware that the interview is going to leave individuals with lasting impressions of your agency, so it is important to provide them with a positive experience. The process 1. Welcome the volunteer. Introduce yourself and explain your role. Begin to establish rapport. 2. Discuss information such as the volunteers interests and skills, experience and time availability. 3. Discuss the volunteers needs and aspirations ie their motivations for volunteering (please note: a volunteers motivations can change over time so it pays to periodically discuss these) 4. Provide details about your agency and what the position entails. You may like to provide information about training opportunities and other benefits of the position. 5. Make a mutual decision regarding the outcome of your discussion. 6. Make further arrangements as appropriate. (ie orientation and start date) 7. Summarise the interview and reinforce the decision that has been made (NB: not every person you interview will be appropriate to the position, and therefore it is a good idea to be prepared with information to help the volunteer to access other opportunities). You may wish to provide them with information about Volunteering WA, or suggest another agency that would suit them better. 8. Farewell, show appreciation for the individuals interest. 9. Complete any relevant documentation. Acknowledgement to Volunteer Management: A Resource Manual, Volunteering SA, 1993, 1998 V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

39 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Interviewing When interviewing applicants for a volunteer position, the Equal Opportunity Laws (as in a paid position) should be taken into consideration. Questions should be non discriminatory, and relevant to the position. A rule to remember is: if you would not feel comfortable answering the question, you should not be asking a potential volunteer to answer such a question during the interview. Such questions would be in relation to: sexuality, religious preferences, social pursuits (ie drug taking), and personal information not related to the volunteer position or the agency. In some instances, the above mentioned may be important to the volunteer position. For example, if you are an agency that works with gay and lesbian individuals, a requirement may be that the volunteer is also gay or lesbian. Another example may be that a minimum age is required to carry out the volunteer tasks. For example, a volunteer driving position would require the person to be at least 17 years old. Your agency may have a policy which ensures that volunteers from all sections of the community are encouraged to be involved. Discuss and agree within your agency that you want to encourage all volunteers, regardless of their race, gender, disability, sexuality, or marital status, and then decide the ways in which you will make sure that this happens. Interviewing: how to say no • Paralleling the paid workforce, structures need to be in place before you interview a volunteer for any position within your organisation. • The interviewer spearheads the recruitment process and needs to thoroughly understand the philosophy, aims and objectives of the organisation and adhere to policy in the selection and placement of volunteers. • The interviewer must think through the skills and attributes needed for the volunteer to become a successful team member within the organisation. • Be quite clear why you may not accept the services of one person and recruit another for a particular placement. This is best done with a particular role in mind for the volunteer. A highly skilled volunteer is a short-term prospect if there is no real assignment. • Volunteers whose skills do not match the needs of your organisation should be redirected. They should be informed of the reasons in the best possible way to help them find an appropriate alternative. Volunteer Referral Services are useful in this process. • During the interview, the volunteer needs to be informed of the selection process. In this way, refusal of the volunteer can be achieved within a framework of dignity and honesty, and an agreed alternative found. • Build a review process or probationary period for new volunteers. This will act as a safeguard if the volunteer has not been placed appropriately. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

40 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Pre-employment/Pre-placement Checks The Volunteer Centre of Western Australia promotes the principle that all organisations have a duty of care to the constituents they serve and to their volunteers. Any volunteer in a position of direct client or patient contact, should be subject to rigorous assessment of suitability including pre-employment/pre placement checks. Volunteer Referral does not encompass the screening process required by individual agencies, except as stated by the agency in the description of the Volunteer Position listed on file. It is the responsibility of agencies to screen volunteers according to individual stated policies. Policies may include the following checks as required by some agencies, funding bodies, insurance policies, or other governance factors: Proof of Identity Sighting of original documentary evidence of identity such as birth certificate, current passport or drivers licence. At least two documents should be sighted and cross checked. Qualifications Original documents must be sighted. Overseas documentation can be verified through the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR), GPO Box 1407, Canberra City, ACT 2601, Telephone: 1800 020 086. Referee Checks Thorough referee checks must be carried out for any person who is to be employed, paid or unpaid. A minimum of two referees are to be contacted personally. Work History It is important to check that a person’s job application discloses a complete work history. This is to ensure that the applicant has not been dismissed from a position because of any misconduct (this is to be checked with referees) if there are unexplained gaps in the work history. If there is some concern that the applicant has not disclosed a prior job, then this must be investigated and discussed with the applicant. Police Checks Police checks are conducted by the Police Department of Western Australia on payment of a fee. They consist of information recorded against an individual, including all criminal offences and any outstanding warrants. Prior to any offer of employment or placement being made, in a direct client/patient contact position, a police check should be completed for the applicant. The applicant must consent to the police check being completed by signing the “Consent to Criminal Records Check” form and be made aware that the check will only be conducted if he/she is to be offered a position. The cost of such a check should be born by the agency requiring it and therefore must be provided for in budget estimates. Acknowledgement to Volunteer Centre of Victoria Information Kit. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

41 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation National Police Checks Not-for-profit agencies will often put strategies in place that help then to manage the risk that is involved with working with vulnerable people or in positions of financial risk. One risk management strategy is criminal record checks and there are two ways of doing this National Police Check The "National Police Checks for Volunteers" is a pilot program that commenced on 1 July 2003. Registered agencies will request the volunteer to complete part of the "Application for National Volunteer Police Check" form and provide proof of identity. The agency will then complete the form and email it to the WA Police Service. The Service will provide a response to the volunteer agency confirming whether the volunteer has a ‘Record" or "No Record". This pilot program will not reveal any other information regarding the record. Volunteer agencies will need to decide what action is to be taken if a "Record" is received in accordance with their own risk management practices. The WA Police Service will bill the volunteer group at $10 per check. To participate in this scheme the volunteer agency must be a not-for-profit organisation, a WA parent body, not a sub-branch and must not be a government body (Federal, State, or Local). If the group does not fit these criteria or is not registered, it will not be able to request a National Police Check and an alternative risk management procedure is for the volunteer to request a National Police Certificate. More details are available from www.volunteering.communitydevelopment.wa.gov.au. National Police Certificate This is issued upon application by an individual paying a $41 fee. A National Police Certificate lists an individual’s disclosable offence, recorded in any Australian police jurisdiction. If you require this certificate, you must apply in person at your local police station and provide suitable identification, as detailed on the application form. Telephone inquiries concerning the criminal history of either yourself or another person will not be accepted. The WA Police Service does not process applications for a National Police Certificate from persons who reside overseas or interstate. In these circumstances, applicants from overseas must apply to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Further information and application form can be obtained on the AFP website, whilst interstate applicants must apply to their respective police jurisdiction. State Traffic Certificate A Traffic Certificate will list your disclosable traffic history, recorded by the WA Police Service. There is currently no provision for the issuance of a National Traffic Certificate. If you require the State Traffic Certificate, you must apply in person at your local police station and provide suitable identification. Application for a Traffic Certificate form attract a fee of $13.75. Further enquiries may be directed to: The Information Release Manager 5th Floor, 565 Hay Street, Perth WA 6000 Tel; 9268 7754 Fax: 9268 7664 Email: cio@police.wa.gov.au V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

42 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Spent Convictions Under the provisions of section 7(1) of the Spent Convictions Act 1988 only "lesser convictions" can be spent be the WA Police Service, after a time period of 10 years plus any term of imprisonment that may have been imposed (see application form for further restrictions). A lesser conviction is one for which imprisonment of 12 months or less, or a fine of less than $15,000 was imposed. All other convictions, such as "serious convictions" applicable under Section 6 of the Spent Conviction Act 1988 can only be spent by applying to the District Court. Applications to have "lesser convictions" spent must provide suitable identification and have details confirmed by a suitable witness (see application form for further details). All applications must be on the official form and can be lodged at any WA Police Station or mailed to the address shown below. No application fee is applicable Application for Certificate That Lessor Conviction is Spent Form Applicants applying to have lessor convictions" spent should not apply for a National Police Certificate until confirmation has been received that their convictions have been spent. Further enquiries may be directed to: The Officer In Charge Offender Information Bureau 2 Adelaide Terrace, Perth WA 6000 Tel: 9222 1231 Fax: 9222 1637 Email: OIB.Criminal.Records@police.wa.gov.au *Current as of 12 February 2003 Acknowledgement to WA Police Department website www.police.wa.gov.au V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

43 Standard Three Recruitment Selection and Orientation Orientation Providing new volunteers with an orientation to your agency will welcome volunteers and help them to feel part of the team, as well as giving the coordinator the opportunity to provide a general picture of the agency, the program, the position and the staff. The orientation process and format will vary from agency to agency. Some agencies may provide individual orientations, whilst others may conduct orientations in a group. The time taken to provide the orientation will also differ. Although the format, length of time taken, and the way the orientation is presented may vary, the information that is provided will be similar. Orientation may cover information about the following areas: The organisation: History Mission and aims – purpose of individual programs Organisational structure Policies and procedures The volunteer: Information channels – what they are and how they work Expectations of agency and volunteer Details about support, supervision and training Insurance information Reimbursement Personal work space and equipment The position requirements Internal procedures such as parking and transport, lunch facilities, toilets, phones and office equipment Tour of premises/ building Introductions: Executive Director Paid staff Volunteer staff Occupational, health and safety issues: Emergency exit location and muster area First aid location Introduce to Fire Warden and OH&S representatives Fire protection Policies and Procedures: Codes of Practice Grievance Procedure Emergency Procedure Agreements: Agreements to be signed V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

44 Standard Three Samples Recruitment Selection and Orientation SAMPLE Recruitment Carers’ Association of Western Australia Inc: Policy and Procedure Manual Section 13: Volunteers All volunteer positions will be advertised with Volunteering WA and other appropriate avenues such as the ‘Carers in WA’ newsletter, Carers WA website, newspapers, radio etc Resource Centre Volunteer Program Individuals applying for Office and Administration Volunteer work will be required to attend an interview with the Information and Education Manager. Prior to the interview, the volunteer will complete a Volunteer Application Form outlining their skills, interests and work preferences. During the interview the Information and Education Manager will discuss the volunteer’s application and complete a Volunteer Interview Form summarising the volunteer’s responses. “Linking Together” Volunteer Program All individuals applying for a place supporting carers will be required to: 1. Complete a “Linking Together” Volunteer Application Form prior to acceptance for an interview. This asks the potential volunteers to outline their skills, abilities and knowledge as related to the support of carers. Alternatively, potential volunteers may have been assessed and referred via Volunteering WA. 2. Attend an interview with the Volunteer Support Program Coordinator upon successful shortlisting for the program. The coordinator will ask the applicant a range of relevant questions, discuss the applicants’ application and the position requirements, and complete a Volunteer Interview Form summarising the applicants’ responses. Relevant attachments: Resource Centre Volunteer Application Form 13.3(a)GenVolAppForm “Linking Together” Volunteer Application form 13.3(b)LTVolAppForm “Linking Together” Interview Form 13.3(c)LTIVForm Acknowledgement to Carer’s Association of WA. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

45 Standard Three Samples Recruitment Selection and Orientation SAMPLE Job Description for a Volunteer Program Manager Position title: Volunteer Program Manager Responsible to: Executive Director Broad purpose of the position: To promote, develop and maintain a high quality volunteer program, with volunteers and paid staff working in collaboration to achieve organisational goals. Qualifications: Tertiary qualifications and experience in human resource management is essential. Diploma of Volunteer Management and experience in working with volunteers desirable. Special conditions: Some out-of-hours work may be required. Duties: 1 Responsible for the day-to-day direction, development and management of all services provided by volunteers. 2 Promote the program and ensure that volunteers are carefully selected, orientated, trained, supervised and supported to ensure the provision of high quality services. 3 Develop policies, communication structures, information systems and management procedures to ensure volunteers work productively and harmoniously with paid workers, keeping in mind the interests of all stakeholders involved. 4 Liase with sectional managers to encourage appropriate volunteer involvement and support within their areas of responsibility. 5 Arrange for regular appraisal of individual volunteer performance and the program as a whole. 6 Develop rosters, and maintain records of services provided and hours contributed by volunteers. 7 Ensure that volunteer policy and practice guidelines are regularly reviewed. 8 Provide regular reports to the Executive Director on the volunteer program, including recommendations for future developments or improvements. 9 Prepare a budget for the program, and ensure expenditure is kept within the approved costing. 10 Ensure workplace arrangements are put in place relating to: occupational health and safety, legislation requirements such as equal opportunity, adequate insurance cover, reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses 11 As a member of the Board of Management, assist in the process of policy development and decision making, and implement procedures in line with decisions made. 12 Keep abreast of wider issues relating to volunteering through attendance at network meetings of volunteer program managers and at conferences or training courses/sessions. 13 Liase with the media in promoting the program, and when called upon, address public forums regarding the contribution of volunteers, as necessary. 14 Perform other duties in line with overall responsibilities as necessary. Acknowledgement to Volunteer Management, an essential guide. Joy Noble and Louise Rogers. 1998 V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

46 Standard Three Samples Recruitment Selection and Orientation SAMPLE Policy on Police Certificates The agency will inform all prospective applicants for paid or volunteer positions that they will be required to provide a satisfactory National Police Certificate. The expense for the police certificate will be reimbursed by the agency only if the recommended candidate is subsequently appointed as an employee or volunteer. If the successful applicant has resided overseas the applicant will be required to supply a similar police certificate from the relevant jurisdiction. These costs will also be reimbursed if the recommended applicant is subsequently appointed. If the recommended applicant has any recorded criminal convictions, the Executive Director will make a determination as to whether the specified conviction would be likely to place the clients of the agency at any risk or breach the agency’s duty of care obligations. This determination will be based on: • whether the conviction has been for an offence which directly relates to the duties • whether the position being sought would offer unsupervised opportunities for a similar offence to take place • whether the offence has occurred recently • whether there are single or multiple convictions • whether the conviction(s) reflect generally on the suitability of the person to become an employee or volunteer with the agency V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

47 Standard Three Samples Recruitment Selection and Orientation SAMPLE Acknowledgement Letter Saturday, August 3, 2002 ref: CVS29-LE- PO Box 1854 Canning Vale Western Australia 6970 Dear Ann, Re: Community Visitor Volunteer Thank you for your interest in becoming a CVS volunteer. As requested I have enclosed: • A brochure regarding CVS volunteers • Application form • Position description • A brochure about Kwinana Home Support Service Could you please fill in application form and return in enclosed stamped addressed envelope. On receipt of your application I will contact you to arrange an interview. Thank you for your interest and I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully, Ann G Community Visitors Scheme Coordinator Mobile: E-Mail: Acknowledgement to Kwinana Home Support Service – CVS. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

48 Standard Three Samples Recruitment Selection and Orientation SAMPLE Volunteer Registration Form Anglican Homes values its volunteers and we thank you for your interest in our Volunteer Service. The information you provide in this form is required for insurance purposes for all Anglican Homes volunteers. Please complete the form and return it to the Coordinator of Volunteers. The information you have given about yourself will assist the Coordinator of Volunteers to utilise your skills and experience and place you in a volunteer position that will match your experience and abilities. Privacy Statement in accordance with the Privacy Act – Information collected is for the purpose of providing a volunteer service to Anglican Homes only. No personal information is used or disclosed to other parties. All information is securely stored. Statistical non-personal information may be utilised from time to time. 1. Personal details Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/Reverend/Sister/Dr: (Please Circle) First Name(s) ______________________ (Preferred Name): __________________________ Surname: __________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ Postcode: __________ Tel (bus)________________________________ Tel (a/h): ______________________________ Mobile: ________________________________ Fax: __________________________________ For insurance purposes Place of Birth: __________________________ Date of Birth: __________________________ Are you a permanent resident of Australia? ______ If not, when does your visa expire? ______ Next of Kin or Person to contact in an emergency Name: ____________________________________ Relationship: ________________________ Emergency contact phone number: (home): ____________________ (bus): ______________ How did you find out about Anglican Homes Volunteer Service? ____________________________ Education Background: ____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Current/Previous Occupation:________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Hobbies and Interests: ____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Are you at present under any Mutual Obligation scheme(s) with Centre Link? ________________ V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

