Student Volunteer Centre (SVC) Policy document - updated 2011

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Student Volunteer Centre

Guidelines, policies and procedures for

student volunteering

Developed: July 2008 Updated: January 2011

Review date: January 2012

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Contents

Section 1: Volunteering via the Centre Welcome to the Student Volunteer Centre…………………………………………… 3 Who is involved? …………….………………………………………………………………….. 4 How can students find out about volunteering? ………………….…….….…. 4 Why Volunteer? ………………………………………………………………………..….……… 5 How can you get involved? ……………………………………………………….………… 5 The Centre’s activities ……………………………………………………………….………… 6 Section 2: Internal volunteer policies & procedures Internal Volunteer Recruitment Policy ………………………..…….………..……. 7 Equal Opportunity & Diversity ………………………………………………………..…. 8 Confidentiality & Data Protection …………………………………….…………..….. 9 Health & Safety (& Insurance) …………………………………………….……..…... 10 Policy for Protection of Children & Vulnerable Adults .…………….………. 11 Criminal Disclosure Records ………………………………………………………….…. 14 IT and use of Telecommunications ………………..………………………………… 15 Dealing with Problems ……………………………………………………..………………. 16 Section 3: Other policies & procedures Expenses ……………………………………………………………………………………....... 17 Volunteering & state benefits ………………………………………………..………… 18 Student feedback ………………………………………………………....…………………. 19 Complaints Procedure ………………………………………………………….…………… 20 Appendices:

1. Confidentiality Agreement ………………………………………………………….. 22 2. Student Led Project Guidelines ………………………………………………….. 23 3. Tasters / One off Volunteering …………………………………………………... 25 4. Clubs & Societies in the Community …………………………………………… 26

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Section 1: Volunteering via the Centre

Welcome to the Student Volunteer Centre…

The University of Nottingham Students’ Union is committed to ensuring that our students have the best possible experience at University. We exist to represent the interests of our members to relevant stakeholders, provide quality services and great development opportunities.

Volunteer based development opportunities are important to us and our members for two reasons. Firstly the Students’ Union is run by students, for students and could not function without student volunteers. In addition, as a Union we take our responsibility as a stakeholder in the local community seriously and want to ensure our student volunteers are supported in making an active and positive contribution in the areas they live and work. Secondly, we know that volunteering provides our students with opportunities for personal development and to learn new skills. Volunteering not only improves our students’ experience at University but is valuable to them in the long-term. For example, in a recent survey by Student Volunteering England, 73% of employers stated that they would rather employ someone with voluntary work experience than without. To this end the Students’ Union facilitates a diverse range of volunteering opportunities. There are currently over 180 student-led societies and 75 sports clubs to get involved in. Our student-run fundraising organization, Karnival, is the largest in Europe raising in excess of £1,000,000 for good causes throughout 2010. For over 40 years we have supported student involvement in the community and currently have almost 2,000 students participating in over 120 local projects. URN, our student Radio Station and Impact, the Student Magazine, have won a clutch of recent national accolades. You can access all of these opportunities and many more from the central hub of the Student Volunteer Centre. We aim to make volunteering as easy as possible so that no matter what your interests or time commitments, the Student Volunteer Centre will help you find an opportunity that’s perfect for you and help you get the very best out of your time at University.

Mission Statement

'To provide a diverse range of volunteering opportunities to enable students to learn new skills and enhance their personal

development. STUDENT volunteers are informed, supported and active within the

Students' Union and wider community'.

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Who is involved?

Accommodation & Community Officer: Teddy Smith

Student Volunteer Centre Manager: Bridget Litchfield

Volunteer Development Workers: Amman Johal – Marketing & Publicity

Catie Smith – Student-led Projects Steve Barton – Varsity in the Community

Volunteers:

Fresher’s Volunteers Taster Volunteers

How can you find out about volunteering?

Projects Handbook: contains information about all volunteering opportunities

Mailing List: sign up to receive up-to-date information about all volunteering activities

Facebook: www.facebook.com

Website: www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/volunteering

Email us at: [email protected]

Telephone: 0115 846 8750

Drop in: The CENTRE is based in the Portland Building on Floor B

We are open 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday - all year round.

