Volunteering
What is volunteering? "Volunteering is an activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or individuals or groups other than, or in addition to, close relatives.”
Principles of Volunteering
Choice: Volunteering is a choice freely made by individuals. Any encouragement to become involved in volunteering should not result in any form of coercion or compulsion. Freedom to volunteer implies freedom not to become involved.
Diversity: The diverse people of Hertfordshire bring a wide variety of skills, qualities and experience to the voluntary and community sector and this diversity needs to be recognised, respected and valued. Volunteering should be open to all, no matter what their background, age, race, sexual orientation, faith, etc. Volunteering can also help overcome social exclusion through new skills, experience, confidence and contacts gained while helping others.
Reciprocity: Volunteers offer their contribution unwaged but should benefit in other ways in return for their contribution to wider social objectives. Giving voluntary time and skills must be recognised as establishing a reciprocal relationship in which the volunteer also gains. Benefits that volunteers expect to gain include a sense of worthwhile achievement, useful skills, experience and contacts, sociability and fun, and inclusion in the life of the organisation and the wider community.
Recognition: The value of a volunteer’s contribution to the organisation, to the community, to the social economy and to wider social objectives, is fundamental to the relationship between volunteers, organisations and statutory policy and practice.
VOLUNTEERS CHARTER
Volunteers Rights
- To be given a clear idea of their tasks and responsibilities within the organisation
- To be given the name of someone in the organisation who will look after their interests and who will offer them appropriate support and supervision on a regular basis
- To be assured that any information shared with the organisation is kept confidentially
- To be given the same protection under health and safety regulations and public liability as paid employees
- To be offered opportunities for training and skills development, appropriate for the voluntary tasks involved
- To not be exploited - volunteers should not: -
- be used to replace paid workers
- have unfair demands made on their time
- be asked to do something which is against their principles or beliefs
- To be given the chance to play a part in decision making within the organisation
- To not be out of pocket through doing voluntary work. Travel and other expenses should be offered by all funded organisations
Volunteers’ Responsibilities
- To accept the organisations aims & objectives
- To do what is reasonably requested of them, to the best of their ability
- To treat information obtained whilst volunteering in a confidential manner - this can be information about clients or other workers, paid & unpaid
- To recognise the right of the organisation to expect quality of service from all its staff, paid & unpaid
- To recognise that they represent the organisation and therefore need to act in an appropriate manner at all times.
- To honour any commitment made to the best of their abilities, notifying the organisation in good time should they be unable to keep that commitment e.g. for holidays
- To be willing to undertake appropriate training with respect to Health & Safety issues, Insurance liability and general good practice as necessary for the voluntary work undertaken
- To share suggestions for changes in working practices with the Volunteer Co-ordinator
Follow these links to find out more:-
State benefits and volunteering