Quick guide to Volunteering at a placement

(You may want to print this off!)

Remember to fill in your volunteer registration form to make sure that you have support from the Vteam whilst you are volunteering.

Understanding the Organisation

The information found on this website about the opportunity that you are interested in is a good starting point but before you start work as a volunteer, it is important that you understand clearly:

•    The aims and objectives of the organisation you are going to work for,
•    The nature of the work they do and
•    The people they work with.

If possible, try and access some of their publicity material or check out their web site. It is often worth visiting the premises or talking to a member of staff or a current volunteer. You may wish to think about the following things:

•    What are their aims and objectives?
•    Do they have a mission statement or a ‘vision’?
•    Do you know what services they offer and whom to?
•    Are volunteers an integral part of these services? Can you see where you’ll fit in?

Understanding Your Role  

     
The organisation you work for should give you clear guidelines on your role and how it fits into the organisation as a whole. Ideally, this should be in the form of a written job description. Volunteers cover the whole spectrum of roles – from administration and marketing assistants to counsellors and sports coaches. When considering the role you have been offered, you might like to ask yourself:

•    Do I have the skills required to do this?
•    Do I need some training?
•    Am I going to enjoy this?
•    Can I see clearly how this work fits into the organisation’s aims?
•    Will I get something out of it?
•    Do I know what I am responsible for and whom I report to?

If you have any queries or comments, you should discuss this with your link person in the organisation as soon as possible.

First Day Check List      

 
On your first day there is often a lot going on, and it can be easy to forget to ask those obvious questions. Make sure you get a proper induction from the organisation, including health and safety information and a ‘who’s who’ of the team. Remember to ask:

•    Who is my supervisor?
•    Are there any other volunteers?
•    When is a good time for me to take a break?
•    When do you have team meetings?

Health & Safety

Supervision
The organisation will be responsible for providing you with all the supervision and support you need to have a safe and positive volunteering experience.

It is important that you respect the guidelines and policies of the organisation, and are prepared to work under their supervision. However, in the same way as you would with an employer, you should feel able to negotiate your job description and working conditions if they are not satisfactory.

Support
Volunteering can be emotionally demanding. You may be dealing with unfamiliar situations or issues, or find that some things are just too close to home. The Community Volunteer Manager is available to offer you individual and confidential support, by telephone or in person, whenever you need it.

You will also be invited to regular review and development meetings, where you can talk through any issues you have with your placement, what you feel you are getting from it, and any plans for the future.

In conjunction with your organisation, the Community Volunteer Manager may also be able to arrange specialist support if necessary.

Training
Your organisation should provide you with the training necessary to carry out your volunteering role.
The Vteam also offers a wide range of training to prepare you for volunteering.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
Expenses         
As a volunteer, you will not be paid for your time. You can expect to incur expenses such as the cost of travelling to and from the organisation you volunteer with, or buying your own snacks whilst volunteering.

The organisation you volunteer with will probably have a policy of paying for legitimate expenses incurred, such as travel fares, items bought for clients etc. Check that you understand the arrangements for payment of expenses before you start. You may have to keep receipts of your purchases. It is best practice to accept the offer of payment of expenses, as it helps organisations to define their responsibilities towards you and enables you to feel like a member of staff.  

If you are offered payment for your work and are not asked to provide proof of any purchases, you should turn this down politely. This is not legitimate payment of ‘expenses’, although it may be called such, but rather a perk or bonus offered by way of thanks. Although such payments are generous and may be well earned, they are outside of the scope of volunteering and may cause problems for you and the organisation in terms of tax and employment rights. If the organisation wishes to offer you a paid position, they should do so in openly.

If the organisation is unable to pay for your expenses then please contact The Vteam who will be able to help you with this.

What If It All Goes Wrong?

It is very rare for volunteers to be taken advantage of, as they are normally highly valued for the contribution they bring. However, there may be times where you feel you are being asked to undertake a task that is not appropriate. It can be difficult to assess how you feel on the spot, but remember that under no circumstances should you be asked to:
 
•    Undertake a task that you feel is unsafe or hazardous to yourself or others.
•    Participate in or keep quiet about behaviour you believe to be illegal.
•    Accept, participate in, or keep quiet about abusive and discriminatory behaviour, including sexual harassment and bullying.

If you are ever in doubt or need help then please contact The Vteam.

Remember to fill in your volunteer registration form to make sure that you have support from the Vteam whilst you are volunteering.

V-Team activities

The V-Team has a whole range of different volunteering activities running throughout the year, so if you want to get involved, there’s something for everyone.

There are:
•    one-off V-Team projects - these give you a great taster of what the V-Team is all about
•    sports clubs and societies projects - the V-Team helps sports clubs and societies set up projects, offering support, training and funding
•    ongoing V-Team projects - these are perfect if you want to get stuck into something on a regular basis
•    placements – the V-Team can refer you to local organisations with volunteering opportunities that match your interests

Remember, if you have any ideas for setting up a new project, get in touch with the volunteer co-ordinators and we’ll help get things started!