Version: / Vr5g/02
Date Approved: / tbc
Governance Group: / Service User & Carer Experience
Title of Author: / Volunteer Services & Involvement Manager
Responsible Director: / Director of Nursing & Patient Experience
Date issued: / March 2015
Review date: / December 2016
Target audience: / All staff Trust wide

Vr5g/01: Volunteer Recruitment Guidelines

Version Control Sheet

Version / Date / Title of Author / Status / Comment
Vr5g/01 / May 2010 / Volunteer Services & Involvement Manager / Current / Reformatted to current template
October 2012 Approved as a working document at November 2012 SUCE.
Vr5g/02 / Dec 2014 / Volunteer Services & Involvement Manager / Refreshed/updated / Updated with DBS
Additional Appendix for those with health issues/support needs
Additional appendix with process flow chart Dec 2014
Travel costs capped to £10 per return journey
Section / Contents / Page
1 / A Warm Welcome to The Trust / 4
2 / Equal Opportunities / 4
3. / Who Volunteers / 4
Trust Staff as Volunteers / 5
Volunteers with Support Needs / 5
Volunteers from Overseas / 5
Volunteers Claiming Welfare Benefits / 5
Volunteers Adherence to core values / 6
4. / Volunteer Placements / 6
5. / Recruitment of Volunteers
Application Form
Referees Required (2)
Occupational health checks and consent forms
Police checks (DBS) / 7
6. / Applicants with On-going Health Issues
Also See Appendix B / 8
7. / Volunteer Training / 8
8. / Volunteer Placement Support
Local Induction
Placement Outline
Taster Sessions
Volunteer Role agreement Form
Supervision
Travel expenses (capped at £10 ) / 9
9. / Termination of Placement / 10
10. / Applying to Volunteer – Notes to Help You / 10
11. / A Volunteers Voice / 12
12. / Glossary/Acronyms / 12
Appendix A
Flow Chart – Recruitment, Training and Placement process / 13
Appendix B
Volunteers with On-going health Needs- Support Issues / 14
  1. A WARM WELCOME TO VOLUNTEERING WITH THE TRUST

1.1Volunteering enables the sharing of skills, knowledge and experience to complement Trust core activities. Volunteers reflect our local community and can expect a professional and committed response when invited to volunteer with the Trust. These guidelines are drawn fromV5 Volunteer Policy, which describes the recruitment, placement and support of volunteers in West London Mental Health NHS Trust. Volunteers should feel safe, valued and enjoy their time with the Trust. Staff actively contribute to this process by supporting and working with volunteers as mentors and co-workers.These guidelines explain:

  • How volunteers are recruited into the Trust
  • What we need to know about you
  • What you can expect from us during the application stage

1.2If you require further advice or information do not hesitate to contact Volunteer Services as we will be pleased to hear from you. We are also interested in hearing comments or suggestions about information you have received or your experience with us during the recruitment process.

1.3We hope your time with us as a volunteer is both enjoyable and rewarding.

1.4You will certainly be appreciated because you are giving something very valuable to us, your time!

2. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

2.1Volunteer Services contributes to the Trust’s on-going commitment to social inclusion by reaching out to the community to invite contributions from people living in the local community including current and ex-service users and their carer, and others living within the community. By being representative of the community we serve, we can be more responsive and sensitive to the diverse needs of service users, their family, friends and carers. We believe we will benefit from new ideas and fresh approaches, generated by people from different backgrounds and outlook.

2.2 The Trust’s Diversity and Equality Policy exists to promote an environment that is inclusive of all and is intolerant of practices which result in the exclusion of minority groups. The Policy aims to ensure that no one receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, marital status, age, race, colour, sexual orientation, creed, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, or disability. This commitment applies to Trust staff, agency staff, contractors, seconded staff, and volunteers. The Trust aims to ensure that no one in contact with Trust services receives less favourable treatment and expects those involved with the Trust to make the policy effective and successful.

3.WHO VOLUNTEERS

3.1Anyone from the community are invited to apply as a volunteer, provided they are over 18 years of age and successfully complete our selection process which includes short listing, interview, references, Occupational Health check and police checks (DBS, Disclosure and Barring Service ). Service users, their carers, as well as interested members of the public, are welcomed and encouraged to bring their experience when volunteering.

3.2Trust staff are welcome to volunteer as a means of broadening their range of experience and skills. Staff are encouraged to discuss volunteering choices with their line manager. Your line manager must be listed as one of the two referees on the application form. Staff also complete a DBS form, an Occupational Health form and follow the same requirements as other volunteers. Staff attendance on the volunteer induction programme will be discussed on an individual basis with reference to their individual training passports.

3.3A volunteer is someone who gives their time freely and takes part in agreed activities. Volunteers typically offer a regular weekly session, between one to three hours for approximately nine months, which can be extended to twelve months plus, in exceptional circumstances , where a strong case is been made by a mentor. Volunteering cannot be used to fulfil a requirement of professional studies, or a clinical or vocational placement.

