Taranaki Women’s Refuge VolunteerApplication Form
Full name______
Address______
Phone/s______
(Include mobile phone no. if you have one)
E-mail address______
(if applicable)
Please indicate the areas that you feel that you would like to become involved in:
Phone rosterClient call-outs
Childcare
Safe house/grounds maintenance
Fundraising
BOT
Do you have?
A vehicle?A phone?
An HT Licence?
Other skills or resources that may be useful? Please provide details below:
______
______
______
We provide full training and resource materials for dealing with crisis call-outs and phone rostering.
I understand that I am being employed in a voluntary position and that Taranaki Women’s Refuge is under no obligation to offer me paid work at any time.
Signed______Date______
Volunteer Application 2009
Code of Behaviour
BVS 1
Statement of Purpose
All Refuge employees are expected to maintain a professional relationship with refuge residents which establishes boundaries in respect to friendship or intimacy. Refuge members should not take on case-work activities with women with whom there is any prior relationship other than a professional relationship.
Conduct which threatens the personal health, well-being or security of clients or staff, or which endangers plant or property is outside of acceptable behaviour.
Guidelines have been established to provide for the efficient and orderly conduct of employees at Taranaki Women’s Refuge. These guidelines are not intended to cover every possible situation, but more to highlight examples of conduct which is considered unacceptable. The organisation reserves the right to add to, amend or delete any of these guidelines.
Guidelines
The following are examples of the type of actions and behaviour that the organisation would consider to be actions of inappropriate behaviour:
- Acting in a negligent or careless manner in the carrying out of duties; or consistent inefficiency or incompetence in the performance of duties
- Using threatening or obscene language while in a workplace situation, or during work hours
- Failing to observe safety, health, smoking or hygiene rules/instructions, or working in an unsafe manner, or failing to make proper use of safety equipment when such equipment is installed or provided
- Misuse or unauthorised use of refuge property or equipment, including unauthorized or improper use of computer systems, including the internet and e-mail functions
Volunteer Application 2009
- Repeated lateness or lack of application to assigned tasks
- Unauthorised absence from work or leaving the assigned place of work without permission
- Preventing or interfering with another employee carrying out their work functions
- Failure to follow all organisational policies or procedures
- Reporting for work in such a condition as to be unable to perform the required duties in a safe and proper manner
- Posting offensive written or visual material on notice boards, computer systems or elsewhere on the premises
- Failing to report promptly any workplace accident or incident
- Acting in an official capacity in a manner which brings the organisation into disrepute; or failing to act in an official capacity which results in bringing the organisation and/or employee into disrepute
- Acting otherwise within the category of serious misconduct, but where the particular case is such as to fall short of requiring dismissal in that particular instance
Volunteer Application 2009
Code of Conduct
BVS 1
Statement of Purpose
All members of Taranaki Women’s Refuge are expected to treat clients and colleagues with consideration and respect at all times. Violence or abusive behaviour towards residents, clients or other refuge workers is not acceptable and may be reason for instant dismissal.
References
Constitution
Individual Employment Agreement/Position Description
Terms of Employment
All Policies and Procedures
Guidelines
All employees are expected to abide by the Conditions of Employment which prohibit the use of alcohol or drugs within the Refuge - convictions for alcohol or drug abuse may be reasons for instant dismissal
Sexual harassment of Refuge clients or colleagues is unacceptable, and sexual activity with Refuge residents is prohibited absolutely
Discriminating behaviour towards Refuge clients or colleagues on the grounds of race, class, religion or sexual orientation is unacceptable
Confidentiality must be maintained regarding the location of the safehouse, client information and members personal details
Visitors are not permitted at the safe house
A Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement form must be signed by all members of the organisation
All members are expected to abide by the philosophy of the organisation, including all Terms of Employment, the Constitution and all Policies and Procedures
Unapproved misuse of petty cash, or the unapproved borrowing of any Refuge property is not permitted
Employees are expected to attend work at the contracted times, and failing to do so without reasonable explanation is a breach of the IEA
Paid employees are expected to perform the duties described in their position description to the best of their ability and to an agreed standard
By signing this agreement, volunteer advocates confirm their understanding that as volunteers there is no agreed remuneration and no commitment by Taranaki Women’s Refuge to offer paid employment at any time
I understand the need for a Code of Conduct, and agree to abide by the terms above.