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Why Volunteer? Develop new skills Volunteering offers you the opportunity to share and develop new skills and experiences whilst supporting a project that you really care about. Training To help you to carry out your volunteering role effectively the Centre and many of the projects that work with us offer training. Experience Diversity Volunteering often involves working with people from a wide range of backgrounds and environments. Enhance your employability Volunteering provides a platform for you to develop the skills that many employers are looking for. Have fun Getting involved in volunteering should be exciting and fun. We organise socials and events throughout the year – just check out our website to find out about what’s coming up. How can you get involved? The following list shows the different ways you can get involved in volunteering:

Student Volunteer Centre: Internal Volunteers Student-led Projects

Volunteer placement with an external project Project Referrals One-off Tasters

Clubs & Societies in the Community

Students’ Union: AU Exec & AU Clubs

Intra-Mural Sports (IMS) Societies

SU Training Team Exec Committees

SU Council Student Run Services

Democracy & Communications

Socials/Events

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The Centre’s activities

Internal Volunteers: Working closely with the staff team the student volunteers play a core role in the day to day running of the department. We are committed to involving volunteers in all areas of our work to ensure that we reflect the interests and needs of internal and external communities. Student-led Projects: These projects are set up and run entirely by students. The Centre actively encourages you to come forward with your ideas and then provides support and guidance to help you develop your ideas into successful projects. For project guidelines see appendix 2. Placement with an external project: You can choose a volunteering role from the range of projects and opportunities from the Centre’s Handbook or by speaking to the staff team. Please note: If you are not based at one of the Nottingham campus sites we can offer you information about projects in your area.

Placement process: Complete a Student Record form Volunteers will then follow their chosen project’s recruitment process & their

project’s policies and procedures*

*SVC request copies of external project’s policies relating to volunteers before promoting their opportunities. This information ensures volunteering best practice and protects student welfare. One-off Tasters The Centre organises a variety of One-off volunteering activities, these have include painting, organising Christmas Parties for children and the elderly, and making bird-boxes for community allotments. Please see appendix 3.

Process: Complete a Student Record form We will then give you information about times, location, travel arrangements etc.

NB: Tasters sometimes need volunteer Leaders to coordinate the day’s activities and volunteers. The main duties are ensuring that everyone arrives promptly and stays safe and happy during the day. Clubs and Societies in the Community (CSIC) These community based volunteering projects are run by members of a Club or Society. CSIC is a project that students can undertake as part of their Stars Gold Award. The Centre can offer support and guidance to help you develop your ideas. Please see Appendix 4. Students’ Union: You can access information about all of the SU’s internal volunteering roles through the Centre. Socials/Events: We also want you to have fun whilst getting involved so throughout the year we organise social events. Everyone who is registered on the mailing list is invited to come along to our socials and events.

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Section 2: Internal volunteer policies & procedures Internal Volunteer Recruitment Policy Please note: This policy is only applicable to students applying for a volunteering role within the Centre. Recruitment:

All internal volunteer roles will have a clear role description outlining tasks and any particular skills needed.

Application form & selection: You will be asked to complete an application form and attend an informal interview.

If selected: Induction: You will be offered an introduction to staff and colleagues, information

about the SU and the Centre, role-based training, Disability Awareness, Health & Safety instructions and the policies and procedures of the SU and the Centre.

Non-selection: If you are not selected for a role within the Centre you will be offered the

opportunity to request feedback and information about other volunteering opportunities.

Support: The Accommodation & Community Officer (A&CO) and the Centre’s staff team will strive to ensure that the volunteer team are supported within their roles and will meet with the A&CO, Manager, staff and the volunteer team on a regular basis. You can request a one-to-one meeting with the A&CO or Manager at any time to discuss any issues or concerns. If you have any serious issues or concerns they will be asked to refer to the ‘Complaints Procedure’. Commitment: We recognise that you have lots of pressures on your free time, so the Centre offers some flexibility within your volunteering role. But, as the internal volunteers play a key role in the day to day running of the department, this flexibility has to be balanced against the need to maintain the quality of our services. If you are unable to come in for your role as normal, you should contact one of the staff team. This will help us to make suitable arrangements in covering or re-scheduling your work. Training & Development: You will receive training to fulfil your role. But we also aim to help you benefit from further development opportunities and we will inform you of any further training or development opportunities as they arise. Students’ views & feedback: Student volunteers play a core role within the Centre and are encouraged to attend regular meetings to discuss our activities and departmental issues. We also encourage you to complete a Feedback Questionnaire, when you leave the Centre. This offers you an opportunity to tell us about your volunteering experience and to help us to make any changes to volunteer involvement in the future.

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Equal Opportunity & Diversity

The Student Volunteer Centre welcomes and celebrates the diversity of volunteers and those who work with them, or offer services to them. The Centre is strongly committed to equal opportunities for all and encourages its projects and service users to share this commitment. We recognise that some people suffer discrimination, lack of opportunity and oppression on various grounds, such as race, age, gender, class, disability, health status, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, beliefs, culture, appearance, marital status, sexuality, employment history, carer responsibilities, criminal convictions or trade union activity. The Centre is committed to: establishing and maintaining a culture of equal opportunities in all that it does implementing anti-discriminatory practices in all areas of work and amongst its

projects. The Centre will pursue the following objectives: to be accessible to all service users of the University of Nottingham Students’ Union. volunteers will represent the diversity of the student population. staff and internal volunteers will be trained in Disability and Inclusion. the range of projects available will be as diverse as possible to reflect the range of

interests of the student population, and the diversity of the wider Nottingham community.

publicity materials are anti-discriminatory and don’t promote stereotypes or prejudices

implement procedures for monitoring and evaluating all aspects of the department’s performance with respect to diversity and inclusion in order to develop good practice and up-date policies.