3.4Volunteers receive training, support and supervision to ensure a good quality experience for the volunteer, and those staff and service users they work along side. Volunteers can expect to feel valued and be kept informed of appropriate developments.

3.5For volunteers with support needs,an appropriate placement is one that has support that is both proportionate and sustainable, and is not detrimental to a volunteer’s well-being or the well-being of others. Applicants will typically be eligible after 6 months of discharge from inpatient /Home treatment services. However this will be reviewed on a case by case basis, with the applicant, their care coordinator and volunteer services. A volunteer cannot normally volunteer in a location where they have previously received mental health treatment, although requests will be considered and may be granted if all parties are granted if all parties are comfortable with the circumstances and they have identified boundary and risk issues and have given consideration to future access to services used by the volunteer, their friends and family.

3.6For volunteers from Overseas, rules can be complicated and for those volunteers outside of the European Union or European Economic Area (EEA) they are advised to check with the UK Border Agency. There are a number of visa and types of entry clearance conditions and volunteers will need to check if they are permitted to volunteer in addition to their main purpose for entering the country. Volunteers who have refuge status or who have exceptional leave to remain are permitted to volunteer. Asylum seekers are permitted to volunteer in certain types of organizations. Applicants are advised look at the following web sites before applying.

UK Border Agency web site:

Volunteering England Website:

3.7For volunteers claiming welfare benefits, they are advised to check with the benefits agency the maximum hours permitted to volunteer and claimants are required to inform agencies when volunteering

3.8Volunteers are asked to adhere to our core values of :

Togetherness:

  • Increase Trust contact with the community served
  • Embrace and value diversity and combat stigma and discrimination

Responsibility:

  • Understand that we can all learn from each other
  • Recognise that everyone has worth and a contribution to make

Excellence:

  • Work in partnership and to value, develop and support each other
  • Foster innovation and positive outcomes
  • Invite feedback and continually improve

Caring :

  • Promote positive interaction
  • Recognise and celebrate contributions
  1. VOLUNTEER PLACEMENTS

4.1Volunteer placements are identified and agreed with the relevant Service Manager or mentor. Volunteering complements Trust activities and is not used for activities usually performed by paid staff. We focus on activities where a volunteer brings a particular skill that benefits Trust service users. There are opportunities to support group activities on in-patient wards or within a day hospital setting, or other specific roles identified locally by mentors. There are limited opportunities within a clerical support setting.

4.2Mentors complete a risk form and volunteer placement form, identifying types of activities, any personal attributes or skills required and how risk will be managed locally. Mentors are asked to confirm how regular supervision and reviews will be facilitated, as well as any training requirements in addition to the volunteer induction programme.

4.3 If your application is successful, and you have completed all checks and the volunteer induction training, you will be invited to a placement meeting with your mentor and volunteer services. During this meeting we will agree the start and end dates, the type of volunteering activities’, attendance, payment of travel expenses, frequency of supervision, and dates for the three monthly reviews and exit review. We will discuss if four to six ‘taster sessions’ are required before you start yourvolunteer placement, to enable you and your mentor to explore if it is the right volunteer placement for you.

4.4Some volunteers have additional support needs if they have physical or mental health conditions. If this is so, you are asked to nominate an appropriate health professional involved in your care, as one of your referees. They will receive an outline of your volunteer placement and a reference form from volunteer services. They will be asked to comment on your capacity to perform the tasks and what support issues might arise. This information will be sent to volunteer services and does not contain any diagnosis or specific medical information. You will also be asked to sign a consent form for Occupational Health to contact your nominated health professional and request a specialist health report. We might additionally ask you to send a standard letter to your nominated health professional.

4.5The guidelines on placing volunteers with support needs, allows us to work with you in a responsive manner. You are encouraged to discuss and agree with your mentor what works best for you and how we can support you in your volunteer placement. This might involve volunteer services discussing the volunteer placement with yourself, your mentor, and your nominated health professional (with your consent).

5RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS

5.1We understand that potential volunteers can experience a number of barriers during the recruitment process, so we try to be flexible, whilst complying with Trust polices. Please contact volunteer services if you are unsure or concerned. When applying to volunteer, an applicantwill be required to:

5.2Applicants are required to complete an application form. Applicants should check that they can attend all volunteer induction dates given and can satisfy all requirements before applying to volunteer.

Applicants are required to provide two references, who cannot be a friend or family member. They must have known the applicant for at least three years in a professional capacity. References are reviewed with applicants unable to satisfy this requirement to establish if this requirement is fair and reasonable, given their circumstances.

5.3If one of the referees is a health professional, applicants will be asked to sign a consent form. This enables Volunteer Services and Occupational Health Department to contact the referee to ask for written comments about capacity and the volunteering role. This helps to ensure that a placement is appropriate and identify what, if any, support issues may arise. Applicants may be asked to additionally send a standard letter to your named professional requesting a specialist report.