49 Standard Three Samples Recruitment Selection and Orientation SAMPLE Volunteer Registration Form cont’d 2. Location Anglican Homes is able to offer a wide choice of volunteer positions in different locations throughout Western Australia. Included with this registration form is a copy of the map indicating the locations of Anglican Homes facilities. Please advise us in which area(s) you would prefer to become a volunteer. Preferred Locations________________________________________________________________ 3. Availability Which days/times are you available for volunteering? Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Morning Afternoon Evening 4. Type of volunteer activity preferred What type of volunteer tasks would you prefer to undertake? 1st Choice: ______________________________________________________________________ 2nd Choice:______________________________________________________________________ 3rd Choice: ______________________________________________________________________ 5. Health information Do you have any physical limitations or are you under any course of treatment, which might limit your ability to perform certain types of activities? Yes No If yes, please describe ____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 6. Volunteer drivers (to be completed by volunteer drivers only) Yes No (1) Drivers Licence Number ________________________________________________________ (2) Class of Licence ______________________________________________________________ (3) State or Country of Issue ________________________________________________________ (4) Date of Expiry ________________________________________________________________ V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

50 Standard Three Samples Recruitment Selection and Orientation SAMPLE Volunteer Registration Form cont’d 7. Referees Please provide the names of two people who would be willing to speak on your behalf. The referees may be a friend, a parish priest, a current or former employer, work colleague or a neighbour etc. We request that the referees are not relatives. Contactable daytime telephone numbers of your referees would be appreciated. Referee 1. Referee 2. Name: __________________________________ Name: ________________________________ Relationship: ____________________________ Relationship: __________________________ day day Telephone No.: ____________________________ Telephone No.: __________________________ day day Mobile No: ______________________________ Mobile No: ____________________________ PLEASE NOTE: During registration procedures you will be asked to complete a Federal Police Clearance Form. The cost will be met by Anglican Homes. You will also be requested to provide some form of identification, which will be photocopied. e.g., Drivers Licence or Passport. Should we be advised by the Federal Police Department that disclosable court outcomes are revealed your placement, as a volunteer for Anglican Homes will be reviewed. All Anglican Homes volunteers are subject to a trial period. The duration of the trial period will be discussed during the interview. On completion of the trial period, the compatibility of the volunteer with the volunteer position will be reviewed. 8. Declaration I confirm that I have read, accept and agree to abide by Anglican Homes Mission, Values, Philosophy of Care and Code of Conduct for Staff and Volunteers detailed overleaf. I confirm that the information provided in this Registration Form is correct to the best of my knowledge. (Printed Full Name – CAPITALS) (Signature) (Date) Acknowledgement to Anglican Homes (Incorporated) V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

51 Standard Three Samples Recruitment Selection and Orientation SAMPLE Acceptance Letter Dear (Volunteer name), Kwinana Home Support wishes to offer you the position of a volunteer. You will be placed on a three month probationary period. You must provide a police certificate and a medical certificate within the first two weeks of volunteering with Kwinana Home Support. This is to be done at your own cost. After a three month probation you will be reimbursed for your police clearance costs. You will then be issued a permanent badge and a tee-shirt. Confirmation of your appointment will be subject to the successful completion of the three months probation period. Please sign the letter and the copy of your duty statement and return them to the Volunteer Coordinator as confirmation of your acceptance of this offer. We look forward to working with you at Kwinana Home Support Service. Chairman Volunteer Coordinator Volunteer Date: Date: Date: Acknowledgement to Kwinana Home Support Service. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

52 Standard Three Samples Recruitment Selection and Orientation SAMPLE Orientation Policy Carers’ Association of Western Australia Inc: Policy and Procedure Manual Section13: Volunteers All volunteers will undergo an orientation session upon commencement with any of Carers’ Association of WA’s Volunteer Programs. Resource Centre Volunteer Program At the pre-arranged orientation session, the volunteer will be provided with an Orientation Package. This will contain: • Carers’ Association of WA Volunteer Agreement • Volunteer Personnel Record • Job Description • Copy of Section 13: Volunteers of the Policy and Procedures Manual and other relevant sections including Code of Behaviour, Grievance Procedure and Occupational Health and Safety The volunteer will be given time to read through the Orientation Package and discuss any areas of clarification with the Information and Training Manager. The volunteer and Information and Training Manager will then complete the Volunteer Agreement and Personnel Record Forms which will be filed with the confidential staff and volunteer personnel files. The Information and Training Manager will then complete an information session including: • Working through the volunteers section of the Policy and Procedures Manual • Expected times and hours of volunteer work • Answering any queries regarding the nature of the work “Linking Together” Volunteer Program Volunteers in the “Linking Together” Program will undertake their orientation and information session during the course of their training. This will include: • Carers’ Association WA organisational structure, philosophy and funding • Staff roles • Insurance • Issues relating to carer and support worker Relevant Attachments Organisation/Volunteer Agreement Volunteer Personnel Record Orientation Checklist Volunteer Log Sheet Acknowledgement to Carer’s Association of WA V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

53 Standard Three Samples Recruitment Selection and Orientation SAMPLE Volunteer orientation checklist Anglican Homes (Incorporated) This orientation is designed to provide you with the basic information you need to start as a volunteer with Anglican Homes. Please tick as each stage is completed and return a copy to the Coordinator of Volunteers to retain on your personal file. Yes No ITEM The area in which you will be performing your volunteer duties A tour of the facility Introduction to the Centre manager, staff, supervisor and residents Name badge Rights and Responsibilities of Anglican Homes (Inc) to volunteers Rights and Responsibilities as an Anglican Homes volunteer Policy on handling gifts to staff and volunteers from residents Policy on bequests to staff and volunteers Our mission, values, philosophy of care, and code of conduct for staff and volunteers Parking Toilets Tea and coffee facilities Storage of personal belongings Evacuation procedures Back care program document Manual handling – discussion with staff member regarding falling residents. NO INVOLVEMENT IN LIFTING PROCEDURES but ways to be of assistance to staff Improvement Form – “How can we make things better?” Hazard identification, and the importance of reporting it to staff Incident and First Aid reports Information on Insurance Information on Anglican Homes I declare that the above program has been carried out. Name and Signature of Volunteer Date Name and Signature of Staff Member Date Acknowledgement to Anglican Homes (Inc) V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

54 Standard Three Templates Recruitment Selection and Orientation Recruitment policy • [insert agency name] The interests of ______________________________ are paramount in the recruitment of staff. The interests of the volunteer and of potential clients must also be considered. • Opportunities to volunteer will be publicised broadly, to ensure that no groups of people are excluded because of inappropriate or inadequate advertising. • No one will be excluded solely on the grounds of social class, race, sexuality and gender, and this will be monitored. • Descriptions and specifications will be used as a recruitment aid by all interviewers, and decisions to appoint or refuse a volunteer will be based on the specifications applicable. • Only those who agree to adhere to the policy guidelines will conduct interviews. • All applicants will be required to name a referee who may be contacted prior to appointment to [insert agency name] ____________________________. • It is the responsibility of the Executive Director or delegated paid staff member to contact the referee if and when appropriate. • The Executive Director has ultimate responsibility for accepting or refusing volunteers, and must give the reason for their unsuitability. • Further checks will be made on a volunteer when the Executive Director considers circumstances warrant such action. Dependent on the volunteer position, a volunteer may be required to provide a current police certificate. • An application form needs to be completed by any volunteer applying for a position with [insert agency name] ____________________________ prior to interview. • Volunteers will be given continuing support in the form of orientation, on the job and other training, recognition of service, counselling and reimbursement of authorised out-of-pocket expenses. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

55 Standard Three Templates Recruitment Selection and Orientation Planning for volunteer recruitment Volunteer position: __________________________________________________________________ Skills/qualifications suitable for this position. • Identify the responsibilities and tasks this position would require. See position description form. • Consider the skills and personal attributes that would be needed. • Consider what previous experience or knowledge may be useful. • Are there any qualifications or skills that are essential? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Where are we most likely to find this person? • Where are people likely to be sitting in a waiting room or browsing reading material? • Consider work places, libraries, community centres, educational institutions, shopping centres, hobby and sporting clubs and Volunteer Resource Centres. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Why would this person want to offer time and effort to help our organisation? opportunities for sharing skills maintaining skills increased confidence investigating career choices sense of self worth personal satisfaction meeting people making new friends care and concern helping people in need personal recognition to be part of a team improved quality of life sharing experiences enhancing services being creative new services other V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

56 Standard Three Templates Recruitment Selection and Orientation Developing a recruitment message Why is this volunteer position necessary? • What will happen if the need is not met? • Will the community benefit from a volunteer undertaking this work? • What will be the consequences if the work is not done? • Give statistics and examples that will demonstrate the impact for clients and the community if volunteer support is not available. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ How will the client and/or community benefit from this undertaking? • What will be accomplished? • Will it change someone’s life? • Will the volunteer be able to feel satisfaction in a job well done? __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Fears or objections to be overcome Type of client Type of work Working environment Skills needed Location Liability Access Parking Availability of transport Times Costs Other V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

57 Standard Three Templates Recruitment Selection and Orientation Record of Volunteer Interview Interviewer: ______________________________________ Date: ____________________________ Volunteer: ________________________________________ Telephone:________________________ Review of application form Discuss information provided on application form and make any necessary changes. Comments: __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Other questions relevant to placement 1. What attracted you to this organisation? Is there a particular aspect of our work that interests you? 2. Why have you chosen to volunteer? What would make you feel you have achieved your aim? 3. What have you enjoyed most about previous work opportunities? (both paid and unpaid) 4. Tell me a bit about any particular skills, hobbies or interests you have. What do you believe is the most important thing you can offer our agency? 5. What are your views regarding supervision of your work? How would you like to be supported and supervised? 6. What questions do you have about our organisation? Selecting a position Discuss volunteer positions available and check interest, qualifications and availability. List possible appointments: see overleaf V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

58 Standard Three Templates Recruitment Selection and Orientation Record of Volunteer Interview cont’d COMPLETE AFTER INTERVIEW Interviewer assessment Appearance: Professional Acceptable Unacceptable Reactions to questions: Open, helpful, interested Answered questions only Evasive Unsure, confused Manner: Confident, friendly, pleasant Shy, reserved Unsure, withdrawn, moody Aggressive, antagonistic, suspicious Interpersonal skills: At ease with new situation Relatively at ease Anxious Uncomfortable Physical ability: ______________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Recommended action Positions to be offered: 1. ________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________________________________________ Second interview needed Hold in reserve for position of: Is this a viable option for the volunteer? 1. ________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________________________________________ Can a new position be created? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Refer to (within agency): ____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Not suitable for agency at this time. Refer to Volunteer Referral Service Case Manager Training courses Other ____________________________________ The use of all information obtained adheres to the guidelines stipulated in the Privacy Amendment Act 2000. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

59 Standard Three Templates Recruitment Selection and Orientation Reference Check Name of volunteer: / / ________________________________ Date: ____________________________ Name of referee: __________________________________ Telephone:________________________ Name of person responsible: __________________________________________________________ Introducing Purpose of Call Briefly cover the following to ensure that the referee is comfortable about discussing the applicant: • Your name • Name of agency • Name of applicant and permission given to call • Confirm that applicant has been advised of this • Conversation will take about 10 minutes • Can be deferred at their convenience • Information given will be strictly confidential Suggested Questions For Reference Check: 1. How long, and in what capacity have you known the applicant? 2. Could you give me three words which describe the applicant? 3. How well would you say the applicant relates to people? 4. Specifically, how well would you say the applicant relates to (the client group)? 5. What would you say are the most relevant competencies of the appilicant? V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

60 Standard Three Templates Recruitment Selection and Orientation Reference Check cont’d 6. How comfortable would you be in having the applicant work for you on an important project? 7. (The applicant) has volunteered for __________________________________________________ position. In your opinion, what is he/she bringing to this position? 8. Is there anything further you wish to add? Thank you for your time. The use of all information obtained adheres to the guidelines stipulated in the Privacy Amendment Act 2000. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

61 Standard Three Templates Recruitment Selection and Orientation Medical Clearance Name of volunteer: __________________________________________________________________ Volunteer opportunity under consideration: ________________________________________________ Agency:____________________________________________________________________________ Agency contact person: ______________________________________________________________ I have known __________________________________ for ______________ weeks/months/years. It is my professional opinion, based on the requirements listed for the volunteer position under consideration, that he/she is fit to undertake this role in a responsible manner, with all due consideration to duty of care and a safe and satisfactory performance of the described work activities. With my patient’s permission, I agree to notify the agency if my evaluation of their suitability to perform the described volunteer work should change. Signed: ____________________________________________ Date: ________________________ The use of all information obtained adheres to the guidelines stipulated in the Privacy Amendment Act 2000. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

Standard Four Work and the Workplace An organisation that involves volunteers shall clearly specify and control the work of volunteers and ensure that their place of work is conducive to preserving their health, safety and well-being.