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Confidentiality & Data Protection The Student Volunteer Centre is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of its service users and projects. In normal circumstances no information about an individual will be given to an external organisation without prior permission. We recognise that sometimes this isn’t always possible though. In this situation you will be told what will happen and why. This includes: where the health and safety of any volunteer, or another individual, may be at risk the disclosure to a volunteer of abuse, or details of other criminal activity (see Child

Protection). Responsibility of Volunteers It is important that information about other people is kept confidential. All confidential files are secure and only accessible to those who need to know their contents. Staff and students working in the Centre may only pass on information when a disclosure is made. Internal volunteers will be asked to sign a Confidentiality Agreement (Appendix 1). All students' records are held on a VBase database system which is accessible to the Centre’s staff and internal volunteers. Volunteers also complete a Student Record Form the completed forms are held within the Centre in a locked cabinet and are accessible to staff and internal volunteers Some information may be used for statistical purposes, and figures drawn from it may be included in reports. These reports will not contain names, addresses or any other information that could identify any person. Our student records are held for 7 years. After this time period all paper records are destroyed and VBase records are deleted from the database. If students feel that their confidentiality has been breached, they should follow the Students’ Union Complaints Procedure.

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Health & Safety The objective of the policy is to reduce the likelihood of injury through proactively managing risk. This action will be to a level that complies with all legal requirements in the UK and current best practice recommended by acknowledged experts. Where possible this will be done without compromising the enjoyment of the activity. Organisation Everyone within the Student Volunteer Centre has a duty to provide for the health, safety and welfare of themselves and others. Within the Centre primary responsibility for health and safety rests with the Centre Manager. The Students’ Union safety arrangements are part of the University’s overall safety policy. Where volunteers are placed with an organisation separate from the Centre and the Students’ Union that organisation’s health and safety policy will be obtained. This will enable responsibilities to be clarified with all the individuals and organisations involved. Responsibilities can be summarised at a basic level in the following way: Volunteers are responsible for their own actions and for following the reasonable instructions of the person responsible for organising the safe delivery of specific activities, whether in an internal Student Volunteer Centre project or an external project. Project leaders are responsible for implementing good health and safety practices during activities. The Centre’s staff are responsible for disseminating appropriate health and safety information and appointing suitable project leaders. They are also responsible for assessing the suitability, from a health and safety perspective, of external projects. The Student Activities and Health & Safety Manager is responsible for developing and monitoring systems and procedures that ensure that student activities are undertaken within the Students’ Union safety policy. Arrangements for health, safety and welfare The Student Volunteer Centre will endeavour to fulfil its responsibilities to its members via the following:

Co-operating and communicating with external organisations to obtain relevant health and safety information about prospective and ongoing projects.

Provision of Public Liability insurance*. Training for the volunteers to raise awareness of legal requirements, guidelines

and SU policy. Dissemination of relevant information to volunteers. An effective system of recording and investigating accidents/near misses.

Reviewing the policy It is an aim of this policy to create an environment where safety issues can be openly discussed. At an operational level a review may only need to involve those people directly affected. It is everyone’s responsibility to raise problems if safety is compromised. The Centre Manager will review the policy annually. This may happen more often in the light of new laws, processes, hazards, activities or problems. *Please note: If you are volunteering abroad the Public Liability insurance does not include 3rd party cover. This does not prevent you from taking a volunteering position which requires you to work overseas but you must speak to the Centre Manager to find out more information.

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Policy for Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Definitions For the purpose of this policy and guidelines the term child or children means, any child or young person under the age of 18. Vulnerable adults are people who are, or may be, in need of community care services because of mental disability or other disability, age or illness, and who are, or who may be, unable to take care of themselves or unable to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation. Purpose All volunteers who come into contact with children or vulnerable adults have a responsibility to protect them from inappropriate or harmful actions and situations. This means ensuring that children or vulnerable adults are safe while participating in SU activities and ensuring that volunteers are aware of how to respond should they have any anxieties about the safety of participants. Nottingham University Students’ Union recognises the importance of the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and their right to protection from all forms of abuse. It is equally important that volunteers do not put themselves in a situation where they might be at risk of harming children or vulnerable adults or of being accused of so doing. This policy applies to all participants in Students’ Union activities. Please contact Julia Lediard, the Health and Safety Manager (0115 8468782) for further advice if your group is going to be involved with children or vulnerable adults, particularly if there is no responsible outside body involved (e.g. a school). Safe Practice Here are some simple guidelines for volunteers to avoid compromising situations on projects; by following these, volunteers will keep themselves safe, too. Avoid physical play and rough games Plan activities that avoid you working in isolation with a child or vulnerable adult Never threaten or hit a child or vulnerable adult Create and maintain a safe and caring environment that enables children and