5.4Applicants are required to clear enhanced police checks (DBS, The Disclosure and Barring Service). Applicants are required to providethree forms of identification, once this has been verified applicants will be notified to complete an on-line DBS application. Applicants can look at the link below for a list of accepted documents:

5.5The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) update service, lets applicants keep their DBS certificates up to date online and allows employers to check a certificate online.Applicants can use this facility, which is free for volunteers, but they will be required to provide the original copy to confirm that it is an Enhanced status. Applicants can look at the link below

5.6Volunteers with criminal convictions are not automatically excluded and a decision regarding recruitment is subject to the discretion of the Trust.

  • Volunteer services will seek advice regarding previous convictions from the Trust’s HR (Human Resources department).
  • A decision will be jointly agreed between Volunteer Services, the mentor and HR.
  • Discussions will identify whether a criminal record is relevant to the volunteer’s role, factors such as the nature of the offence, nature of the voluntary role applied for, how long ago the offence took place etc. will be considered.
  • Volunteer services will communicate the final decision to the volunteer.
  • Volunteers are invited to talk with volunteer services when applying if unsure about their particular situation

5.7Applicants are required to have Occupational health clearance and will be asked to complete a confidential pre-Employment Health Form, which will be sent to the Occupational Health Department. Once the volunteer placement is confirmed, volunteers are invited to contact the Occupational Health Department for immunization, with TB and Hep B immunization available to all volunteers. Whilst it is the volunteer’s choice to take the placement with or without immunisation, volunteers will not be placed where it is felt that immunization is a requirement of the placement.

6.APPLICANTS WITH ONGOING HEALTH ISSUES

6.1For volunteers with support needs, an appropriate placement is one that has support that is both proportionate and sustainable, and is not detrimental to a volunteer’s well-being or the well-being of others. See Appendix B for details

7.VOLUNTEER TRAINING

7.1You are required to attend volunteer induction training which runs during daytime hours. You will be informed of the dates as part of the application process. You will also be required to attend an additional personal safety training day. Volunteers must attend all training dates ( 3 days) to be considered for a volunteer placement. Having attended volunteer induction, we look forward to confirming your volunteer placement, subject to references, Occupational Health and DBS checks and invite you to consider how you feel about the prospect of volunteering and whether you can make a commitment to volunteering with us.

Volunteer Induction Programmeincludes:

  • Health and safety
  • Fire training
  • Confidentiality, Caldicott and Data Protection
  • Culture sensitivity, diversity issues (patient focus)
  • Safeguarding Children
  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults
  • Mental health awareness
  • Volunteer responsibilities and conduct within the Trust Volunteer Policy

7.2Additional training relevant to the agreed volunteer activitiesis discussed at the placement meeting and booked by your mentor. Where a time extension has been agreed for a volunteer placement, you must attend relevant additional refresher or mandatory training which mentors book for you.

8.VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT SUPPORT

8.1Local induction and orientationis identified and managed by your mentor and agreed at the volunteer placement meeting. There is an orientation checklist, which is signed by you and your mentor at your first volunteering session.

8.2It’s important that you feel informed and safe when volunteering. All placements have an outline of activities, along with training and supervision requirements. As a volunteer we expect you to give a minimum commitment of nine months. An extension can be negotiated in exceptional circumstances by the mentor, to twelve months plus. However, volunteering is an important opportunity for all in the community and we seek to offer that opportunity to all.

8.3When discussing volunteer placements, you may be invited to attend four to six ‘taster’ sessions once you have passed all checks, which allows the service and yourself to establish if the placement is appropriate.

8.4You will be asked to sign a volunteer role agreement form. This form outlines your responsibilities in respect of health and safety, confidentiality and code of conduct. All volunteers will be required to sign and accept responsibility and a breach may result in being removed from the placement depending on the breach.

8.5We understand that feeling appreciated and supported is very important. One way this is achieved is by regular and consistent supervision.This is identified and agreed with your mentor at the volunteer placement meeting.

8.6Volunteers are reimbursed on the least costly yet practical form of transport available to them when attending volunteering activity. An agreement on taxi use may be appropriate where volunteers have mobility issues or have social or emotional issues using public transport. This will ensure equal access to volunteering opportunities and that this Trust demonstrates the value everyone can bring, irrespective of their capacity, circumstances or disability.

8.7Volunteer services reimburse travel expenses incurred when attending volunteer induction training. The mentor arranges travel expenses to be paid locally for volunteering session attendance, additional training, placement meetings, ‘taster sessions’, and any other meetings agreed with the volunteer.

8.8Volunteers are entitled to reimbursement of travel expenses to and from the relevant hospital site within a five-mile radius or to a maximum value of £10 for a return journey from home to volunteer placement site. The frequency and value will be clarified at the volunteer placement meeting with your mentor. Volunteers are required to provide receipts when claiming travel expenses; those using monthly or weekly travel cards are not reimbursed.

8.9Volunteers are not required to provide a vehicle when volunteering and should not use their vehicle for any activities connected with the volunteer placement. If a volunteer chooses to drive to their volunteer placement they must check with their insurers that this activity is covered by their insurance. A claim can be made for mileage when travelling to volunteering activities.