63 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Work and the Workplace This standard is crucial to an organisation retaining its volunteers following on from the process of recruitment, selection and orientation. What is the intent of this standard? The intent of this standard is to ensure that gains made in recruiting, selecting and orienting volunteers are consolidated by providing volunteers with satisfying work within a supported environment. In particular, the standard calls for processes and procedures that control, monitor and review not only the work of volunteers but also the environment in which that work takes place. Such processes and procedures build on two basic rights of volunteers – the right to satisfying and meaningful work, and the right to work in a healthy and safe environment. To achieve this the standard specifically requires that: • the job roles of volunteers are documented and regularly reviewed • the work of volunteers is controlled and supported by defined processes and procedures • information is gathered about work satisfaction and occupational health and safety from a wide range of sources • effective channels of communication with volunteers are established • appropriate processes are established to monitor, identify and address all health, safety and work satisfaction issues Taken from National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations Volunteering Australia, 2001 STANDARD 4: Work and the Workplace An organisation that involves volunteers shall clearly specify and control the work of volunteers and ensure that their place of work is conducive to preserving their health, safety and general well being. Below is a checklist for you to determine how well you are achieving this Standard. Volunteer roles Position description contains: • key areas of responsibility • knowledge, skills/qualifications required; essential and desirable • supervisory and support arrangements • lines of accountability and communication • any necessary liaisons with other personnel in the organisation V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

64 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Procedures are developed and maintained for defining, reviewing, and updating volunteer positions Volunteers are involved in the process of reviewing position descriptions Accurate and up to date attendance records and time sheets are maintained Reimbursement for out of pocket expenses is provided A disciplinary procedure with appropriate warnings is documented Work satisfaction Effective and timely methods are established for communicating with volunteers such as: • Briefings by management • Communiques, bulletins, notices • Individual and team supervisory sessions/consultations • Provision of written material Regular opportunities for volunteer meetings are provided Methods are established to determine volunteer satisfaction, for example: • Quantitative data collection (volunteer retention, grievances) • Climate surveys • Exit interviews Data from volunteer satisfaction methods is converted into information to help in assisting volunteer satisfaction issues Grievance procedure is established and maintained. The procedure will typically cover: • Process for a volunteer lodging a grievance • Process for receiving, investigating and addressing volunteer grievances • The need for prompt action • Volunteer access to an independent mediator (if required) • Provision for aggrieved person to be informed of the outcome Volunteers are made aware of, and understand the grievance procedure Records of volunteer grievances and the actions taken to resolve them are kept Health and safety Written policy on occupational health and safety for volunteers is established. Such a policy would cover: • The objectives and rationale for protecting the health, safety and well being of volunteers • Compliance with all relevant legislation and guidelines • Informing and educating volunteers on their rights and responsibilities • A designated person or committee responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining the health and safety volunteer policy V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

65 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Procedures are developed and maintained to ensure all relevant health and safety issues are addressed. Such procedures would typically cover: • Identifying and responding to health and safety hazards • Reporting and recording of volunteer and customer accidents/injuries • Guidelines for safe use of equipment • Measures to support the general health and well being of volunteers (eg regular breaks, vaccinations, driving skills) • Security measures for volunteers involved in work activities outside the organisation’s premises, or outside normal working hours. Adequate volunteer insurance for personal injury and liability is provided, and volunteers are informed of insurance issues Critical/stressful incident debriefing is available Health and safety training is provided Appropriate facilities and equipment for protecting health, safety and comfort are provided. Examples may include: • Safe and clean floor coverings • Ergonomic furniture and office equipment • Secure storage for personal belongings • Hygienic toilet facilities • First aid kit and designated sick bay • Appropriate lighting, heating and ventilation Acknowledgement to National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations, Volunteering Australia, 2001 V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

66 Standard Four General Information Work and the Workplace Position descriptions Designing a position that people want to do is important for volunteer programs to be successful. Position descriptions are important as they outline what is expected of the volunteer, and what the volunteer can expect of the position and the agency. Position descriptions assist in the process of selecting the right person for the right position. Programs will ensure that volunteer staff are given position descriptions which ensure that the aims and objectives of the organisation are being met, the rights of volunteers and clients are protected, and the boundaries between paid and unpaid jobs are delineated. Each position description should define the duties and responsibilities of the volunteer. It should outline what the organisation can expect from the volunteer and what the volunteer can expect from the organisation. It serves as a frame of reference or agreement between the volunteer and the organisation, ensuring that the position has been carefully planned and approved. Position description proforma Title Title of the position What? Description of position objectives List all tasks in order of priority. Include client/user group if applicable. Skills, qualifications, experience required? What skills, experience, attitudes, “willingness” etc are needed? Are there any legal or other requirements? Physical requirements? Qualities to cope with difficult aspects? When? Hours per week? Day, evenings, weekends? Short or long term involvement? Minimum/maximum time commitment? With whom? Will volunteer work alone, with other volunteers, or with paid staff? Support, supervision and training Who will support and supervise the volunteer? What training will be provided to the volunteer? Orientation. Benefits What is in it for the volunteer? What benefits will the person receive? (eg reimbursement, training, opportunity to meet new people) Relevant paid and unpaid staff should be consulted when developing and reviewing position descriptions. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

67 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Honorariums and reimbursements PAYG withholding HONARARIUMS The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) guidelines on ‘True honorariums’ are as follows: ‘True honorariums’ are not subject to PAYG withholding or instalment. The following factors indicate a ‘true honorarium’ • The payment is received for personal reasons • The payment has no connection to the recipient’s income-producing activities or services rendered • The payment is not received as remuneration or as a consequence of employment • The payment is not relied upon or expected by the recipient for day-to-day living • The payment is not legally required or expected • There is no obligation on the part of the payer to make the payment, and • The payment is a token amount compared to the services provided or expenses incurred by the recipient Reimbursements Application for reimbursement by volunteer staff should entail the completion of relevant documentation, such as an application for reimbursement form. All requests must be authorised in compliance with the policy of the organisation. Reasons may include: • Travel by public transport • Travel by private vehicle • Taxi fare • Purchase of goods • Postage • Telephone A payment will be a reimbursement where the worker is being compensated exactly for an actual expense already incurred. Reimbursements are not subject to PAYG withholding where they are made to a payee as an employee, through a labour hire arrangement or to a volunteer who is not obtaining the reimbursement in the course or furtherance of his/her enterprise. A payment summary is not necessary where a reimbursement to a volunteer has not been subject to PAYG withholding. Acknowledgement to Small Business Law, Australian Taxation Office, November 2002. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

68 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Volunteer Insurance Appropriate and comprehensive insurance cover is vital for all organisations involving volunteers. Volunteer insurance is one way in which a not for profit organisation protects itself, its volunteer and paid staff, committee of management, clients and customers against risk. It is the responsibility of the organisation to be familiar with all the clauses of the policy and provide details to its staff. Volunteer involving organisations should minimise risk to its staff, clients and customers through proper health and safety practices, documented procedures, training and management practices. Who is to be insured? • The organisation (if incorporated) • Directors (Board or Committee of Management Members) • Members • Volunteers/other unpaid workers • Consultants • Paid staff • Customers, clients, consumers (third parties) • Others Carefully consider who is involved in the activities of the organisation and whether it is appropriate for them to be covered for insurance by the agency. Take into account • The areas of responsibility of the organisation • The insuring clauses and exclusions in the policy • The activities which are to be insured • The reported obligations Types of Insurance Volunteering Australia recommends that volunteer involving organisations seek professional advice in determining what cover is available and appropriate for their needs. Listed below are some of the types of insurance you may wish to consider: Personal Accident Insurance to cover volunteers for any out-of-pocket expenses following accidental injury, disability or death while carrying out their work on behalf of the organisation. This type of insurance would normally cover loss of income. Public Liability Insurance to cover an organisation for its legal liability to third parties for personal injury or property damage caused by an occurrence in connection with the insured organisation’s business activities. Directors’ and Officers Liability to compensate committee members and office bearers for loss, including legal costs, where they have committed a wrongful act in the running of the organisation. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

69 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Professional Indemnity Insurance to compensate the organisation for loss incurred through a claim made against the organisation for breach of professional duty arising from negligence, errors, omissions, defamation, loss of records or documents, dishonest acts etc by volunteer or paid staff. Motor Vehicle Comprehensive Insurance to cover vehicles owned and driven by volunteer or paid staff for loss or damage to the vehicle or third party property. Other types of insurance for organisations to consider include property/contents, products liability and events insurance. Special hints • Always check the exclusion clauses in your policy • Inform all staff (paid and unpaid) of insurance cover pertinent to their positions in the organisation. • By negotiating a Volunteer Insurance Package you may save overall on insurance costs • Check with your parent organisation to ascertain whether they carry insurance for member groups Disclaimer: Information provided on this information sheet is a guide only. Organisations should take professional advice to ensure that they are adequately and appropriately covered by insurance. Acknowledgement to Volunteering Australia 2002. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

70 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Procedures – Getting it right A policy allows an organisation to develop a consistent pattern of volunteer involvement. A procedure is a set of guidelines which allows consistency throughout the organisation. In simpler terms, a policy is what you want to do, and a procedure is how you do it. There are certain policies and procedures that an organisation should have in place, some of these are outlined below. Grievance Procedure • A grievance or complaints procedure further builds an understanding that in any organisation, staff members, paid or unpaid, may have a particular issue which must be resolved. • There are many examples of grievance procedures in industrial awards which can be adopted for use in the volunteer situation. • In the first instance you should find out if your organisation has a formal grievance procedure in place. Check your constitution also. You may be able to adapt existing policy to include volunteers, or it may be written in such a form which allows you to adopt it in its entirety. Either way, the inclusion of volunteers into the grievance procedures needs to be ratified by the agency. • If your agency does not have a grievance procedure, you need to develop one for both paid and unpaid staff. Disciplinary procedures/ dismissing a volunteer • Dismissal of any staff member is difficult for all concerned. To protect the rights of everyone, an agency should include a statement on disciplinary procedures in its policy document. • The procedure should be documented and made available to all staff prior to commencement of duties • Protection can be built in through regular feedback and other performance review processes. Issues addressed constructively in this way may save a lot of angst later. • If something happens unexpectedly, however, you should have the security of a documented process which guides your actions and acknowledges the dignity of the volunteer. • A formal disciplinary procedure would include: — a verbal warning in the first instance, conducted in a formal manner — a written warning (s) if the situation or behaviour has not improved. There are situations which warrant instant dismissal and these should be documented in the procedures manual Final dismissal should include proper explanation and support. This last step should be thought out carefully. It must be recognised that adequate opportunity has been given to the volunteer to meet the requirements of the organisation. It is your duty to act in the best interests of the clients, staff and management. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

71 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 Volunteers and Safety and Health Laws Occupational safety and health laws apply in Western Australia to protect people from work related injury and disease. The Occupational Safety and Health Act applies to: • employers; • employees; • self employed persons; and • persons who have control of workplaces (eg owners). People who design, manufacture and supply equipment and substances for use in workplaces, and people who design and construct buildings are also covered by the Act. The mining and petroleum industries and Commonwealth agencies are not covered by the Act, but by separate legislation containing similar requirements. This section deals only with the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Do OSH laws apply to volunteers? Yes, in many cases they do. However, coverage is limited to situations where there is a connection with work (for gain or reward, not unpaid work). OSH laws are designed to provide protection to people who may be affected by activities associated with work. This is not limited to employees, but covers all people who may be affected by the activities of those, such as employers, employees and self employed persons, who are involved with the work. Volunteers are people who may be affected by the work, therefore they are protected by the Act. However, volunteers are not employees. Therefore, major sections of the Act that focus on providing protection to employees do not apply to volunteers. In particular, Section 19 of the Act, which details broad, wide ranging duties of an employer to employees, is not relevant when considering volunteers. Protection for volunteers comes from other duties under the Act. Employers, self employed persons and employees all have responsibilities to ensure their work activities do not harm others (including volunteers). There are, however, many cases where a volunteer’s activities have no connection with the Occupational Safety and Health Act and therefore the volunteer is afforded no protection under the Act. For example, where a club of private individuals (that has no employees) provides home help services in a private home where there is no employer, employee or self employed person working. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

72 Standard Four Work and the Workplace What are the duties owed to volunteers? Employers Under Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers must, so far as is practicable, ensure people who are not their employees are not harmed as a result of the work carried out by the employer or his or her employees. Volunteers are protected under this section of the Act. It also protects other people such as customers or members of the public who may be exposed to the work activity. The Act does not list the particular steps an employer must take to protect the safety and health of volunteers. Section 21 is broad, but is limited by the reference to “so far as is practicable”. This means reasonable measures must be taken, bearing in mind: • the severity of any potential injury or harm to health; • the likelihood of it occurring; • how much is known about the risk and how to remove or control it; and • the availability, suitability and cost of safeguards. The action necessary to ensure the work does not harm the volunteer will depend on the circumstances of each case. Some volunteer activities are very closely related to the paid work activities undertaken by the employer and employees. In such situations, it would be reasonable and practicable for the employer to do things such as: • make sure the volunteers know how to carry out their activities safely; • ensure work areas under the control of the employer are safe; and • ensure the work of the employees does not harm the safety and health of the volunteers. The level of risk associated with the volunteer activity will also influence the action required. For example, an employer who uses volunteers to fight fires will have to take more extensive action to ensure that the volunteers are not harmed as a result of the work, when compared to an employer utilising a volunteer for a clerical task. Self-employed persons Under Section 21 of the Act, self-employed persons have the same duties to volunteers as do employers. Employees Section 20 of the Act requires an employee to take reasonable care to avoid adversely affecting the safety and health of other people through his or her action at work (or anything he or she fails to do). Employees therefore have a responsibility to ensure their activities do not harm the safety or health of any volunteers. Persons who have control of workplaces A “workplace” is any place where employees or self-employed persons work or are likely to be in the course of their work. It includes buildings, vehicles, aircraft, ships and outdoor locations such as forests and streets. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

73 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Section 22 of the Act places duties on a person who has any extent of control over: • a workplace where persons who are not his or her employees work or are likely to be in the course of their work; or • the means of access to and egress from a workplace. Such a person must ensure that the workplace or the means of entering or leaving it are safe, so that people (including volunteers) at the workplace or entering or leaving it are not exposed to hazards. This duty applies only “so far as is practicable” (see discussion under “Employers” for more detail on the meaning of this phrase). The duty is owed only by people who have control of a workplace or its access or egress in the course of a trade, business or undertaking carried on by that person (whether or not for profit). What about volunteers who work in private homes? There will be many examples of volunteers who work in private homes in circumstances that are not covered by occupational safety and health laws. For example, where a club of private individuals (that has no employees) provides home help services in a private home where there is no employer, employee or self employed person working. Where the volunteer service is arranged by an employer (eg government agency) an employer’s duty under Section 21 applies, “so far as is practicable”. An employer involved in providing volunteer services to private homes would have limited control over the conditions present in each home. While the duties under Section 21 would continue to apply, “practicability” limits the action the employer would need to take to meet his or her responsibilities to the volunteer. The required action would depend on the circumstances of each individual case, and might include such things as providing information on the conditions to be expected in particular locations. If an employer or self-employed person is working at the private home, then that person may owe a duty to the volunteer under Section 21 of the Act. Similarly if an employee is working at the private home, that employee may owe a duty to the volunteer under Section 20. Where a private home is a workplace, Section 22 may apply (see discussion of Section 22 under “Persons who have control of workplaces”). Where there are no employees or self employed persons carrying out work at a private home, it is not a “workplace” under the Act and Section 22 (duties of persons who have control of workplaces) does not apply. Do employers have to provide volunteers with training? There is no simple answer to this question. Section 21 of the Act does not specifically mention training, however circumstances may arise where training is a necessary, and practicable, means for an employer to ensure a volunteer is not harmed as a result of the employer's work or that undertaken his or her employees. Training can be as simple as being shown the task by, and carrying out that task under the guidance of, an experienced person. Or training may be as formal as attendance at an accredited course. The type of the training necessary to carry out an activity safely will depend on the nature of the activity. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

74 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Are volunteers who are paid for “out-of-pocket expenses” considered to be employees? Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, an employee is a “person by whom work is done under a contract of employment; or an apprentice or industrial trainee”. Many volunteers incur incidental expenses such as petrol costs and have these monies returned by the person or organisation arranging the volunteer service. Reimbursement of these “out of pocket expenses” to a volunteer is not payment for work done and therefore does not establish a contract of employment. In other words, the volunteer is not being “paid” and is not considered to be an employee. There may be situations where the amount of money paid to a volunteer goes beyond an allowance for “out of pocket expenses” and becomes payment for work done. It is beyond the scope of this publication to deal with the complexities of employment law and appropriate expert advice should be sought by anyone concerned about whether their arrangement constitutes a contract of employment. Are volunteers who are insured for “workers’ compensation” considered to be employees? For the purposes of OSH laws, an insurance policy, of itself, would not give a volunteer status as an employee. The Occupational Safety and Health Act defines an employee as a “person by whom work is done under a contract of employment; or an apprentice or industrial trainee”. As mentioned above, anyone concerned about whether their arrangement constitutes a contract of employment should seek appropriate expert advice. What other information is available on volunteers? This publication deals only with the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act as they relate to volunteers. There are many other issues of concern to both volunteers and organisations that utilise volunteers, including accident insurance arrangements and safety and health matters that fall outside the Act. Good practice goes beyond compliance with occupational safety and health laws. Application of sound safety and health principles is encouraged in all activities that involve the services of volunteers. In addition, volunteers themselves are encouraged to ensure that their actions do not harm the safety and health of others, including other volunteers and paid employees. Volunteering Australia publishes information that goes beyond the material in this document. Volunteering Australia’s information on Volunteer Rights includes moral obligations to volunteers, and the Model Code of Practice for Organisations Involving Volunteer Staff covers principles of good practice in relation to volunteers. This information is published on Volunteering Australia’s website at: http://www.volunteeringaustralia.org. Volunteering Western Australia also publishes relevant material on its website at: http://www.volunteer.org.au. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