vulnerable adults to raise concerns about attitudes or behaviour they do not like Challenge activities which are abusive e.g. initiation ceremonies, bullying, including

those from a child’s peers Only restrain a child or vulnerable adult if they are endangering themselves or others.

Make a note of what happened as soon as possible after the event. Be aware of your presentation and actions when comforting an upset child or

vulnerable adult

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Compromising Situations: Avoid one-to-one situations, e.g. children needing toilet trips should be taken by a

same sex pair of volunteers. If, in an emergency, a volunteer is alone with a child or vulnerable adult, inform a co-

worker and attempt to put yourself in a location where you can be seen or there is easy access e.g. by leaving the room’s door open.

Always be in sight or ear shot of at least one other adult Never take young people to your home, or give them your home address/phone

number Try not to allow yourself to be drawn into vulnerable situations. Don’t ever be in a situation you are uncomfortable with. Keep safe boundaries and use your common sense. A protection issue may come to the notice of a volunteer in several ways.

A child or vulnerable adult may make a direct and full disclosure. A child or vulnerable adult may make a comment which seems to suggest abuse. It may be obvious that a child or vulnerable adult has sustained an injury. Something about a child or vulnerable adult’s behaviour may suggest the

possibility of abuse. Something about the behaviour of a volunteer or staff member may suggest that

he/she is not a suitable person to care for children or vulnerable adults. Types of Abuse Physical: any type of physical harm, including smacking, hitting, shaking and intoxication. Sexual: Directly or indirectly – anything that uses children or vulnerable adults for the sexual gratification of adults, including/encouraging the watching of pornography. Emotional: A constant lack of love and affection; threats, taunting, anything that leads to a lack of self-esteem. Neglect: Not meeting basic physical and emotional needs. Leaving a child or vulnerable adult on his or her own or not providing basic provision, food, clothing, care for health – even preventing harm. If abuse is suspected or disclosed volunteers should:

1. Listen, observe, notice – do not question or promise to keep secrets 2. As soon as possible, record only what you have heard/seen (not what you think

or feel) and keep this in a safe place 3. Tell the child/adult what you are going to do next 4. Do not disclose the information to anyone else 5. Do not cover up for a colleague whom you suspect or know is being abusive -

report it immediately 6. Share information in private with any of the following:

The volunteer co-ordinator in your external organisation Bridget Litchfield, the Centre manager (0115 8468752) Anne Heaton, Membership Services Manager (0115 8468774) Julia Lediard, Student Activities and Health and Safety Manager (0115 8468782)

If you think the child or vulnerable adult is in immediate danger and you are unable to contact the above, contact social services on (0115) 917 5800; out of hours contact the social services emergency duty team on (0115) 844 7333. Alternatively, contact the police by dialling 999.

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Additional Information: For volunteers working regularly with Children or Vulnerable Adults Children and vulnerable adults who are being abused are most likely to tell people that they trust and with whom they feel safe. Volunteers who work with children or vulnerable adults on a regular basis often share close relationships and may be the sort of person in whom a child or vulnerable adult might place their trust. If a Child or Vulnerable Adult Discloses Abuse: Stay calm - don’t take hasty or inappropriate action. Listen carefully and assure the child/vulnerable adult that you take them seriously.

Listening well involves paying attention - stop what you are doing, make eye-contact. Be sensitive - keep questions to a minimum and be sure that you are absolutely

clear about what you have been told. Avoid closed or leading questions and let them do the talking.

Explain that you CANNOT keep what the child/vulnerable adult has told you a secret, and you may have to pass the information on so that something can be done about it if necessary

Acknowledge how difficult it must have been for them to confide in you and reassure them that they are not to blame. Continue to offer support to the child/vulnerable adult and do not rush off. Do not make promises that you are unable to keep.

The child/vulnerable adult must NOT be asked to repeat the allegation WHAT TO DO NEXT A confidential record should be kept of the disclosure using the child/vulnerable

adult’s own words, and recording his/her demeanour and actions. Do this AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Do not take sole responsibility. Tell Bridget Litchfield, the Centre Manager (0115 8468752) in private what you have been told. Do not disclose the information to anyone else.

