Volunteer Handbook

r e e t n Volu k o o b Hand

www.londonyouth.org/volunteering

Name:

@LondonYouth

Useful Contacts My Supervisor

A'ach your Supervisor’s business card here

Volunteer Coordinator

A'ach your Volunteer Coordinator’s business card here

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Contents Hello And Welcome......................................................................................3

We Are London Youth..................................................................................5

Our Strategy -­‐ Believe In The Capital’s Future..............................................6

InducKon Checklist.......................................................................................7

Volunteering Agreement..............................................................................9

Volunteer FAQs...........................................................................................11

Timesheets..................................................................................................18

@LondonYouth

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Hello And Welcome Welcome to the London Youth Volunteer Handbook.

First of all, congratulaKons! Every Kme we recruit for volunteers we are overwhelmed with responses and it is always very difficult to select our final teams of volunteers. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for giving your Kme and energy to the charity.

During your Kme at London Youth you will meet and get to know many members of the staff at London Youth and its member clubs. They are all friendly and dedicated to giving you advice and support if you need it and to make you feel totally welcome. We’re proud that our volunteers always feed back how much they like the atmosphere created here.

You will also have the opportunity to learn from professionals in a variety of fields and voice your opinion on the way in which London Youth operates. My hope is that this journey will help you realise your potenKal and strive towards your personal goals.

Ma' Dronfield, Volunteer Coordinator

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Matt Dronfield Volunteer Coordinator @Ma' Dronfield

We Are London Youth Our mission is to support and challenge young people to become the best they can be.

Our vision is that all young Londoners access a wide range of high quality opportuniKes for learning and fun, beyond family and formal educaKon, building strong trusted relaKonships with adults and their peers; leading to raised aspiraKons, broadened networks and increased confidence, character and skills.

We want all young Londoners to have the best of this incredible capital city; for it to invest in their potenKal, encourage them as leaders in their communiKes and open up opportuniKes for them to thrive.

We support a network of over 400 diverse community youth organisaKons where young people choose to go. With unique reach to over 75,000 young Londoners, we deliver programmes with and through this network in every London borough and out of town at our two residenKal learning centres.

We nurture a breadth of experKse, because it creates integrated pathways for young people to learn in a range of secngs through sports development, youth leadership, outdoor educaKon and other creaKve approaches. By developing youth organisaKons and young people simultaneously we strive for impact and sustainability.

We work with all young people, but place a parKcular emphasis on those who wouldn’t otherwise have access to the kind of opportuniKes we offer.

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Believe In The Capital’s Future We deliver our mission through four strategic objecKves: ✓ Developing , connecKng and quality assuring our membership network to deliver good youth work ✓ CreaKng a broad range of opportuniKes for young people (with and through our members) that improve their all-­‐round confidence, capabiliKes and wellbeing ✓ Ensuring our experKse and the on-­‐the-­‐ground voices of youth workers and young people influence public policy, pracKce and opinion ✓ Being the best we can be ourselves; financially robust and a great place to work Because good youth work works.

@LondonYouth

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Induction Checklist Your inducKon aims to introduce you to the organisaKon you are volunteering with and your role within it. With your supervisor please ensure you date next to each inducKon item. Blank lines have been leg for you and your supervisor to add addiKonal inducKons as necessary.

Organisational Induction Background/history of the organisaKon Services provided and client groups OrganisaKon chart Your volunteer role descripKon Health & Safety Induction Shown where their Health & Safety policy is located First Aid procedures Accident reporKng Smoking policy Emergency exits and evacuaKon procedure

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Project Induction Volunteer agreement Arrangements for support and supervision Problem-solving procedure Confidentiality policy Data protection policy Use of phones/internet

Volunteer: I confirm I have completed my inducKon: Signed: ________________________________ Date: ________

@LondonYouth

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Volunteering Agreement ‘Volunteering is the commitment of Kme and energy for the benefit of society and the community, and can take many forms. It is freely undertaken and not for financial gain – an acKvity that involves spending Kme doing something that aims to benefit the environment or individuals and groups other than (or in addiKon to) close relaKves.’