75 Standard Four Work and the Workplace Further OSH information Further information on the Occupational Safety and Health Act is available from: WorkSafe Division Department of Consumer and Employment Protection PO Box 294 WEST PERTH WA 6872 Phone: (08) 9327 8777 Fax: (08) 9321 8973 Email: safety@docep.wa.gov.au Information and publications issued by the WorkSafe Western Australia Commission and WorkSafe are available on WorkSafe’s website at: www.docep.wa.gov.au. Copies of this publication may be freely printed and distributed provided that the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection receives appropriate acknowledgement and that no substantial changes are made to the text. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

76 Standard Four Samples Work and the Workplace SAMPLE Volunteer position description POSITION: Volunteer for Community Visitors Scheme PLACE OF WORK: A designated Residential Aged Care Facility AIM: Provide companionship. Encourage independence, self esteem and maintain dignity within the friendship. Reduce social isolation. Encourage participation in community activities. OBJECTIVE: By regular visiting and developing a friendship with a resident, the volunteer will reduce the isolation of, provide companionship to, and encourage the independence of the resident. RESPONSIBILITIES: • Visit a designated resident on a regular basis (at least once a fortnight) for the purpose of friendship and companionship. • Respect the rights of residents including confidentiality and privacy. • Exercise a duty of care at all times (community visitors duty of care is using commonsense and exercising reasonable caution in any activities undertaken with the Resident). • Provide a record of the dates of visits to the Coordinator on a three monthly basis. • When possible attend regular support sessions and any ongoing training that is provided by the sponsoring organisation. • Inform the coordinator if they are experiencing any difficulties with visiting. • Notify the coordinator of any accident or incident that occurs while they are visiting. • Inform the coordinator as soon as possible if they wish to discontinue as community visitor or wish to stop visiting a particular resident. SKILLS REQUIRED: • A commitment to building a friendship with an older person. • Maturity and reliability. • Empathy and understanding of older people. • Communication and listening skills. • Ability to work independently. • Commitment and flexibility. Acknowledgement to Kwinana Home Support Service. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

77 Standard Four Samples Work and the Workplace SAMPLE Position description Part One: Position Identification Name of position: Volunteer Driver Section: Community Home Care – Transport and Social Support Funding source: Home and Community Care Effective date of document: July 2002 Part Two: Reporting Relationships Position Responsible to: Transport staff, and Community Home Care Manager Positions reporting to this position: NIL Part Three: Statement of Duties 1. Transport clients to appointments as detailed by the Transport staff 2. Collect fees and issue receipts 3. Bring all fees collected to the office by the end of each week 4. Liaise with staff regarding client’s wellbeing 5. Attend training sessions provided 6. Maintain client confidentiality 7. Report incidents involving injury to volunteer or client, or damage to vehicle 8. If using own vehicle, to maintain that the vehicle is roadworthy and insured Part Four: Selection Criteria Essential: 1. Good communication skills 2. Current valid driver’s licence 3. Friendly and caring attitude, and empathy with the frail and aged 4. Awareness of health and safety regulations 5. Ability to work within the philosophy of the agency 6. Ability to work unsupervised 7. Ability to work with people of all ethnic backgrounds Acknowledgement to Southcare. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

78 Standard Four Samples Work and the Workplace SAMPLE Disciplinary procedure The volunteer performance dispute procedure is the procedure for dealing with issues of poor performance by a volunteer. The procedure provides volunteers with the opportunity to improve their performance through training and trial periods. Volunteer Performance Dispute Procedure The following procedure relates to dealing with a volunteer performance dispute not involving misconduct, which could result in instant dismissal. Step 1: Verbal Warning: The volunteer will be told as soon as possible of any complaint concerning the performance of his/her work and will be provided with an opportunity to discuss the situation. If appropriate, the Executive Director will, in consultation with the volunteer, outline how the volunteer must improve his/her performance. Any assistance needed by the volunteer to improve his/her performance will be identified and provided where possible. A date to review the volunteer’s performance will be set if required. Step 2: First Written Warning: If at the date of review set in Step 1, the volunteer’s performance is still unsatisfactory, there will be further discussion with the volunteer. This will include the volunteer, a representative of their choice and the Executive Director. The complaint against the volunteer and plans for improvement will be recorded in writing and a copy given to the volunteer clearly stating that a lack of improvement by a given date will result in a final written warning. Step3: Final Written Warning If at the date set in Step 2, the volunteer’s performance has not improved, there will be further discussion with the volunteer. This will include the volunteer, a representative of their choice and the Executive Director. Plans for improvement will be recorded in writing and a copy given to the volunteer clearly stating that a lack of improvement by the given date will result in termination of employment. Step 4: Termination of Employment: If the problem/s still persists after the final written warning the Executive Director may terminate the employment of the volunteer concerned. In the case of a volunteer performance dispute between the Executive Director and the Board of Directors, any dismissal must be by a majority vote of the Board. Should a delay be necessary to convene such a meeting, the volunteer may be suspended should the matter be considered sufficiently serious for his/her removal from the work place. Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

79 Standard Four Samples Work and the Workplace SAMPLE Volunteer grievance procedure The following relates to procedures volunteers can follow if they have a grievance about their employment conditions, their supervisor, or the Board of Directors. Step 1: The volunteer may approach the Executive Director for discussion and advice on the issue. This discussion is strictly confidential. Step 2: If the problem is not resolved in Step 1, the volunteer may put the issue in writing to the Executive Director and request that the issue be raised with the Board of Directors at the next Board meeting. The Board of Directors will make a decision on the issue and advise the volunteer within 7 days. Step 3: If the problem is not resolved in Step 2, the volunteer may attend a meeting of the Board of Directors and shall be entitled to address that meeting. The Board shall make a decision on the issue and advise the volunteer of their decision within 7 days. The decision of the Board is final. Appeal The Executive and the Board will ensure that their decisions are in line with the relevant Acts of Parliament, which govern the employment of volunteers. If volunteers consider that they have been unfairly discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, etc they may refer the issue to the Equal Opportunity Commission. Misconduct Misconduct includes very serious breaches of Volunteering WA rules, which warrant instant dismissal of a volunteer. Examples of misconduct include: 1. Theft of property or funds from Volunteering WA 2. Wilful damage of service property 3. Intoxication through alcohol or other substances during working hours 4. Verbal or physical harassment of any other employee or any other person particularly in respect of race, sex or religion. 5. The disclosure of confidential information regarding the organisation to any other party without prior permission. 6. Failure to comply with the staff Code of Behaviour 7. Falsification of any of the Organisations records for personal gain or on behalf of any other employee. Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

80 Standard Four Samples Work and the Workplace SAMPLE Employee Safety Awareness Questionnaire Name: / / __________________________________________ Date: ____________________ With multiple choice questions please tick one box only. 1. What is the aim of the safety first program? To make the workplace safer for employees. Reduce accidents. To annoy employees. To increase company costs. Both A & B. 2. Name one designated first aider in our workplace 3. Where is the nearest fire extinguisher located to your work position? 4. Where should every incident and injury be recorded? 5. Where is the nearest first aid kit located to your work area? 6. Where is the emergency evacuation assembly point located? 7. If you do not know the answer to the above question, where would you look for this information? 8. If you see a potential hazard, what is your responsibility? A. To Ignore it B. Try to fix it yourself C. To report it to a safety supervisor D. B Followed C V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

81 Standard Four Samples Work and the Workplace Employee Safety Awareness Questionnaire cont’d 9. If you are injured at work are you obligated to report such an injury to your employer? No Yes 10.When should a workplace injury be reported? A. When you have the time B. One week after the accident C. Only if you have to go to the doctor D. On the same day the accident occurs 11. If the emergency evacuation order is given, name three things you should do: 1. ______________________________________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________________________________ Do you have any concerns regarding safety and health within our workplace? Please give details below: Do you feel the workplace safety induction process was thorough and provided adequate information and instruction in relation to resolving workplace safety issues? No Yes If you answered no to the above question, please indicate the areas in which additional information would be beneficial: Office use only ______________________________________________________________ Safety First Consultant: __________________________ Signature: ____________________ Date Checked: / / __________________________ / / Manager’s signature: ____________________________ Date: ________________________ Acknowledgement to Armadale Home Help Service. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

82 Standard Four Samples Work and the Workplace SAMPLE Occupational Health and Safety Policy Volunteering WA is committed to providing a safe and positive working environment for its staff, acknowledging that staff well-being is a major factor in enabling them to perform their duties to the best of their ability. Consistent with the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety legislation, Volunteering WA as an employer of paid and non-paid workers has a general duty of ensuring that workers paid and unpaid are working in a safe environment. A copy of the Occupational Health and Safety Act is held on website http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/wa/consol_act/osaha1984273.txt This duty includes: • Provision and maintenance of workplaces, plant and systems of work that do not expose workers to hazards. • The whole of the working environment, so it covers items like the premises, equipment and methods of work as well as the physical factors (lighting, ventilation, dust, heat, noise, etc) and intellectual factors (stress, fatigue etc). • Provision of information, instruction, training and supervision so those workers are not exposed to hazards while they are working. The employer is required to provide only training that is relevant to the health and safety of employees in the course of their specified duties. • Consultation and co-operation with health and safety representatives. • Provision of personal protective clothing and safety equipment whenever hazards cannot be avoided. • Arrangements for the safe use, cleaning, maintenance, transport and disposal of substances used in the workplace. Duties of workers To comply with the legislation workers must: • Take reasonable care to protect their own health and safety and the health and safety of others. • Cooperate with their employer in ensuring that the workplace is safe and healthy and report to the employer any situation at the workplace that could constitute a hazard. • Follow the instruction and training provided by their employers, use the personal protective equipment provided and not interfere with anything set up in the interests of health and safety. • Report potential hazards to the Executive Director. The legislation also recognises that workers have certain rights with regard to health and safety in their workplaces. These include the right to: • Be informed, i.e. to know about potential hazards. • Participate in the setting up of safe standards in the workplace. • Be represented on matters relating to occupation health and safety. • Refuse to work if they have reason to believe that they are or would, be exposed to risk of imminent and serious. • Injury or illness, without losing any current conditions. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

83 Standard Four Samples Work and the Workplace Occupational Health and Safety Policy cont’d Occupational Health and Safety Procedures All workers must complete a training course which covers the following health and safety procedures: • Furniture and equipment • Lifting and handling techniques • Visual display units and eye strain • Stress • Abusive customer behaviour • Accidents • Communicable disease • Personal safety • Motor vehicle accident Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

84 Standard Four Samples Work and the Workplace SAMPLE Evacuation procedure The Fire and Safety Officer or, in his/her absence, the next available senior staff member will: 1. Attempt to extinguish fire if safe to do so; 2. Delegate someone to call Fire Brigade on 000 3. Switch on fire alarm and shout “Fire, Fire” 4. Instruct people to leave building via nominated exits to Bickley Crescent 5. Ensure able-bodied people assist the disabled out of building 6. Ensure that bus/vehicles are moved from carport 7. Check all offices, toilets, storerooms etc and ensure that they are empty 8. Conduct a roll call at assembly area No-one is to re-enter the building unless instructed to do so by authorities eg fire brigade. 000 EMERGENCY NUMBER For Fire, Police, Ambulance Acknowledgement to Southcare. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

85 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Volunteer position description Volunteer position: __________________________________________________________________ (Give a title which will not be confused with a paid position.) Purpose: __________________________________________________________________________ Duties/Activities: ____________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Time Frame: Length of commitment sought: ____________________________ Estimated total hours: ____________________________ Preferred hours: At discretion of the volunteer: ____________________________ Essential times needed: ____________________________ Place of work: ______________________________________________________________________ Skills/qualifications required: __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Benefits to volunteer: Training offered: ____________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Insurance: Personal Accident Public Liability Professional Indemnity Motor Vehicle (agency owned) Directors’ Indemnity Other relevant insurance Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses (Subject to advance authorisation and presentation of receipts): __________________________________________________________________________________ Other benefits: ______________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Other relevant information: ____________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

86 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Volunteer Time Log Name: __________________________________ Month: __________________________________ Date Location Assignment Hours Reimburse- ment Total hours for month: V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

87 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Staff survey on volunteer involvement • How do staff members feel about the proposal to introduce volunteers into the organisation? • What do paid staff members feel is missing from current volunteer management policies? Delivery of specific services by this agency is increasingly dependent on volunteer involvement to enhance the services of the paid staff. We would like you to complete the following questionnaire as part of a survey to assess management needs to ensure our commitment to the continued delivery of high quality service to our clients, and your continuing support of volunteer involvement. What issues do you believe need to be addressed? All information collected will remain confidential. Experience in volunteering 1. Have you previously worked in an agency which involved volunteers? Yes No Don’t know 2. Have you previously co-ordinated volunteer involvement? Yes No Don’t know 3. Do you volunteer your services on a regular basis in another organisation? Yes No In the past Your views on Volunteer Involvement 4. How do you feel about the involvement of volunteers in our agency at this time? Thrilled Comfortable Necessary Threatened Uncertain Would never be appropriate Not qualified to comment Other ________________________________________________________________________ 5. What do you feel about our readiness to accept volunteers into the agency at this time? Very ready Somewhat ready Uncertain Not ready 6. What areas of work do you believe would be suitable for volunteer involvement? 7. Are there any areas of work which you believe should not involve volunteers in our agency? 8. What issues or concerns would you like to see addressed before we involve volunteers? V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

88 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Staff survey on volunteer involvement cont’d 9. Can you identify any areas of training or assistance you would like to receive before you are asked to work with volunteers? 10. What other comments or suggestions would you like to make about the involvement of volunteers in our agency? V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

89 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Staff Feedback Sheet Staff members are requested to provide feedback on volunteer involvement in agency activities. Please answer all questions as completely as possible. 1. Are you directly responsible for the management/supervision of volunteers? Yes No Don’t know 2. In your experience, are volunteers in this agency adequately qualified to perform their work? Yes No Don’t know 3. In your experience, are volunteers in this agency adequately trained for their responsibilities? Yes No Don’t know 4. In your experience, are volunteers in this agency well utilised? Yes Some under utilised Some inappropriately No Don’t know 5. Do you consider that our staff receive adequate training in how to work with volunteers? Yes No Don’t know 6. What do you consider should be done to help our staff work better with volunteers? Please attach supporting information if appropriate to your response to this question. 7. What reactions have you experienced from clients in relation to our volunteer services? Delighted Favourable Mixed Unfavourable None 8. What reactions have you experienced from volunteers in relation to our volunteer opportunities? Delighted Favourable Mixed Unfavourable None 9. In your opinion, in what ways does the agency benefit from the involvement of volunteers? 10. In your opinion, what problems have been created by the involvement of volunteers? Please attach supporting information if appropriate to your response to this question. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

90 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Staff Feedback Sheet cont’d 11. Has your work load changed with the involvement of volunteers? Lessened Remained the same Increased Change in type of work 12 Have you received assistance in addressing issues of concern? Internal External Not sought Don’t know where to go Please indicate source: How you would describe assistance received? Helpful Not helpful Impractical Thank you for taking time to respond to this questionnaire. Please use the remaining space to make any further comments, elaborate on answers above or suggestions on how we might improve on our involvement of volunteers in the delivery of the services of this agency. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