It is not your responsibility to notify the family of the disclosure - that is the responsibility of Social Services.

Only in extreme circumstances when you expect the child/vulnerable adult to be in immediate danger should you stop the child going home and contact Emergency Social Services or the Police.

Remember: Keep yourself safe Do not cover up for a colleague whom you suspect or know is being abusive -

report it immediately to Bridget Litchfield, the Centre Manager (0115 8468752) If you feel unable to approach the Centre Manager we advise you to contact Anne

Heaton, Membership Services Manager (0115 8468774) or Julia Lediard, Health and Safety Manager (0115 8468782)

If you feel unable to do this you have the option to report it anonymously and directly to Social Services (0115 917 5800); out of hours contact the Social Services Emergency Duty Team on (0115 844 7333)

The Centre Manager will provide support for you, including updating you on the progress of the case and providing any information or pastoral support required.

Do not discuss the matter with other volunteers

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Criminal Disclosure Records

CRB guidelines for volunteer placements with external projects: All external projects will have a CRB Code of Practice which is relevant to their activities. If students have any unspent convictions they should speak with the Centre Manager or one of the Centre’s staff team who will be able to advise on their chosen project’s policy.

Student Volunteer Centre Policy: As an organisation using the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure service to assess applicants’ suitability for positions of trust, the Centre complies fully with the CRB Code of Practice and undertakes to treat all volunteers fairly. It undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure on the basis of a conviction or other information revealed. A CRB Disclosure is required where your volunteering role involves working with children or vulnerable adults. All students must provide details of their criminal record when returning their completed Disclosure form*. We request that this information is sent under separate, confidential cover, to a member of the staff team and we guarantee that this information will only be seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment or placement process. We only ask about ‘unspent’ convictions as defined in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. If you need further information about this act please see: www.crb.gov.uk. We make every subject of a CRB Disclosure aware of the existence of the CRB Code of Practice and make a copy available to them on request.

We undertake to discuss any matter revealed in a Disclosure with the person seeking the volunteering role.

We ensure that all those in the Centre who are involved in the CRB process have been suitably trained to identify and assess the relevance and circumstances of offences. We also ensure that they have received appropriate guidance and training in the relevant legislation relating to the employment of ex-offenders, e.g. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

*If students have any ‘unspent’ convictions and the information was not disclosed on completion of the CRB form this could prevent them from being offered a volunteering placement.

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Use of telecommunications (for internal volunteers only) Integrity of Communications Volunteers have a responsibility to draft all communications carefully, taking into account issues of harassment, defamation and discrimination. Email, blogs, podcasts and online communities are not private forums. You should in particular be aware that in some online communities (e.g. Facebook) they may be seen to be communicating in their Students’ Union persona so must ensure that their communications (including telephone communication) are not in conflict with their role, or with Students’ Union policies or values. Publishing any material which is confidential to, or which damages the reputation of the Students’ Union or any individual, is prohibited. This applies to communication by email, blogging, podcasting or any other form of publication, whether electronic or otherwise. Where a volunteer’s activity in these areas leads to a breach of Staff/Volunteer Protocol, trust and confidence or dignity at work, this will be treated as ‘misconduct’. Please see ‘Dealing with problems’. Copyright and Licensing Volunteers have a responsibility to ensure that copyright and licensing laws are not breached when composing or forwarding e-mails and e-mail attachments, or when downloading information. Explicit Material The downloading or distribution of chain letters, inappropriate humour, explicit language or offensive images is not allowed. This section is not intended to include the forwarding or circulation of information relevant to work. Explicit, inappropriate or offensive material is not acceptable in the workplace. We wish to maintain a working environment in which staff and volunteers can feel comfortable, and such materials may cause offence to others, even where you may feel they are for your personal viewing only. Sending email potentially impacts beyond the intended recipient due to the nature of the work environment. For this reason the forwarding or circulation of information unrelated to work is not encouraged. Viruses and Attachments Staff and volunteers are responsible for virus checking any attachment before opening it on the network. Any warnings received of viruses should be notified directly to the System Supervisor and not circulated around the system. Support If a volunteer has any concerns about the use of telecommunications whilst working within the Centre they should speak to a member of the staff team.

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Dealing with problems We hope that most problems can be dealt with and resolved informally through discussion with the Centre Manager or the A&CO. In the interests of fairness and the protection of volunteers, staff and our service users, it is necessary to have procedures for dealing with problems, complaints or other difficult situations which cannot be resolved informally. There are two sets of circumstances which may result in more formal action being taken:

If a volunteer has a complaint to make about any aspect of their role within the Centre, including the conduct of other staff or volunteers.