Volunteering Compact Code of Good Prac5ce, 2005 As a volunteer, you can expect: ✓ To be involved with an organisaKon that is dedicated to promoKng a posiKve image of young people ✓ A supporKve and posiKve environment that ensures you enjoy your volunteering ✓ To be treated with respect and courtesy ✓ To be treated fairly regardless of gender, sexual orientaKon, age, parental or marital status, disability, religion, colour, race, ethnic or naKonal origins or social/economic background ✓ An inducKon and opportuniKes to undertake appropriate training ✓ A named contact for support ✓ Relevant and up to date informaKon ✓ RecogniKon and thanks ✓ Equal opportuniKes ✓ Reimbursement for and reasonable out-­‐of-­‐pocket expenses incurred in the course of your volunteering (please see Expenses Policy for more informaKon)

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In return, we ask that you:  Support London Youth’s aims and objecKves  Remember that you are a representaKve of London Youth  Reach a shared understanding with us summarising your role and commitment  Are open and honest in your dealings with us  Treat fellow volunteers and London Youth staff with respect  Let us know if you need to change the nature of your contribuKon  Let us know if we can improve the service and support that you receive Volunteer: I have read, understood and agree to the London Youth Volunteer Agreement.

Signed:

Date: ____________

On behalf of Placement Organisa?on I have read, understood and agree to the London Youth Volunteer Agreement.

Name:

PosiKon:

Signed:

Date: ____________

@LondonYouth

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Volunteer FAQs This list of volunteer frequently asked quesKons is a summary of London Youth’s Volunteering Policy which is available in full on the London Youth website and from request from the London Youth Pipield Street Office.

Q: What is a Volunteer?

A volunteer is anyone who through their own free will, without compensaKon or expectaKon of compensaKon beyond reimbursement of expenses incurred in the course of his or her volunteer duKes performs a task at the direcKon of and on behalf of London Youth. A volunteer must be officially accepted and enrolled by London Youth prior to performance of the task. Unless specifically stated, volunteers shall not be considered as employees of the organisaKon. Q: How does London Youth recruit Volunteers?

Volunteers are recruited by London Youth on a pro-­‐acKve basis, with the intent of broadening and expanding the volunteer involvement of the community. Volunteers are recruited without regard to gender, disability, age, race, or other condiKon. The sole qualificaKon for volunteer recruitment is their suitability to perform a task on behalf of the organisaKon. Volunteers may be recruited either through an interest in specific programme or through a general interest in volunteering which will later be matched with a specific funcKon.

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Q: Will I need to have A DBS check to volunteer with London Youth?

As appropriate for the protecKon of the users of London Youth, volunteers in certain roles may be asked to submit to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Volunteers who do not agree to the DBS check may be refused the role.

Q: Can I still volunteer if I have a criminal record?

Having a criminal record does not necessarily bar someone from volunteering. It depends on the nature of the posiKon applied for, and the circumstances and background of the offences.

We will ask for your consent to a clearance check. Any informaKon supplied will be treated in confidence and in accordance with the Data ProtecKon Act. You do not have to agree to these checks but objecKng could affect your recruitment.

Q: What support can I expect to get whilst volunteering with London Youth?

All volunteers are fully supported and supervised throughout their involvement with London Youth. There will be a paid member of staff that you can turn to for extra support if you feel you need it. We make sure that you are not put in situaKons that are beyond your abiliKes, and will work with you to help ensure that you find volunteering with us both challenging and rewarding.

Q: Can I gain an accreditation from volunteering with London Youth?

Yes! Anyone aged 16+ and volunteering on a London Youth programme can access our ‘Learning from Volunteering’ workbook accredited by the NaKonal Open College Network. In addiKon London Youth will automaKcally register volunteers aged 16-­‐25 for vInspired award scheme and issue cerKficates at 50 and 100 hours of volunteering.

@LondonYouth

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Q: Can I claim my travel expenses?

London Youth believes that no volunteer should be out of pocket whilst volunteering with us and will reimburse all volunteers for their travel to and from their acKvity site. In addiKon, London Youth will reimburse volunteers that are volunteering for more than four hours a day up to £4.00 for a meal, when a meal has not been provided.

You can obtain London Youth’s full policy on volunteer expenses on the London Youth website or upon request from the London Youth Pipield Street Office.