91 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Volunteer Feedback Sheet This agency is committed to continued improvement of our volunteer programs and we would like your feedback which will help in decision making by management to ensure your ongoing satisfaction and commitment in addition to the effective delivery of services to our clients. Do not sign the survey unless you choose to. 1. How long have you been a volunteer with this agency? ________________________________ 2. Do you feel part of the agency team? I feel accepted as a contributor to the team I feel accepted by some members, not others I do not feel part of the team at all I am still learning, but feel accepted 3. How involved do you feel in decisions which are made and which affect your work? Well involved Sometimes involved Not involved Not interested 4. Do you feel that volunteers are welcomed and accepted by clients? Yes No Don’t know 5. Do you feel comfortable with the assignments you are given? Yes No Don’t know 7. Do you feel that sufficient orientation to the agency is provided for volunteers before they begin work? Yes No Don’t know 7. Do you feel that training and support is adequate for volunteers to carry out their assignments? Yes No Don’t know 8. Does your volunteer work match the job description you were given initially? Yes No Don’t know Not given job description 9. Do you feel that your volunteer work is challenging, interesting and rewarding? Yes Somewhat No Don’t know 10. Do you feel that you receive sufficient feedback from people you work with? Yes No Don’t know 11. Can you suggest any new project areas or tasks in which volunteers might be of help to this agency? 12. Can you suggest any new ways we might use to recruit volunteers? V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

92 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Volunteer Feedback Sheet cont’d 13. What do you feel has been the best experience you have had as a volunteer with this agency? 14. If you could make any changes in your volunteer program, what would they be? 15. In your experience, how would you rate our volunteer program overall? Not at all satisfying 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely satisfying Not at all innovative 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely innovative Not at all challenging 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely challenging Not suiting your expectations 1 2 3 4 5 Exceeding expectations Not meeting client needs 1 2 3 4 5 Beyond client needs Thank you for taking time to respond to this questionnaire. Please use the remaining space to make any further comments, elaborate on answers above or suggestions on how we might improve on our involvement of volunteers in the delivery of the services of this agency. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

93 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Accident Report Form • It is the policy of [insert agency name] that all accidents or incidents that have an influence on a staff member’s or volunteer’s health or safety must be reported. • Reports should be completed immediately or as soon as possible after the incident. • A copy of the completed Accident Report Form is to be forwarded to the Executive Director. Section 1 – To be completed by Volunteer/Staff member involved in accident Personal Details of Volunteer/Staff Member: Volunteer Staff member Surname: __________________________________________________________________________ First name: ________________________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Phone No.: ________________________________________________________________________ Details of Accident: Occurrence Date / / __________________ Time ________ am/pm Location: __________________________________________________________________________ How did the accident happen? __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ What were the injuries? ______________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Were there any witnesses to the accident? Yes No If “yes” give names and addresses ______________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Signature __________________________________ V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

94 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Accident Report Form cont’d Section 2 – To be completed by witness Witness account of the accident: Witness: __________________________________________________________________________ Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ Tel: ______________________________________________________________________________ Date: / / __________________ Signature: __________________________________ Section 3 – To be completed by Executive Director Comments on the accident/action taken: Recommendations to avoid repeat of the accident: Results of accident First aid Medical treatment Time off work Rehabilitation Other Specify ____________________________________________________ Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Date: / / __________________ Signature: __________________________________ V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

95 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Volunteer Expenditure Reports This agency has a policy relating to reimbursement of authorised out-of-pocket expenses. We are not in a position to cover all expenses incurred by volunteers and you should discuss this matter with your supervisor when a task is assigned. The types of expenses which are currently included in the policy are: 1. ________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________________________________________________ You are asked also to keep a record of all expenses incurred and submit this record with your request for reimbursement of authorised out-of-pocket expenses. This will assist the agency in estimating the monetary contribution of your volunteer involvement and allow us to consider policy implications for future budget allocations. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

96 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Application for Reimbursement Month: __________________________________________________ Year: ____________________ Date Type of Expenditure Amount $ Total Authorised Expenditure: $ The above statement represents an accurate account of my expenses in carrying out my assigned volunteer duties. Receipts are attached for specific items. Signature of Volunteer: ________________________________ Date: / / ________________________ Approved for reimbursement: Signature of Coordinator of Volunteers: ________________________________________________ / / Charge to account: __________________________________ Date: ________________________ Reimbursement received by Volunteer: / / Signature of Volunteer: ______________________________ Date: ________________________ V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

97 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Volunteer Contributions Record You are asked to keep a record of all expenses incurred and submit this record with your request for reimbursement of authorised out-of-pocket expenses. This will assist the agency in estimating the monetary contribution of your volunteer involvement and allow us to consider policy implications for future budget allocations. Date Nature of Contribution Amount $ Tota Contributions: $ I submit that the above statement reflects an accurate account of my financial/in-kind contributions to the agency. Signature of Volunteer: ________________________________ Date: / / ________________________ Verification: The above record represents a true record of contributions received by the agency. Signature of Coordinator of Volunteers: ________________________________________________ / / Charge to account: __________________________________ Date: ________________________ V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

98 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Letter for volunteers using their own vehicles Draft letter to insurance company RE: MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE POLICY NUMBER: Could you please note and allow under my motor vehicle insurance policy that I will be using my personal vehicle to carry out voluntary work such as ________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ include (type of work here eg: meals on wheels delivery, respite care, driving people to medical appointments, shopping and similar) for (name of organisation), ______________________________ ________________________________________________ for which I shall receive reimbursement of authorised out-of-pocket expenses, in particular petrol costs. I trust that this letter will be placed on my file for future reference and that this type of use will not affect my policy in the event of a claim. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Yours faithfully NAME OF VOLUNTEER V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

99 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Exit Interview The success of our volunteer programs is important to us and we are constantly striving to improve the opportunities we can make available to people who want to help. As one of our valued volunteers who is now moving on, we would appreciate your help in learning how we might do better. Please be as open and honest as you can in answering the following questions. The information you provide will be considered strictly confidential but will be used to ensure that others who volunteer will benefit from your experience. 1. How long have you been with the agency? 2. What type of volunteer work did you undertake while you were with us? 3. Why are you leaving? Please tick all reasons that apply. Tasks completed Didn’t like job/tasks I was given Need a change Moving away from area Didn’t feel welcome Bored Moving to paid work Other commitments Ill health Other: ________________________________________________________________________ 4. What did you like best about volunteering with us? 5. What would you change, or what suggestions do you have for improving our volunteer effort? 6. How do you rate your volunteer experience with us? Waste of time Average Great Experience 1 2 3 4 5 Thank you for taking the time to complete this form and for the personal time and effort you have offered to help in the community. We trust that your volunteer experience has counted as much for you as it has for us. Please accept our appreciation for your help in assisting us to help others. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

100 Standard Four Templates Work and the Workplace Volunteer Dismissal Name of Volunteer: __________________________________________________________________ Volunteer Position: __________________________________________________________________ Name of Supervisor:__________________________________________________________________ Difficulties identified: provision of false or misleading information on application absenteeism lack of punctuality, and reliability refusal to observe the established rules and procedures inability to perform required tasks unacceptable response to direction intoxication or under the influence of drugs inability to work as part of the team failure to met performance standards breach of confidentiality stealing sexual harassment other: __________________________________________________________________________ Brief description of behaviour identified above, giving dates and nature of relevant warnings as required in agency grievance procedure policy: Brief description of volunteer’s attempts to correct behaviour as agreed at time of warning: / / Date of dismissal: ____________________ Person responsible for dismissal interview: ________________________________________________ Written notice of dismissal provided to: Volunteer Appropriate staff Appropriate clients Executive management Other IMPORTANT Copies of all records related to dismissal to be noted and attached to this form. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

Standard Five Training and Development An organisation that involves volunteers shall ensure that volunteers obtain the knowledge, skills, feedback on work, and the recognition needed to effectively carry out their responsibilities

102 Standard Five Training and Development Training and Development A well-trained and developed work force of volunteers is more critical to the successful performances of the volunteer management system than any other single factor. What is the intent of this standard? The intent of this standard is for an organisation to establish a systematic program that provides needs- based training to volunteers. The standard calls for this to be accomplished by training volunteers in both job performance skills and organisational development skills such as teamwork, communication and problem solving. The standard also requires that processes be deployed which support and complement the training of volunteers. These include providing feedback to volunteers about their work and giving appropriate recognition to the contribution they make to the organisation as a whole. The specific requirements of this standard focus on: • developing policies and procedures that detail the organisation’s approach to volunteer training and development • allocating responsibility and resources to training and development • providing training to address identified needs • monitoring the work of volunteers and providing appropriate feedback • recognising, formally and informally, the contribution made by volunteers to the organisation and to the community Taken from National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations, Volunteering Australia, 2001. STANDARD 5: Training and Development An organisation that involves volunteers shall ensure that volunteers obtain the knowledge, skills, feedback on work, and the recognition needed to effectively carry out their responsibilities. Below is a checklist for you to determine how well you are achieving this Standard. Policy and resources The organisation has written policy on the training and development of volunteers. The policy should cover: • Objectives and rationale for training and development of volunteers • Range and extent of volunteer training available • Monitoring and appraisal of volunteer work performance • Provision of feedback to volunteers about their performance V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

103 Standard Five Training and Development Responsibility and authority for initiating and implementing the policy is clearly designated. An adequate budget for training, development, and resources is provided. Training opportunities for paid staff who are working with volunteers. Training and development The organisation: Has planned actions and methods for identifying volunteers training and development needs. Ensures that volunteers receive verbal and written instructions on: • How to perform tasks and responsibilities • Relationship between tasks and responsibilities and overall goals and mission of the organisation • Implications of poor work performance on the service user and the organisation Gives balanced training in both hard and soft skills. Procedures are developed and maintain to ensure that volunteers skills and knowledge remain current and appropriate. Keeps records on individual training needs and training received. Involves volunteers in identifying their own training requirements. The expectation that volunteers will participate in training is communicated at the time of recruitment. Provides external training opportunities, and joint training with paid staff. Work appraisal Systems are in place to monitor and assess individuals and the volunteer team. Volunteer appraisals are conducted, and typically involve: • Reviewing volunteer duty statements • Considering achievements in relation to goals set • Individual and/or team self assessment of performance • Identification of further training and skill development needs • Identification and addressing any obstacles to achieving goals Appraisals are linked to the continuous improvement of the agency. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

104 Standard Five Training and Development Volunteer recognition The organisation: Has planned actions and activities that recognise volunteer contribution. Examples include: • References made in the annual report • Service recognition (eg certificates of service, award and medal nominations) • Special formal and informal occasions • Recognition of personal milestones and achievements (eg birthdays, anniversaries) • Media releases Formally recognises National Volunteer Week and International Volunteer Day. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

105 Standard Five General Information Training and Development Training Volunteers Training is an important part of a volunteer program. Training programs should be designed according to the identified needs of the volunteers and the requirements of the organisation. Training can be achieved in four ways: 1. Orientation Orientation provides a formal/informal introduction to the organisation, its operations and the people involved. Practical information about where to get a ‘cuppa’, where the toilet is, and introductions to staff, together with written information on rights and responsibilities and organisational policy are included in this process. 2. Pre-placement training Pre-placement training should cover the skills needed to commence volunteer duties. Confidentiality, communication and listening skills are some of the issues which might be included here. 3. Continuing Education Continuing education refers to training provided to established volunteers. It may cover areas such as issues arising through contact with consumer groups, a perceived gap in required skills or a shift in emphasis in agency services due to funding requirements. 4. On the Job On the job training refers to the teaching or supervision of volunteers whilst they are performing their duties. Managers of volunteer programs may choose to act as trainers themselves or they may decide to bring in outside trainers with appropriate expertise or experience. Experienced volunteers may also be identified to serve as mentors within a volunteer program. Volunteering Western Australia can provide information about available training and also has a comprehensive range of training resources. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

106 Standard Five Training and Development Training Volunteers – 20 reasons why There is only one thing worse than training your volunteers and having them leave and that is not training them and having them stay. (Unknown) 1. To recognise the importance of volunteers to the delivery of services by the organisation and commitment to professional standards 2. To inform volunteers of their rights and responsibilities 3. To ensure that volunteers’ skills match the needs of the organisation 4. To ensure volunteers develop new skills and meet new needs 5. To keep abreast of developments in their field 6. To build stronger team relationships 7. To build stronger bonds between volunteers and paid staff 8. For fun and social interaction 9. To affirm that your organisation is committed to ongoing learning and service development 10. For personal development 11. To constructively address issues arising in the course of the work 12. To alleviate fears of feelings of inadequacy when dealing with difficult situations 13. To ensure safety standards are met 14. To provide a fresh perspective for volunteers 15. To refine skills 16. To share skills and experiences 17. To raise awareness of current issues 18. To allow volunteers to become familiar with the philosophy and policies of the organisation 19. To ensure that volunteers’ skills match the needs of the community they serve 20. To revitalise V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

107 Standard Five Training and Development Volunteer Assessment/Appraisal Assessment should be ongoing. Volunteers should be acknowledged for doing their jobs well, and provided with extra support, supervision or training where needed. Like paid staff, appraisal is part of effectively managing the performance of volunteers. Appraisals should be constructive (try not to let personal feelings cloud your judgement), productive (goals can be set for future) and rewarding (an opportunity to acknowledge the volunteers skills and commitment). Examples of what might be included in an appraisal discussion: • Acknowledgement of the volunteer and identifying the volunteers strengths • Discussion of areas that the volunteer needs to develop further • Identification of further training required • Recognition of work done by volunteer • Motivations of volunteer – are they being met? • Feedback from the volunteer about the agency, volunteer program, coordinator • Identification of further support or supervision required • Setting goals for the future Try to remember that most people find “appraisal type” situations very stressful. The appraisal, whilst a formal process, should be as non threatening as possible. It is an opportunity for the volunteer to assess their own behaviour as well as give feedback to the coordinator about the position and the agency. The appraisal should be a two way process. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

108 Standard Five Training and Development Recognising Volunteers When volunteers are recruited to your organisation it makes the utmost sense to make every effort to retain them. It is a costly proposition to recruit and train replacement volunteers. Moreover, the time lost in recruiting replacement volunteers can result in lengthy periods where an organisation may not be able to deliver the additional quality of service that a volunteer may bring to the organisation. One important way of encouraging your volunteers to remain with your organisation is to give them adequate recognition. Recognition, to be effective, should be consistent and ongoing. Volunteers can quickly lose motivation if they feel that their work is not valued. Volunteer managers should be aware that the way volunteer efforts are recognised is of importance. This is because one volunteer may regard one type of recognition as valuable whilst another volunteer may feel it has little worth. If a Volunteer Manager is aware of the volunteer’s motivation in working for the organisation then this will provide a good indication for the type of recognition that the volunteer is seeking. For example if a volunteer is hoping to obtain paid employment, they will value opportunities to receive training and obtain a certificate of training recognition or they may value a referee for their resume. In many cases volunteers that are motivated by helping the community will see their work as reward and will only require support from their volunteer organisation. The support of paid staff and the Volunteer Manager can be shown in many ways. The enthusiasm of paid staff to the aims of the volunteer program is very important because it will naturally, engender within the organisation the recognition that volunteers are important. Some ways that volunteer organisations may give recognition to their volunteers are: • Adequately orientate volunteers • Volunteer Coordinators be readily accessible to volunteers • Encourage volunteer participation in team planning • Encourage volunteer participation in planning that effects their work. • Provide training. • Give additional responsibility. • Enable volunteers to ‘grow’ on the job. • Include volunteers in special events. • Include volunteers in coffee breaks. • Recommend volunteers to prospective employers. • Maintain Occupational Health and Safety standards. • Take the time to explain and listen to volunteers ideas and concerns. • Recognise and accommodate personal needs and problems. • Celebrate achievements and efforts. • Keep volunteers informed via newsletter • Provide letters of reference. • Send birthday and Christmas cards. • Allocate notice board space to applaud volunteer achievement. • Organise awards with certificates or plaques or medals • Honour volunteers on International Volunteers Day, December 5th with a planned activity • Celebrate National Volunteer Week (2nd week in May) Acknowledgement to Volunteer Centre of Victoria, V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