If there is a problem with a volunteer’s conduct or behaviour – if they behave in a way that is unacceptable or do not perform their role appropriately.

We have tried to make this procedure as simple and clear as possible and we aim to ensure that any problems are dealt with in a fair and professional way.

If you have a complaint The Centre will deal with any complaint sensitively, promptly, effectively and in strict confidence. You should talk to the Centre Manager or A&CO in the first instance who will try to resolve the issue and record the outcome. If you are not satisfied with the outcome at this stage, you may wish to make a complaint more formally. In this instance, you should follow the SU Complaints Procedure.

Other problems If you are finding it difficult to perform your role effectively, in most cases it is possible to review tasks/roles and find a better match to suit your skills and abilities. If no suitable alternative roles can be found within the SU we can help you to find suitable roles within other organisations where you can develop your skills and be supported. Where there is misconduct or a breach of rules the A&CO or the Centre Manager will meet with you to discuss the circumstances. What is ‘misconduct’? The following examples are normally regarded as misconduct: Sexual, racial or other harassment, or conduct contrary to the Ethical Values of the

Centre Deliberate and serious breach of confidentiality relating to client records/information Serious misuse of the organisations computers, email or internet access If after the meeting with the volunteer, the Centre Manager and A&CO it is agreed that a breach of the rules has occurred, the volunteer will be excluded from volunteering within the Student Volunteer Centre.

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Section 3: Other policies & procedures Expenses

Where possible, the Centre believes projects should pay volunteers out-of-pocket expenses but we understand that this may not be possible for some projects, and in these cases we may agree to pay these expenses. For volunteers working on projects, or where it is agreed the Centre will pay expenses, the following guidelines apply: 1. The Centre will only pay expenses on the production of valid receipts 2. Travel to or from projects should be by public transport if possible, unless it’s

cheaper to share a taxi. For an un-shared taxi expenses will be paid at the equivalent cost of public transport.

3. Where volunteers have their own car, expenses will be reimbursed at a rate of 17p per mile*.

4. Every attempt should be made to claim expenses on a termly basis. Failure to do so may result in the claim being refused.

5. If you use a cycle, expenses for wear and tear can be claimed at the rate of 10p per mile.

6. The Centre will pay travel expenses up to a maximum radius of 25 miles from the main university campus and a maximum of £10 per return journey.

*Please note: If you drive a car or motorbike to your volunteering placement you must inform your insurance company to ensure that you have adequate cover.

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Volunteering & state benefits

Definition of voluntary work All benefits rulings agree that voluntary work is work for a not-for-profit organisation, or work for someone who is not a member of your family, where only reasonable expenses are paid.

Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA) If you are on JSA you can do as much voluntary work as you want as long as you remain available for and are actively seeking work.

Income Support (IS) Volunteering should not affect your Income Support as long as you are not receiving any money other than reimbursement of expenses.

Incapacity Benefit (IB) There is a lot of confusion over Incapacity Benefit because there used to be a rule that individuals in receipt of the benefit could only volunteer for 16 hours a week. This rule no longer applies, although many people are still being told that it does. If you are in receipt of Incapacity Benefit then you can volunteer for as long as you want.

Employment Support Allowance (ESA) (introduced October 2007) The ESA replaces both IB and IS (new claimants will receive ESA). The regulations on ESA clearly state that claimants will be allowed to volunteer. The regulations also recognise that reasonable expenses can be reimbursed to claimants who volunteer.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) DLA is an allowance paid in acknowledgement of the fact that life for someone with a disability may be more expensive – for instance, someone with mobility problems may be reliant on taxis. Volunteering will not affect whether you receive this benefit or not.

Expenses & Benefits Apart from DLA, the above benefits are open only to people who are not in paid employment. Any kind of paid work would jeopardise your right to claim benefits, and you may find that your payments are docked or suspended. However, expenses do not constitute a payment, so volunteers can receive reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (any expenses incurred because you are volunteering) without your benefits being affected.

Informing Benefits Advisers It is compulsory for you to notify benefits advisers if you are claiming any of the above benefits. We do not have a duty to inform the benefit office about your volunteering role and we will not contact them. But, be aware that we often take photographs for our promotional materials – so you could be ‘exposed’ in some of our promotional resources!