Q: Will volunteering with London Youth affect my entitlement to Jobseeker’s Allowance?

Volunteering with London Youth will not affect Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) provided you: ✓ Remain available for and are acKvely seeking a full Kme paid job ✓ Take reasonable steps to find a job (e.g. answering adverts, signing up with an agency and taking other steps required by the Jobcentre Plus office) ✓ Inform the Jobcentre Plus office that you are volunteering ✓ Can a'end interview within 48 hours and take up work within one week.

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Safeguarding As an organisaKon working with children and young people, London Youth has a responsibility to act if abuse comes to light and, as far as possible, to protect children from the possibility of being abused within London Youth.

For the purposes of this policy a child or young person is anyone under the age of 18 years of age.

Extreme care should be taken as misreading signs of abuse can result in significant harm or trauma to the child and their family. In general staff employed in the independent and voluntary sector will not have the experKse to diagnose child abuse but do have a responsibility to be alert and aware of the signs.

London Youth’s full Safeguarding and Child ProtecKon Policies are available on request from the London Youth Pipield Street Office.

General Points: ✓ Keep calm – do not appear shocked or disgusted ✓ Accept what the child says without passing judgement (however unlikely the disclosure may sound) ✓ Look directly at the child ✓ Be honest ✓ Let them know you will need to tell someone else, don’t promise confidenKality ✓ Be aware the child may have been threatened and fear reprisals for having spoken to you ✓ Never push for informaKon or quesKon the child as this can undermine any subsequent criminal invesKgaKon. If at any point a child decides not to conKnue, accept that and let them know that you are ready to listen should they wish to conKnue at any Kme

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Helpful Things To Say Or Show: ✓ Show acceptance of what the child says ✓ “I take what you are saying very seriously” ✓ “I am pleased that you have told me. Thank you for telling me” ✓ If appropriate, “it isn’t your fault and you are not to blame at all” ✓ “I am sorry that happened to you” ✓ “I will help you” Things Not To Say: ✓ “Why didn’t you say something before?” ✓ “I really can’t believe it” ✓ “Are you sure this has happened?” ✓ “Why?” “Where?” “When?” “Who?” “What?” “How?” ✓ Don’t make false promises to the child – like confidenKality – be honest now, any lies will be further abuse and betrayal ✓ Never make statements such as ‘I am shocked!’ or ‘don’t tell anyone else’ After The Conversation: Make notes about the conversaKon as soon as possible ager the discussion. Record exactly what the child said and when he or she said it and what was happening immediately beforehand (e.g. descripKon of the acKvity). Note the Kme, date and place of the conversaKon and the name of any other person present. If the iniKal note is handwri'en, keep it if it is subsequently typed up.

Next Step: Inform one of the designated London Youth Child ProtecKon employees; Esther Thompson (Pipield Street) – 020 7549 8805 Tony Smith (Hindleap Warren) – 01342 822625 MarKn CurKs (Woodrow High House) – 01494 433531 Tracy Keane (AcKventure) – 01342 828215 These details were correct at 5me of going to print. Please refer to the London Youth website for most up to date informa5on.

@LondonYouth

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r e e t n u l o V s t e e h s e Tim

@LondonYouth

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Volunteer Timesheet Date

EXAMPLE

Descrip?on of volunteering ac?vi?es Football coaching with a group of 12 young people aged 11-15

TOTAL NUMBER OF HOURS:

Number of hours

Supervisor signature

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Superv!or

Volunteer Timesheet Date

Descrip?on of volunteering ac?vi?es

N/A

Hours carried over from previous timesheet

TOTAL NUMBER OF HOURS:

Number of hours

Supervisor signature

Volunteer Timesheet Date

Descrip?on of volunteering ac?vi?es

N/A

Hours carried over from previous timesheet

TOTAL NUMBER OF HOURS:

Number of hours

Supervisor signature

Volunteer Timesheet Date

Descrip?on of volunteering ac?vi?es

N/A

Hours carried over from previous timesheet

TOTAL NUMBER OF HOURS:

Number of hours

Supervisor signature

020 7549 8800 | hello@londonyouth.org.uk 47-49 Pitfield Street | London N1 6DA Registered Company Number: 258577 Registered Charity Number: 303324