109 Standard Five Training and Development Volunteer Motivation Idea Generator Some ideas to act as a reminder to the fact that we should all be systematically recognising volunteers for their work. Remember recognition must be appropriate for the situation and the best recognition is still a sincere “Thank you” for a job well done. 1. When was the last time you thanked a volunteer personally? 2. When was the last time you took a volunteer out for a coffee or a drink? 3. When was the last time you made a conscious effort to recognise your volunteer by name? 4. When did you last get together over lunch with your volunteers to talk informally? 5. When was the last time you said “we missed you” to a volunteer who had been away sick? 6. When was the last time you gave a volunteer a special thank you such as: a flower, a phone call, a personal letter? 7. When was the last time you asked a volunteer for advice on an important decision (especially one effecting volunteers)? 8. When was the last time you honestly confronted a volunteer about a problem you’re having with him/her? 9. When was the last time you actually performed a volunteer job – just to get in touch with your volunteer’s needs? 10. When was the last time you asked a volunteer for input about his/her job design (or new job design)? Acknowledgement to Volunteering Queensland. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

110 Standard Five Training and Development Writing a reference Large numbers of volunteers have expectations of entering the paid work force at some time in the future. Many seek out volunteer opportunities which will provide work within the parameters of their special vocational field of interest. Recognition Volunteers who have been working in organisations can be recognised through a willingness to provide a reference, based on their volunteer experience, for use when seeking paid employment. If other staff or consumers have spent significant time with the volunteer, they may be consulted before putting pen to paper. Be honest with your comments and do not feel obliged to be more glowing than is appropriate. A deliberately misleading reference is not fair to potential employers and could cause unnecessary problems for you in the future. Writing a reference Some of the basic things you might include in a reference are: • The volunteers name • Title of position • Title of supervisor • Starting and finishing date • Hours worked during this period as a volunteer. This may need to be approximated on a weekly or monthly basis • Brief outline of duties undertaken as a volunteer • Skills, knowledge and abilities required to perform the duties • Punctuality and reliability It is helpful to highlight particular responsibilities which might make the volunteer more attractive to an employer, for example: • Did he/she work unsupervised? • Did he/she supervise other workers? • Did he/she use any specialised equipment? • Were any of his/ her skills particularly worthy of note? In conclusion your reference might: • Indicate your willingness to discuss the volunteer’s ability in more detail, should a potential employer phone • Refer to the value of the volunteer’s contribution to the organisation • Indicate, if the person is leaving, that you would not hesitate to involve him/her as a volunteer again • State that you wish the volunteer luck in his/her pursuit of employment V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

111 Standard Five Training and Development Helpful Words for Valuing Volunteers The following words might assist you in writing job descriptions, letters of reference, and publicity material for recruitment of volunteers. Account Construct Establish Maintain Report Achieve Constructive Estimate Make Represent Act Consult Evaluate Manage Request Adapt Contact Examine Market Respond Adept Control Exchange Mediate Responsibility Administer Cooperate Execute Mentor Review Advise Cooperation Exercise Modify Revise Aid Coordinate Expedite Monitor Schedule Alter Correct Facilitate Observe Secure Analyse Correlate Feedback Obtain Select Anticipate Correspond File Operate Sell Approve Counsel Follow up Opportunity Serve Arbitrate Create Formulate Order Service Arrange Creative Foster Organise Solicit Assemble Creativity Gather Originate Solve Assign Decide Generate Oversee Specify Assist Decisive Give Participate Standardise Attend Delegate Govern Perform Standards Audit Demonstrate Help Performance Stimulate Authorise Design Identify Persuade Study Budget Designate Implement Plan Submit Build Determine Impress Prepare Supervise Calculate Develop Improve Process Support Care for Devise Inform Procure Survey Check Direct Initiate Produce System Circulate Direction Innovate Program Tabulate Clean up Discipline Inspect Promote Teach Clear Discuss Install Propose Tend Collaborate Disseminate Instruct Provide Train Collect Distribute Interpret Purchase Transcribe Command Draft Interview Receive Translate Communicate Drive Invent Recognise Transmit Compare Elaborate Investigate Recommend Tutor Compile Eliminate Issue Reconcile Type Complete Employ Itemise Record Understand Compute Enable Justify Reference Utilise Conduct Encourage Lead Reinforce Verify Confer Endorse Leader Release Write Confirm Enhance Liaise Remember Consolidate Ensure Liaison Repair Acknowledgement to the Volunteer Centre of Victoria Volunteer Information Kit. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

112 Standard Five Samples Training and Development SAMPLE Volunteer Training Sample Policy The training needs of volunteers should be discussed with the appropriate staff member on recruitment, and at supervision sessions. All staff members are responsible for ensuring that the basic training needs of volunteers are met. This may be through: • The provision of a volunteer orientation kit. • Referral to an external training course. • The provision of ‘in-house’ training sessions or on the job training. Basic training for volunteers will ensure that: • All new volunteers attend a “Bridge to Volunteering” session • All new volunteers have induction training through an orientation session. This will cover the volunteer orientation kit and the content and use of the Policy and Procedures Manual. • Volunteers receive training on occupational health and safety issues and in the use of equipment. • Volunteers receive training regarding the legal responsibilities associated with their work. • Volunteers receive training related to the needs of other volunteers and potential volunteers. • Volunteers will also receive ongoing training on the content and use of the Policy and Procedures Manual. Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia Policy and Procedures Manual 2002. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

113 Standard Five Samples Training and Development SAMPLE Sample Training Policy Carers’ Association of WA (CAWA) has a commitment to best practice, ensuring that volunteers are properly trained to carry out their volunteer work. Individual volunteer training requirements will be addressed during the initial interview and followed up during the course of the volunteers’ time with the Association. CAWA will endeavour to meet these needs where practicable. All volunteers will be invited to participate in ongoing training where it is deemed to be beneficial and relevant to their positions. Adequate notice will be provided, along with all training details. A training register will be kept with the volunteers’ personnel file to record the training that a volunteer receives. “Linking Together” Program: Volunteers involved with this program are required to complete a compulsory Training Course prior to carrying out support activities with carers. “Certificates of Completion” will be issued to those volunteers successfully meeting the minimum training program requirements. These requirements will be outlined in both the initial interview and 1st day of orientation and training. Successful Volunteer Training completion is at the discretion of the Volunteer Support Program Coordinator and Carer Support Coordinator. Those trainees not deemed suitable will be fully informed by means of interview and/or letter by either or both of the above staff members. Acknowledgement to Carer’s Association of Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

114 Standard Five Samples Training and Development SAMPLE Workplace and First Aid Training Learn about: CPR, bleeding and shock, burns, poisons, fractures and sprains. Monday 21st October CWLH Rm 7 9.00 am to 5.00pm All Volunteering WA staff encouraged to attend. Please register your name at reception. Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

115 Standard Five Samples Training and Development SAMPLE Certificate of Appreciation Acknowledging the valuable contribution made by [name] to Volunteering Western Australia Signed ______________________________ Date ________________ Executive Director V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

116 Standard Five Templates Training and Development Training Session Design Participants Name Position Previous known experience/training Training Outcomes Information Knowledge of the agency and its mission Structure and lines of responsibility Understanding of the rationale for service Understanding clients’ needs Skills needed and responsible delivery Specific function within the team Experience Role playing Role discussion Practical experience with equipment Draft presentations Attitudes Clear sense of direction and purpose Confidence in capacity to work well Motivation to carry out work correctly Knowledge of required procedures V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

117 Standard Five Templates Training and Development Training Session Design cont’d Structure of Training Program Desired order of presentation 1. ________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________________________________________________ 5. ________________________________________________________________________________ 6. ________________________________________________________________________________ 7. ________________________________________________________________________________ 8. ________________________________________________________________________________ 9. ________________________________________________________________________________ 10.________________________________________________________________________________ Mode of Delivery (consider suitability and availability) Individual Learning Videotape Newsletter/Journal Book/manual Audiotape Computer package Other __________________________________________________________________________ One-to-one Assistance On-the-job Mentor/partner Telephone E-mail Supervised work Other __________________________________________________________________________ Seminar/Workshop Lecture Assignment Role play Discussion Case study Work sheet Conference Teleconference Other __________________________________________________________________________ Desired Trainer Facilitation skills Technical knowledge Experience Ability to build confidence Ability to forge relationships Team building Internal External Other __________________________________________________________________________ Who can make this training work? Management Supervisor Co-workers Clients Other __________________________________________________________________________ Further Information or Comments: V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Voluteering Western Australia

118 Standard Five Templates Training and Development Volunteer Training Details Name: __________________________________________________ Year: 200__ to 200__ Position: ________________________________________________ Training Sessions Attended External/ Hours Certificate Date(s) Training session internal completed issued V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

119 Standard Five Templates Training and Development Volunteer Performance Appraisal / / Name of Volunteer: __________________________________ Date: __________________________ Position: ________________________________ Period of evaluation: ________________________ The following assessments are to be agreed in discussion between the volunteer and the team leader. Not Exceeded Goals for Volunteer Position achieved Satisfactory Expectations 1. __________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5 2. __________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5 3. __________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5 4. __________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5 5. __________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5 Improvement Team Relationships needed Satisfactory Excellent 1. With other volunteers 1 2 3 4 5 2. With paid staff 1 2 3 4 5 3. With clients 1 2 3 4 5 4. Time commitments and task deadlines 1 2 3 4 5 5. Initiative 1 2 3 4 5 6. Flexibility 1 2 3 4 5 Comments: Team Leader: Volunteer: Most significant achievement during the period of evaluation: V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

120 Standard Five Templates Training and Development Volunteer Performance Appraisal cont’d Area in which further training or support is desirable and agreed course of action: How does the volunteer feel about continuing in this position? What changes in responsibilities or procedures would improve the ability of the volunteer to contribute to the agency? Agreed goals for the volunteer for the future / / Agreed date for next volunteer assessment: __________________________ Signatures: / / Team Leader: ______________________________________ Date: __________________________ / / Volunteer (optional) __________________________________ Date: __________________________ V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

121 Standard Five Templates Training and Development Record of Volunteer Service To whom it may concern Name of Volunteer: __________________________________________________________________ Name of Agency: ____________________________________________________________________ / / / / Date commenced: __________________________ Date completed: __________________________ Total hours of service: Description of volunteer work undertaken: Comments: This documentation verifies that the above named person carried out satisfactory community service work for this agency for the period as specified above. Coordinator of Volunteers: ____________________________________________________________ / / Date: __________________________ Telephone: ______________________ V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

Standard Six Service Delivery An organisation that involves volunteers shall ensure that appropriate processes and procedures are established and followed for the effective planning, control, and review of all activities relating to the delivery of services by volunteers.

123 Standard Six Service Delivery Service Delivery This standard provides the justification for all the other national standards. What is the intent of this standard? The intent of this standard is that all processes involved in volunteers delivering a service or product to customers should be (1) identified and documented, (2) planned, reviewed and updated as necessary and (3) carried our under controlled conditions in accordance with specified service delivery standards. The term ‘controlled conditions’ means that: • processes and procedures that define the manner in which the volunteers deliver their services should be documented • the performance of volunteers should be monitored against appropriate service delivery standards • volunteers should receive training to carry out service delivery processes and procedures to the required standard • formal reviews of volunteer-delivered services should be regularly conducted to ensure that the services are meeting customer needs In general, the standard requires that an organisation knows what it takes to deliver a service or product by volunteers and can identify and control the sequence of activities involved. The outcome of such activities, if properly carried out, will be processes that are predictable, known and understood by volunteers. In some organisations the volunteer management system may have little direct responsibility or control over the quality of the actual service or product that is delivered to the ultimate consumer. A situation may therefore arise where volunteers are delivering a service in a manner that is consistent with good practice yet the actual produce is inferior. For example, a volunteer-based ‘meals on wheels’ service may involve two separate production processes - the process of producing the meal and the process of delivering it. If these two processes are controlled under separate management systems then the standard only applies to the system that directly involves volunteers - in this example, the process by which the meal is delivered. Taken from National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations. Volunteering Australia, 2001. STANDARD 6: Service Delivery An organisation that involves volunteers shall ensure that appropriate processes and procedures are established and followed for the effective planning, control, and review of all activities relating to the delivery of services by volunteers. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

124 Standard Six Service Delivery Below is a checklist for you to determine how well you are achieving this Standard. Management responsibilities Responsibility and authority for the design, monitoring and review of volunteer service provision is clearly designated. The organisation has measurable performance standards for the services delivered by volunteers. Such standards should be derived from: • Customer requirements and expectations • Other relevant industry standards • Input from volunteers that provide the service Procedures are developed and maintained for: • Delivering the services provided by volunteers • Verifying that the services delivered meet the required standards Volunteers receive appropriate training and instruction in carrying out the service delivery procedures to the required standard. Training and instruction may include: • Handling and resolving customer complaints and problems • Following up with customers to determine satisfaction • Identifying and reporting back opportunities where improvements could be made in the delivery of services • The use of equipment, facilities or materials as these impact on service delivery standards Systems and procedures are established an maintained to ensure that the equipment, facilities and materials used by volunteers are: • Suitable for intended use • Meet agreed and documented quality requirements • Accompanied by practical instructions for use, including written instructions if necessary Volunteers are provided with appropriate and as needed supervisory and debriefing support to deal with customer issues, problems or queries. Services review The organisation conducts a formal review of the services provided by volunteers. This review should include evaluation of: • The extent to which volunteer delivered services meet customer needs and expectations • The specified service delivery standards, procedures and processes to determine continuing suitability and effectiveness • The information, training and development needs of volunteers • The adequacy of resources (eg equipment, materials), available to volunteers to meet all service obligations • The suitability of the service continuing to be delivered through volunteer designated positions V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

125 Standard Six Service Delivery Formal reviews of services provided by volunteers are carried out at appropriately scheduled intervals Mechanisms are established to actively involve volunteers in the design and review of service delivery standards, processes and procedures. The organisation has an established system and procedure for making changes to service delivery standards, procedures and processes. This system and procedure should ensure that: • A need for change is verified and warranted • Changes are properly planned, approved, implemented and recorded • Volunteers affected by the change are represented in decision making and approval of the change • The impact of any change is evaluated to ensure it produces the expected results and does not diminish the quality of service provided by volunteers • All volunteers and customers are informed when changes are made that will affect the services provided by volunteers Procedures are established and maintained to facilitate volunteers identifying and reporting where changes may need to be made to service delivery standards, procedures and processes. Responsibility and authority for authorising process and procedure changes and monitoring the impact of these changes on customers and volunteers are clearly designated. Methods are established to assess the customers level of satisfaction with the services delivered by volunteers. These methods may typically include: • Customer satisfaction surveys • Customer focus groups • Individual customer consultations • Customer feedback systems – complaints and compliments The customers level of satisfaction with the services provide by volunteers is recorded and the outcomes of the assessments are communicated to volunteers. Acknowledgement to National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations, Volunteering Australia, 2001. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