This information was taken from www.volunteeringengland.org

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Student feedback The Centre constantly seeks new ways to improve our services to students and to help us to do this we welcome suggestions and feedback from everyone involved in our activities. We collect this information in a variety of ways: Meetings: All internal volunteers are invited to meet with the Centre Manager and the A&CO to discuss the activities of the department. Student Feedback forms: Students who come into the department may be asked to complete a Student Feedback form. Yearly volunteering evaluations: The Centre’s staff and internal volunteer teams will seek feedback from students who have been placed into volunteering roles. This may be by way of an on-line survey, completion of feedback forms or informally by phone. Staff and volunteers record and collate the feedback received and this information is reviewed and actioned throughout the year. If you have raised a problem or issue that needs immediate action you should speak with the Centre Manager who will try to resolve the problem see ‘Dealing with Problems’ and the ‘SU Complaints procedure’. Alternatively, if you have been happy with the service offered by the department and told us about your experience, we may use this feedback in our promotional material. *Suggestions and feedback can be given anonymously and if this is the case we ensure our student’s anonymity is respected.

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Complaints Procedure Everyone at the Students’ Union wants our members and customers to be happy with our services. However, from time to time things do go wrong, and you may feel you wish to complain. This document explains what you can do. If your complaint refers to an Officer, please refer to the Complaints Procedure in the Big Red Book. This contains the Students’ Union Constitution, which governs the way that we run the Students’ Union and sets out your rights as a member. A copy may be obtained from the Democracy & Communications Officer, Students’ Union Administration, Portland Building or from our website at: http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/union/union_constitution.php Informal Procedure If you are unhappy about any aspect of the Students’ Union services, we want to solve your problem as quickly as possible. The best way to do this is for you to talk to a member of staff, explaining what is wrong and what they can do to correct it. They, or their manager, will endeavour to put it right immediately, and will check that you are happy. If this is not possible they will tell you what they are going to do. If you are still not happy and want to take the complaint further, you will need to follow the Formal Complaints Procedure. The Formal Complaints Procedure Stage 1

Write to the Departmental Manager saying that you are making a formal complaint. Say what your complaint is, with all relevant details, your name and how you can be contacted. If your complaint is about the Manager go straight to Stage 2. The Manager should acknowledge your letter within 5 working days. S/he will look into your complaint and decide the best way of solving the problem. Hopefully you will be able to accept the Manager’s guidance. If this does not resolve your complaint, or if the Manager has not offered a way forward within 15 working days of your writing to the Department, you should go to Stage 2 of this procedure.

Stage 2

If Stage 1 of the complaints procedure did not solve the problem or if the Manager did not respond, or if your complaint is about the Manager, you should do the following: Write to the relevant Senior Manager. The Department will advise you how to contact her. Include in your letter all relevant details about your complaint, why (if relevant) you are dissatisfied with the Manager’s findings, your name and how you may be contacted. If it is more convenient, you can include copies of any previous letters about the problem. Your letter must be acknowledged within 10 working days.

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The relevant Senior Manager will speak with everyone involved and will give you a written reply to your complaint within 20 working days. She will be aiming for a solution that everyone is happy with. If Stage 2 does not provide a result that you can agree to, you should consider the next Stage.

Stage 3

If Stage 2 did not give a satisfactory result, an Executive Officers’ Panel can investigate your complaint. The decision of this Panel is binding on all parties. To start Stage 3 you must write to the Students’ Union President within 10 days of receiving the letter telling you about the result of Stage 2. Your letter must explain why you do not agree with the relevant Senior Manager’s findings and ask that an Executive Officers’ Panel is set up to consider your case. The Panel will be made up of three people – two members of the Students’ Union Executive and the General Manager, none of whom should have detailed knowledge of the matter. This means that the Panel cannot include any Executive Officer who may have advised you, or who may be involved in the complaint. The Students’ Union President will arrange for the Panel to meet no later than 15

working days after this request.

The Panel will investigate until they are satisfied that they have all the information they need. You may choose to meet them and explain your case. And you can take along a supporter if you wish. If you do this you must explain who the person is to the Panel.

The Panel must be fair and can take any action they wish to ensure fairness.

The Panel will reach its decision privately and will either support the earlier decision of the senior manager (Stage 2) or decide something different.

You must be told what the decision is within 5 working days. The decision of the Panel is final.

This document is available in Braille, tape, electronically and on disk upon request. Please ask a member of staff.

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Appendix 1 Confidentiality Agreement: I will not disclose any information about any person or organisation that I am working with to any third party during the course of my volunteering role with the Student Volunteer Centre unless I am given permission to do so. I understand that breaching confidentiality may lead to termination of my voluntary role within the Centre. NAME: _______________________________________ SIGNED: _____________________________________ DATE: __________________________

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Appendix 2

Student Led Project guidelines

Definition: A Student Led Project (SLP) is:

a short or long term project or activity wholly managed by a student or a group of

students who will be the Project Leader(s)

a project or activity with a volunteering focus i.e.

‘the act of a person(s) giving their time for no financial reward; of their own volition for the good of others, society or the environment’.