126 Standard Six Samples Service Delivery SAMPLE Volunteer Instructions for Session PRE SESSION: • Collect booking sheet from Reception • Collect equipment, resource bag and room key • Set up room according to expected number of participants • Set up equipment – ensuring that the appropriate steps are followed for the laptop and projector • Turn air conditioning on • Make sure that room is locked at all times when you are not in it, and that equipment is not left unattended • Post up room direction SIGNS SESSION: • When taking attendance, please tick the individuals’ names on the booking sheet. If someone is in attendance, and their name is not on the booking sheet, please write first and last name on sheet. (Please note that due to Privacy Act, we cannot pass the booking sheet around to individuals) • Work through the various components of the session, using powerpoint or overheads, as necessary • Before participants leave, ask them to complete a FIVE MINUTE Feedback Form, so that we can continually evaluate and improve our services POST SESSION: • Shut down equipment (please ensure that both the laptop and the projector have shut down properly) • Clean room and take down room direction sign • Replenish the resource bag with feedback forms, and promotional material that has been used • Put equipment and resource bag away • Complete the Speaker (Presenter) Feedback Form • Attach the Speaker Feedback Form to the booking list and the completed Five Minute Feedback forms • Give this information to Louise or put in her pigeon hole. Please highlight any areas that need addressing further (ie changes to your powerpoint, any further information that you need) Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

127 Standard Six Samples Service Delivery SAMPLE Five Minute Feedback Thank you for attending Volunteering WA’s information session, Bridge to Volunteering. We welcome your feedback so that we can continue to improve our services. Please take a few minutes to complete this feedback form. Undecided Please read the statements and tick the box that Disagree disagree Strongly Strongly corresponds to your view. Agree agree The Information The content was suitable for my purposes The materials/handouts were useful and appropriate The pace/timing of the session was suitable. The Presenter The presenter related information in an interesting manner The presenter responded appropriately to issues and questions raised The presenter had a good knowledge of the subject Overall The session was useful I have improved my knowledge about volunteering The session met my expectations Please provide any general comments about the session. Please provide any suggestions on how the session could be improved. Thank you for your valuable feedback. Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

128 Standard Six Samples Service Delivery SAMPLE Speaker’s Report Form Name of Volunteer: ______________________________ Date: / / ________________ Position: ____________________________ Period of evaluation: ________________ How did you feel the session went? (please circle) Very good good average only fair not good Please give reasons: Were there any specific comments or questions of interest? What and how much promotional material was handed out? VWA Passports VWI leaflets VRS info sheets – blue RSVP leaflets SkillsBank leaflets Other: ______________________________________________________________ Was there any aspect of your presentation you think you could improve on? Any information or speaking aids you would like to have for next time? Is there any additional support or information that you require? Any more training? Any other comments you would like to make? (eg strengths or highlights of the presentation) Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

129 Standard Six Samples Service Delivery SAMPLE Phone Survey Tips on conducting a phone survey Identify yourself and that you are from Volunteer Task Force • Ask client if they would mind answering some questions about the service they received from VTF. Please do not force the survey on them. If they say that they do not want to be bothered, please make a note of it so we will not ring them in the future. Please place their names on the Do Not Contact list in the phone survey folder: do not write on the work order please. • Assure client that the survey is for improving our services to them, and we want their honest opinion, good or bad. • If the questions below seem awkward change them to suit yourself. Use them as a road map, you do not have to ask them in the same order and many times a client will answer 2-3 of the questions at a time when they talk to you, that will save you from asking some of the questions. • If the client seems confused, use that as an opportunity to educate them on the services eg the client states that they did not feel safe with our volunteer in the house – use that opportunity to let them know about police checks. • If it feels right and you feel that the client could benefit let the client know of the other services that we provide. • Try to keep the answers to yes/no. Often people will want to elaborate, that is OK and you can put the relevant comments in the space provided at the end of the survey. Acknowledgement to Volunteer Task Force. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

130 Standard Six Samples Service Delivery SAMPLE Gardening Phone Survey Phone Number: ______________________________ Was work done to your satisfaction? Yes No Were the workers friendly? Yes No Did you feel comfortable with the worker in your yard? Yes No Was the fee appropriate for the service provided? Yes No Would you use our services again? Yes No Would you suggest our services to other people? Yes No Any suggestions that you could provide for us so we can improve our services? Transport Phone Survey Phone Number: ______________________________ Did you arrive on time to your destination? Was the driver friendly? Did you feel comfortable with the driver? How did you find the fee for the service provided? Would you use our services again? Would you suggest our services to other people? Any suggestions that you could provide for us so we can improve our service? Acknowledgement to Volunteer Task Force. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

131 Standard Six Samples Service Delivery SAMPLE Do not contact list Sometimes the clients do not want to receive any mail or phone calls from VTF. If this is the case please fill in their details below: Name Phone number Address Acknowledgement to th Volunteer Task Force. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

132 Standard Six Samples Service Delivery SAMPLE Feedback Form Tell us what you think … The Western Volunteer Newsletter is getting a facelift! Volunteering WA would like your suggestions and feedback so that we can publish a Newsletter which is interesting and informative. Please take a few minutes to complete this form and fax back to Volunteering WA on 9420 7289. Please indicate what you would like to see in the Newsletter: General VOLUNTEERING information Research news Community education and training items Volunteering quotes , anecdotes and interviews Book reviews List of new library resources Coordinators’ corner/viewpoint/profiles/issues National/International News items Other (please specify) How would you prefer to receive the Western Volunteer newsletter? Electronically Hard copy Did you read the last issue? Yes No Do you have any other comments regarding the layout, style, or content of the Newsletter? THANK YOU for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. Acknowledgement to Volunteereering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

133 Standard Six Samples Service Delivery SAMPLE 2nd … 3rd Volunteer referral feedback Name: __________________________________________________________________ Why have you come back to Volunteering WA? Good service Change of volunteer experience Previous positions didn’t work out Other Have you attended a “Bridge to Volunteering” session? Yes No How can we improve our service? (opening times, type of positions, referral process etc) Why do you volunteer? Other Comments Acknowledgement to Volunteereering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

Standard Seven Documentation and Records An organisation that involves volunteers shall establish a system and have defined procedures to control all documentation and personnel records that relate to the management of volunteers.

135 Standard Seven Documentation and Records This standard is a traditional requirement found in most industry standards. The standard indicates the type of documents and records that need to be developed and controlled. What is the intent of this standard? This standard requires an organisation to develop and control all documents and records relating to the operations of its volunteer management system. As a practical result of documenting policies, procedures and processes, organisations frequently identify and address areas where breakdowns in internal communications are occurring. Documentation also supports improvement in other ways. When policies and procedures are documented, an organisation can reliably monitor its performance, collectively involve others in making improvements, and formally capture improvements to help ensure that the gains are maintained. The basic requirements of the standard centre around ensuring that: • the personnel records of volunteers are validated and kept confidential • all documents and records are identified, collected, filed, maintained and disposed of in a systematic and orderly fashion • pertinent documents, including revisions, are made available to all volunteers • procedures are established to control all documents, including how changes are to be made to those documents Taken from National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations. Volunteering Australia, 2001. STANDARD 7: Documentation and Records An organisation that involves volunteers shall establish a system and have defined procedures to control all documentation and personnel records that relate to the management of volunteers. Below is a checklist for you to determine how well you are achieving this Standard. Personnel records The organisation collects and maintains confidential personnel records for each volunteer. These personnel records may typically include: • An application form • Emergency telephone numbers • Details of next of kin (or information that may be required in the event of an emergency, illness or accident) • The results of police checks • The results of pre employment reference audits • Records of attendance and training • Records of incidents/accidents V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

136 Standard Seven Documentation and Records The personnel records of volunteers are: • verified as valid • updated as required • readily retrievable • kept in a secure and confidential place • accessed only by designated personnel • destroyed after a defined period Procedures are established and maintained to ensure the confidentiality of, and volunteer access to, their own personal records. These procedures are available to, and understood by, volunteers. The organisation provides verbal and/or written references for volunteers when required. System documentation and control The organisation keeps sufficient documents and records to demonstrate effective operation of the volunteer management system. The types of documents and records requiring control should typically include: • the organisation’s general volunteer policy • volunteer management system policies • procedures and related work documents • confidential personnel records of volunteers • management structures, responsibilities and lines of authority and accountability • relevant job descriptions • minutes of meetings and reviews • reference material (eg Volunteer Rights, Definition and Principles of Volunteering, relevant industry standards, organisation mission statement, legal documents) These documents and records are legible, dated and maintained in an orderly and systematic manner. Procedures are established and maintained to control system documents and records. Such procedures should typically cover: • identifying, collecting and filing of documents and records • reviewing and making changes, modifications or additions to documents and records • maintaining a master list or equivalent document to identify the current applicability and revision status of documents and records • approving documents and records by authorised personnel • releasing and making available documents and records in areas of the organisation where they are needed • removing documentation when obsolete Suitable methods are established for identifying and distributing relevant system documentation to volunteers. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

137 Standard Seven Documentation and Records System documents and records are: • easily retrievable • kept in a secure and confidential place • organised in a way that is easily accessed by, and acceptable to volunteers Acknowledgement to National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations, Volunteering Australia, 2001. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

138 Standard Seven General Information Documentation and Records Privacy Amendment Act 2000 The National Privacy Principles The Privacy Act sets out ten National Privacy Principles which are legally binding about how organisations must handle personal information. The National Privacy Principles are: NPP 1 – Collection NPP 2 – Use and disclosure NPP 3 – Data quality NPP 4 – Data security NPP 5 – Openness NPP 6 – Access and correction NPP 7 – Identifiers NPP 8 – Anonymity NPP 9 – Transborder flow of data NPP 10 – Sensitive information Guidelines to the National Privacy Principles (September 2001) To assist organisations in understanding their obligations under the Privacy Act 1988, the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner has developed a set of guidelines that give organisations helpful information about the National Privacy Principles (NPPs). For organisations that want more detailed explanations, good practice or compliance tips, the Office has also released a number of information sheets. 2001 Security and Personal Information National Privacy Principle (NPP) 4.1 provides that an organisation must take reasonable steps to protect the personal information it holds from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Data security is an important way of ensuring that personal information is only used for permissible purposes. In general, personal information should be treated as confidential and sensitive information as highly confidential. The key to effective compliance with NPP 4 is developing an organisational culture that respects privacy. Organisations need to ensure that management and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities in protecting personal information from misuse, loss, corruption or disclosure. Tip for compliance One way to promote a respect for privacy would be to develop a security policy. A security policy would cover all organisational systems used for processing, storing or transmitting personal information. The security risks faced by the organisation could be assessed in the development of the policy, and then cost-effective measures devised to reduce the risks to acceptable levels. To be effective, a security policy would need to be monitored and periodically reviewed. Staff and management would need to be made aware of the protective security policies and how to implement them. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

139 Standard Seven Documentation and Records Reasonable steps In deciding what are reasonable steps to ensure data security there are several factors to consider. What is reasonable depends on the circumstances in which personal information is held. The sensitivity of personal information being stored is an important factor and higher levels of security could be expected for sensitive information. The costs of any security system also need to be considered in relation to the risks faced by the organisation. In the case of an organisation holding non-sensitive information, with a low risk of unauthorized access and little likelihood of serious consequences to the individual, then basic security measures may be adequate. However, for a large organisation with vast amounts of personal information and the risk of significant detriment from improper access, higher levels of security may be expected. Aspects of security to consider The range of security measures to consider covers: • physical security • computer and network security • communications security • personnel security. Personnel security Personnel security refers to limiting access to personal information to authorised staff only. Organisations could also ensure that those who do have access respect the organisation’s culture of privacy. In general, personal information should only be accessed by those people who ‘need-to-know’, that is, they need it to carry out their duties. Tips for compliance • Training staff and management in security awareness, practices and procedures. • Developing policies on who can access and use particular categories of information. • Specifying and reviewing access privileges for shared computer drives containing personal information. For more information: Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner www.privacy.gov.au Privacy Hotline 1300 363 992 (local call charge) Acknowledgement to Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner, December 2001 V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

140 Standard Seven Documentation and Records Confidentiality One of the responsibilities of volunteers is to maintain confidentiality. Staff (both paid and unpaid) are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of all agency and privileged information to which they are exposed. Information could relate to a paid staff member, a volunteer staff member, a service user/client, or other person involved in the overall business of the agency. Volunteers need to be made aware of the issue of confidentiality. As a volunteer it is important to maintain confidentiality: • Please be careful about the information you are sharing with others about the organisation • Please do not disclose the contents of any official documents that you have seen as part of your volunteering • Please do not disclose any information about service users (both potential volunteers, and member agencies) that may have been brought to your attention during your volunteering. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

141 Standard Seven Documentation and Records Privacy Policy Sample Volunteering Western Australia PRIVACY POLICY AND PROCEDURE Volunteering Western Australia provides a range of services to Volunteers, Managers/Co-ordinators of Volunteers and Agencies involving volunteers and is committed to providing quality service which includes protecting the privacy of every person. From 21st December 2001 Volunteering Western Australia is bound by new sections of the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988, which set out a number of principles concerning the protection of personal information. This policy contains the information, which under the Privacy Act, Volunteering Western Australia is required to communicate to its constituents. It also sets out the responsibilities of the staff (paid and unpaid) at Volunteering Western Australia. Your Personal Information Personal information held by Volunteering Western Australia may include your name, address, contact telephone numbers, e-mail address, position held, agency/company, country of birth, whether you are of Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander heritage, your preferred language and whether you identify as a person with a disability. Such information will have been provided by you and will be held with your permission. How Volunteering Western Australia collects personal information Volunteering Western Australia collects personal information directly from you when you: • provide information by phone, • attend an interview as a prospective volunteer, • apply for membership, • provide information about your agency for our database to recruit new volunteers, or • fill in a registration form for a training course conducted by Volunteering Western Australia, • or in other such circumstances as may arise from time to time. How we use your personal/agency information (NPP2 – Use & Disclosure) Your personal information may be used for compiling general statistics (these do not include your name, address, etc.) required to meet Volunteering Western Australia’s contractual agreements to funding bodies (eg. Department for Community Development, Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services, Volunteering Australia and other government and non-government agencies and funding bodies). Agency information will be included in our VRC Database and will be used for the purpose of people seeking voluntary work, internal record keeping and information delivery. No information will be provided to any third party without the permission of the agency. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

142 Standard Seven Documentation and Records Disclosure Personal details such as name, address, contact details will not be disclosed to any third party without prior consent from the individual or agency concerned. Information regarding country of birth, whether you are of Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander heritage, your preferred language and whether you identify yourself as a person with a disability will only be used to provide statistics regarding the number of clients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and indigenous/Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, and the number of clients who identify themselves as having a disability. To meet our contractual agreement statistics are provided as raw data only – no personal details are included. Accuracy of Information (NPP3 – Data Quality) Volunteering Western Australia takes all reasonable care to ensure that the information collected is accurate, complete and up-to-date. Because accuracy depends upon the information you provide we recommend that you: • let us know if there are any errors in your personal information, and • keep us up-to-date with relevant changes (especially agency information that is available, via our database, to prospective volunteers). Agencies will be provided with an opportunity to update their information annually. Security & Retention of Data (NPP4 – Data Security) All personal data, collected for statistical purposes, will be retained in written or electronic form by the relevant staff member. Filing cabinets will be locked and computers will only be accessed by authorised staff (paid and volunteer). No prospective volunteers when attending interviews will obtain access to personal data other than their own. All Volunteering Western Australia staff and volunteers sign confidentiality agreements at the commencement of their employment. Access to Information (NPP6 – Access) Every client has the right to access their personal information. If they would like to do so they should contact Volunteering Western Australia on (08) 9420 7288. Anonymity (NPP8 – Anonymity) No person is legally required to identify him/herself when contacting Volunteering Western Australia. All persons seeking volunteer referral will be required to identify him/herself and also to provide the name and contact number of a referee who shall have previously given permission to be named for this purpose. Anonymity is not possible for Centrelink clients seeking voluntary work to fulfil ‘Voluntary Work Initiative’ or ‘Newstart’ obligations. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