Extract from: Building on Success: Strategy for Volunteering Infrastructure in England 2004-2014 - Volunteering England

supported by a dedicated Development Worker based within the Student

Volunteer Centre

is also supported by the Students’ Union and as such is expected to manage their activities following the policies and guidelines of the Students’ Union (SU) and the Student Volunteer Centre (The Centre)

Setting up process: At the first stage of setting up your project, via the Centre, the Project Leaders will be asked to meet with the Centre’s Development Worker to:

discuss your idea. If you are replicating the work already being carried out by another SU group you will be encouraged to work together to avoid duplication

receive a SLP Handbook you will be asked to complete a Profile Form.

The Accommodation & Community Officer, Student Volunteer Centre Manager and SLP support worker meet to discuss your application. They will get back to you within 2 weeks.

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How can the SU support you?

STARS training Travel Expenses Start up Grants* Discounted rates at the SU Print Shop Bank Account Insurance Publicity Community links Minibus Office Facilities CRB Checks Storage Plus access to many other resources

The Centre’s Development Worker will explain the process of setting up as a new Student Led Project and you will be required to do the following:

Update profile forms and Opportunity Registration forms complete a Student Record form for all volunteers tell us about ALL of your events and report any accidents to the Centre the Project Leader/Treasurer must attend the Finance and Fundraising briefing you must not have an external bank account follow the policies, procedures and guidelines of the Student Volunteer Centre provide a comprehensive handover and recruit new Project Leaders

*Start up Grants: You may be eligible to apply for a start up grant of up to £150 to get your Student Led Project going for the first 3 months, after that it is up to you to raise any further funding that you may need for your project to continue. If your project is eligible for a grant you will be asked to complete and submit a Start Up Grant Application form. The grants are considered on a case by case basis and there are restrictions on what your grant can be used for but, full information about this will be given to you in your initial meeting with the Centre’s Development Worker. If your grant is approved it will be paid into an SU bank account and you will access this account via the Centre. Full information about how to use your grant will be given to you at the Finance and Fundraising briefing.

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Appendix 3

Tasters/One-off volunteering

Definition: Tasters are one-off volunteering events or SVC promotional events. Tasters are perfect for those students who do not have much time and are a chance for students to give volunteering a try. Tasters are set up and facilitated by staff or the Centre’s volunteers. Students are encouraged to take the lead on the day of the event if this is not possible the event will be led by a member of the staff or Centre volunteer teams. Taster process:

The Taster leader will ensure that a one-off volunteering event form is completed. This form is a combined event/risk assessment.

The event will be promoted via: o weekly E-newsletter o SU website o posters/notice boards in the Portland Building (PB) o plasma screens in PB and Halls o Facebook – Student Volunteer Centre

You will be asked to complete a student record form and your details will be added to our database

Before the event staff will hold a briefing session to inform you of the event arrangements and should include:

who is leading the Taster session? & their contact details? information about the project i.e. aims of the Taster use of equipment (if owned by the Centre) travel / transport arrangements food/refreshments expenses

After the event you will be asked by the Leader to help set down and leave the area completely clear of rubbish and everything as you left it. You will also be asked to complete a feedback form. This information will help us to develop lots more rewarding one-off activities in the future.

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Appendix 4:

Clubs & Societies in the Community (CSIC)

Clubs and Societies in the Community (CSIC) has been developed for community based volunteering projects that are run by members of a SU Club or Society. CSIC is a project that students can undertake as part of their Stars Gold Award. These projects fulfil the criteria required by the Gold Section; “to work outside Society with other SU groups” and to “work in the local community”. The Student Volunteer Centre can offer support and advice and the opportunity for groups to volunteer in the community on a one-off or regular basis. These projects are supported by the Students’ Union and as such are expected to manage their activities following the policies and guidelines of the Students’ Union and the Student Volunteer Centre.

Setting up process: At the first stage of setting up your project, via the Centre, you will be asked to meet with one of the Centre’s Development Workers to:

Discuss your idea of how your club or society can get involved in the community Receive a CSIC set-up guide Complete CSIC project profile form

How can SVC support you?

help with the recruitment of volunteers – via the e-newsletter project information and contacts record of the activity – this information will be available so that the next year’s

committee can access it for their handover process Criminal Record forms (if your project team will be working with

children/vulnerable adults) Information and Support Travel expenses

The Centre’s Development Worker will explain the process of setting up as a new CSIC project and you will be required to do the following:

Arrange a meeting with the organisation you wish to link with. SVC can support you with these meetings. This gives you the chance to set session times up with the organisation

Consult your members - who would like to be involved? All students that are involved must complete a Student Record form in SVC Ensure that you train/brief the participants fully before commencing the project Begin your community project and get as many volunteers involved as possible. Create a handover if the project is to continue into the next academic year