143 Standard Seven Documentation and Records Sensitive Information (NPP10 – Sensitive Information) Sensitive information as defined in 6(1) of the Privacy Act 1988 means: (a) information or an opinion about an individual’s: • racial or ethnic origin, or • political opinions, or • membership of a political association, or • religious beliefs or affiliations, or • philosophical beliefs, or • membership of a professional or trade association, or • membership of a trade union, or • sexual preferences or practices, or • criminal record that is also personal information, or (b) health information about an individual. Volunteering Western Australia collects information regarding ethnic origin and disability to fulfil its contractual arrangements regarding the provision of services to all people regardless of their cultural background or disability. Prospective volunteers are not compelled to disclose this information, however they are required to disclose any reason why they would be unable to undertake certain aspects of voluntary work for their own protection. Acknowledgement to Volunteering Western Australia. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

144 Standard Seven Documentation and Records Privacy Statements Sample Provided below are examples of privacy statements that can be used on correspondence. Email messages This message and any files transmitted with it is confidential and should be read only by those persons to whom it is addressed. If you have received this e-mail in error, we request that you contact (agency name), and return the e- mail immediately to (agency email address) and delete the e-mail and documents without making a copy. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where it is specifically stated otherwise. The use of all information herewith adheres to the guidelines stipulated in the Privacy Amendment Act 2000. For your own protection you must scan this e-mail and any attached files for viruses. (Agency name) does not accept liability for any loss, damage or consequence from the use of any attached files. Standard forms The use of all information obtained adheres to the guidelines stipulated in the Privacy Amendment Act 2000. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

145 Standard Seven Samples Documentation and Records SAMPLE Confidentiality Procedure Practice Grouping: ____________________________ VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT Practice Name: ______________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY PRACTICE: A volunteer of Armadale Home Help Services will respect the confidentiality and dignity of clients, staff and other volunteers and will not discuss or divulge any personal matters involving them to others except for Armadale Home Help Services’ staff. PROCEDURES Responsibility 1. At the orientation and induction of a new volunteer, the Volunteer confidentiality issue will be explained fully by the Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator of Armadale Home Help Services 2. At this stage a new volunteer is requested to sign a Volunteer Coordinator/ “confidentiality” form which will be kept on the Volunteer volunteer’s personnel file. 3. A volunteer also has the right to expect confidentiality Volunteer from clients, staff and other volunteers, regarding their own personal issues. Acknowledgement to Armadale Home Help Service. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

146 Standard Seven Samples Documentation and Records SAMPLE Confidentiality Agreement Armadale Home Help Services requires that the confidentiality of the client be respected at all times. I will at no time disclose or discuss any information pertaining to the client of the organisation, other than to the appropriate staff of Armadale Home Help Services. I hereby agree to abide by the Code of Ethics and Confidentiality Practice and Procedures. Signature: __________________________________________ Date: / / __________________________ Name of Volunteer: __________________________________ Signature: __________________________________________ Date: / / __________________________ Name of Coordinator: ________________________________ Acknowledgement to Armadale Home Help Services. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

147 Standard Seven Templates Documentation and RecordsTitle Confidentiality (Agency name) Confidentiality Agreement I, (volunteer name), agree as part of the condition of my volunteer role, to keep in strict confidence, any information regarding (agency’s name), or any information concerning the participants/service users of the agency’s programs or any other agency, that I may have knowledge of. I will not remove any confidential written material from the agency unless given permission to do so. Signed: ______________________________________ Volunteer______________________________________ / / Date: ________________________ Signed: ______________________________________ Volunteer Coordinator____________________________ / / Date: ________________________ V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

Standard Eight Continuous Improvement An organisation that involves volunteers shall plan and continually review its volunteer management system to ensure that opportunities to improve the quality of the system are identified and actively pursued.

149 Standard Eight Continuous Improvement This standard is designed to answer three basis questions: (1) Does the organisation have an effective system for managing volunteers? (2) Is the system being followed? and (3) Is there a process in place to improve the system? What is the intent of this standard? This standard requires that an organisation take a pro-active and planned approach when assessing the effectiveness of its volunteer management system. This approach involves collecting relevant data about the day-to-day operations of the management system and feeding such information into a systematic and continuous process for improving its effectiveness and efficiency. One of the practical requirements of this standard is to conduct regular audits of the management system to help prevent improvement efforts becoming spasmodic and ineffective. The principle requirements of this standard include the following: • the organisation should develop a policy and commit resources to making system improvements • relevant data should be collected to enable the effectiveness of all elements of the volunteer management system to be assessed • scheduled audits should be carried out in accordance with planned and defined procedures • the results of the audit should be documented and brought to the attention of appropriate personnel • corrective actions should be taken to address any areas identified in the audit needing to be improved Taken from National Standards for involving Volunteers in not for profit organisations. Volunteering Australia, 2001. STANDARD 8 Continuous Improvement An organisation that involves volunteers shall plan and continually review its volunteer management system to ensure that opportunities to improve the quality of the system are identified and actively pursued. Below is a checklist for you to determine how well you are achieving this Standard. Policy and resources The organisation has a written policy that commits the organisation to making continuous improvements in its volunteer management system. Such a policy may typically include: • The objectives and rationale for making continuous improvements in the system for managing volunteers • The need for a planned and systematic approach to continuous improvement • Linking continuous improvement activities with everyday functions and operations • The need to address short term and long term quality improvement V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

150 Standard Eight Continuous Improvement Responsibility and authority for planning, managing and coordinating continuous improvement activities are clearly designated. Adequate resources (time, personnel, practical support, skills development) are made available to undertake continuous improvement activities. Data collection and analysis The organisation monitors and collects data on the outcomes of the service delivered by volunteers. This data will typically include: • Solicited customer feedback (eg customer surveys, focus groups) • Unsolicited customer feedback (eg customer complaints, compliments) • Conclusions and recommendations from service quality audits The organisation monitors and collects data on the satisfaction of volunteers with the organisation as well as with their day to day work. This data will typically include: • Solicited volunteer feedback (eg climate surveys, grievances) • Unsolicited volunteer feedback (eg compliments, complaints) • Feedback from team meetings • Feedback from volunteer exit interviews The organisation monitors and collects data in other areas of the volunteer management system to support the continuous improvement. This data may include: • The numbers and length of any vacancies for volunteer positions • The numbers of volunteers recruited per campaign/time period • Volunteer retention and turnover rates • Absenteeism and attendance of volunteers • Volunteer participation in training and development programs The data that is collected from various sources is compiled, analysed and converted into meaningful information about which the organisation can take appropriate action. Quality improvement The organisation carries out audits of the various elements of the volunteer management system to determine: • The effectiveness of the system in achieving its stated objectives • Compliance with all documented policies and procedures • Compliance with the national standards V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

151 Standard Eight Continuous Improvement Audits are comprehensive and they cover all areas and activities within the volunteer management system. The areas and activities covered should typically include: • Organisational and management structures • Management operations, processes and resources • Documentation and record keeping • Data collection systems • Volunteer work areas, operations and processes • Personnel, equipment and facilities An appropriate plan is formulated to carry out audits. The format for the plan should cover: • The reasons for carrying out the audit (eg scheduled interval, a reported deficiency, organisational change) • The specific areas and activities to be audited • Who will be responsible for the conduct of the audit • Who will be involved • The standards to be used (eg national standards, industry standards) • Criteria for priority setting • Procedure for reporting audit findings Audits are conducted on a regular basis, either at appropriately scheduled intervals or in response to some reported deficiencies. Audits of the volunteer management system are carried out by competent personnel, ideally independent of the areas or activities being audited. Results, findings and recommendations of the audit are documented and brought to the attention of the organisation’s management. Appropriate follow up actions are identified, prioritised and implemented to improve the volunteer management system following completion of an audit. The effectiveness of the actions taken to improve the quality of the volunteer management system are evaluated. The audits and follow up actions are conducted in accordance with established procedures. Acknowledgement to National Standards for involving volunteers in not for profit organisations, Volunteering Australia, 2001. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

152 Volunteer Resource Manual Feedback Form Your ideas and suggestions are important to the growth and development of volunteering in Western Australia. Please consider the following questions and forward the feedback form to: Volunteering Western Australia 2 Delhi Street, West Perth WA 6005 fax: (08) 9420 7289 community@volunteer.org.au 1. How useful has the Volunteer Resource Manual been in your organisation? In what ways has it been useful? 2. Would you like to comment on the structure and format of the Resource Manual? 3. Do you have any suggestions about changes or improvements to be made for future updates of the Resource Manual? 4. Does the Resource Manual offer a means for continuity of policies and procedures of your volunteer program in the event of changes within your organisation? 5. Would you like to provide any other comments/feedback in relation to the Resource Manual? Thank you for your feedback. V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

153 Index Acceptance letter – sample..................................................................................................................................................51 Accident report form – template ..........................................................................................................................................93 Acknowledgement letter – sample ......................................................................................................................................47 Adverts in a nutshell ............................................................................................................................................................33 Application for reimbursement – template............................................................................................................................96 Appraisal/assessment ........................................................................................................................................................107 Areas of responsibility for volunteer positions......................................................................................................................35 Assessment/appraisal ........................................................................................................................................................107 Budget for volunteers ..........................................................................................................................................................21 Certificate of appreciation – sample ..................................................................................................................................115 Checks – pre-employment/pre-placement ..........................................................................................................................40 Confidentiality – template ..................................................................................................................................................147 Confidentiality agreement – sample ..................................................................................................................................146 Confidentiality procedure – sample....................................................................................................................................145 Confidentially......................................................................................................................................................................140 Contributions record of volunteer – template ......................................................................................................................97 Co-ordinators’ network – sample ........................................................................................................................................26 Developing a recruitment message – template....................................................................................................................56 Developing a volunteer policy ..............................................................................................................................................11 Disciplinary procedure – sample..........................................................................................................................................78 Dismissal of volunteer – template ......................................................................................................................................100 Do not contact list – sample ..............................................................................................................................................131 Documentation and Records Standard..............................................................................................................................135 Employee safety awareness questionnaire – sample ..........................................................................................................80 Evacuation procedure sample..............................................................................................................................................84 Exit interview – template ......................................................................................................................................................99 Expenditure reports for volunteers – template ....................................................................................................................95 Feedback – sample ............................................................................................................................................................127 Feedback form – sample....................................................................................................................................................132 Feedback form – Volunteer Resource Manual ..................................................................................................................152 Feedback form from staff – template ..................................................................................................................................89 Feedback from volunteer referral – sample ......................................................................................................................133 Feedback sheet from volunteer – template..........................................................................................................................91 Five minute feedback – sample ........................................................................................................................................127 Funding sources ..................................................................................................................................................................22 Gardening phone survey – sample ....................................................................................................................................130 Grants and funding ..............................................................................................................................................................22 Grievance procedure – sample ............................................................................................................................................79 Helpful words for valuing volunteers ..................................................................................................................................111 Honorariums and reimbursements ......................................................................................................................................67 Information kits for potential volunteers ..............................................................................................................................37 Insurance for volunteers ......................................................................................................................................................68 Insurance letter – template ..................................................................................................................................................98 Interview record – template..................................................................................................................................................57 Interviewing volunteers – getting it right ..............................................................................................................................38 Job description for a volunteer program manager – sample ..............................................................................................45 Management Responsibility Standard ................................................................................................................................18 Media release ......................................................................................................................................................................34 Medical clearance – template ..............................................................................................................................................61 Motivation of volunteers ....................................................................................................................................................109 Occupational health and safety policy – sample..................................................................................................................82 Occupational safety and health............................................................................................................................................71 Orientation checklist – sample ............................................................................................................................................53 Orientation policy – sample..................................................................................................................................................52 Orientation............................................................................................................................................................................43 Performance appraisal – template ....................................................................................................................................119 Phone survey – sample......................................................................................................................................................129 Planning for volunteer recruitment – template ....................................................................................................................55 Police certificates policy – sample ......................................................................................................................................46 Police checks........................................................................................................................................................................41 Policies and Procedures Standard ........................................................................................................................................8 Position description – sample ..............................................................................................................................................76 Position description – template ............................................................................................................................................85 Position descriptions ............................................................................................................................................................66 V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

154 Index Pre-employment/pre-placement checks ..............................................................................................................................40 Privacy Amendment Act 2000............................................................................................................................................138 Privacy Policy Sample........................................................................................................................................................141 Privacy Statements Sample ..............................................................................................................................................144 Procedures – getting it right ................................................................................................................................................70 Receipts and payments categories ......................................................................................................................................24 Recognising volunteers ......................................................................................................................................................108 Record of volunteer interview – template ............................................................................................................................57 Record of volunteer service – template ............................................................................................................................121 Recruitment – sample ..........................................................................................................................................................44 Recruitment message – template ........................................................................................................................................56 Recruitment of volunteers ....................................................................................................................................................31 Recruitment planning – template ........................................................................................................................................55 Recruitment policy – template..............................................................................................................................................54 Recruitment Selection and Orientation Standard ................................................................................................................28 Reference check – template ................................................................................................................................................59 Reference ..........................................................................................................................................................................110 Registration form – sample ..................................................................................................................................................48 Reimbursement application – template................................................................................................................................96 Reimbursements and honorariums ......................................................................................................................................67 Risk management ................................................................................................................................................................25 Safety awareness questionnaire – sample ..........................................................................................................................80 Selection Recruitment and Orientation Standard ................................................................................................................28 Service Delivery Standard ................................................................................................................................................123 Speakers report form – sample..........................................................................................................................................128 Staff feedback sheet – template ..........................................................................................................................................89 Staff survey on volunteer involvement – template ..............................................................................................................87 Standard Eight: Continuous Improvement ........................................................................................................................149 Standard Five; Training and Development ........................................................................................................................102 Standard Four: Work and the Workplace ............................................................................................................................63 Standard One: Policies and Procedures ................................................................................................................................8 Standard Seven: Documentation and Records ..................................................................................................................135 Standard Six: Service Delivery ..........................................................................................................................................123 Standard Three: Recruitment Selection and Orientation ....................................................................................................28 Standard Two: Management Responsibility ........................................................................................................................18 Time log – template ............................................................................................................................................................86 Training and Development Standard ..................................................................................................................................102 Training details – template ................................................................................................................................................118 Training session design – template....................................................................................................................................116 Training volunteer’s policy – sample ..................................................................................................................................112 Training volunteers ............................................................................................................................................................105 Valuing volunteers – helpful words ....................................................................................................................................111 Vehicle insurance letter – template ......................................................................................................................................98 Volunteer budget ..................................................................................................................................................................21 Volunteer contributions record – template ..........................................................................................................................97 Volunteer dismissal – template ..........................................................................................................................................100 Volunteer expenditure reports – template ............................................................................................................................95 Volunteer feedback sheet – template ..................................................................................................................................91 Volunteer instructions for session ......................................................................................................................................126 Volunteer insurance..............................................................................................................................................................68 Volunteer motivation idea generator ..................................................................................................................................109 Volunteer policy – sample ....................................................................................................................................................15 Volunteer position description – sample ..............................................................................................................................76 Volunteer positions – defining ..............................................................................................................................................35 Volunteer program manager Job description – sample ......................................................................................................45 Volunteer recognition procedure – template ........................................................................................................................16 Volunteer referral feedback – sample ................................................................................................................................133 Volunteer registration form – sample ..................................................................................................................................48 Volunteer Resource Manual – feedback form ....................................................................................................................152 Volunteer service record – template ..................................................................................................................................121 Volunteer training policy – sample ....................................................................................................................................112 Work and the Workplace Standard ......................................................................................................................................63 Workplace and first aid training – sample..........................................................................................................................114 Writing a media release ......................................................................................................................................................34 V O L U N T E E R R E S O U R C E M A N U A L 2003 © Volunteering Western Australia

Dcdguivwa resource manual2001

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