Signed______
Dated______
Volunteer Application 2009
Code of Ethics
BVS 1
Statement of Purpose
Refuge is a women-based organisation which has, as its guiding principles, a policy of creating a violence-free environment and community, of providing support and ensuring empowerment for all women and children, the establishment of parallel refuge facilities for and by Maori women, and the development of culturally appropriate and complementary services within refuge’s own structures for women of different cultures. Parallel development is a partnership between cultures which enables each to develop services which are both culturally appropriate and complementary. The NCIWR recognises and accepts Tino Rangatiratanga mo te Iwi Māori.
Guidelines
- Refuges and their employees must maintain each client’s right to a relationship of mutual trust, privacy and confidentiality. No information shall be recorded or released without the knowledge of the client
- Refuges and their employees should actively demonstrate a commitment to women and children and show tolerance and respect for individual views and philosophies
- Refuges have a responsibility to ensure that each client has as much information as possible in order for her to be able to make informed choices and her own decisions
- Refuges should ensure that women are available for initial contact and that all women involved in Refuge participate in the decision making
- Refuges should work towards their membership reflecting the ethnic composition of the women they work with
- Refuge shall be organised so as to allow and encourage the development of refuge services within their own structure for and by tangata whenua women and women of different cultures
- Refuges shall work actively in support of the principles of parallel cultural development
- Refuges shall work actively to support and maintain the visibility of lesbian women in Refuge and shall include workshops on homophobia in refuge training programs
- Refuges have a responsibility to actively promote the interchange of skills, ideas and information, and to provide support and ongoing training for all women working in refuges. All training shall be culturally appropriate
- Refuges shall respect differing opinion and practices of sister refuges, and express criticism appropriately and responsibly
- Refuges should promote and share opportunities for knowledge, experience and ideas with each other
Volunteer Application 2009
Code of Practice
BVS 1
Statement of Purpose
This Code is consistent with the Constitution and Code of Ethics, and outlines the standards of service adopted by TWR.
Women’s Refuge is a women-based organisation, established primarily to provide safety and protection for women and their children who are victims of domestic abuse. Refuge is committed to creating a violence-free environment, and this commitment is reflected in all our services and practices. We aim to provide the best possible care for all women and children in the Taranaki area who use our services.
All advocates who works for Women’s Refuge are valued for their work in supporting women and children, and all refuge advocates are responsible for the following practices:
The Refuge Safehouse
Taranaki Women’s Refuge undertakes to provide:
A safe, secure and violence-free environment
An environment which recognises and is sensitive to the cultural needs of all residents
Clean, comfortable, warm and well-maintained surroundings with good quality furnishings and equipment
Information for residents, outlining the services available through refuge, house rules and the complaints procedure
24-hour emergency contact phone numbers
A telephone for residents to make outgoing calls
Emergency needs – food, clothing, toiletries, infant needs and other essentials
Women and Children
Taranaki Women’s Refuge undertakes to provide:
Information, support and referrals so that women can make informed decisions
Active support for their decisions
Culturally appropriate services, as each woman shall advise
Services and support appropriate for lesbians and their families
Confidentiality and privacy
Responsible use of information provided by clients
Clear information about resources available from Refuge andfrom other agencies in the community
Assistance to women to use these resources
Clear information to women and children regarding their responsibilities while in Refuge, including Safehouse Rules and Policies
Support to women in the community who are affected by family violence, but who do not need safe house accommodation
Education/Prevention Work
Taranaki Women’s Refuge undertakes to carry out education and prevention work in the community by:
Providing and maintaining advocacy services
Raising awareness of family violence issues wherever/whenever possible and increasing TWR profile through public speaking engagements
Networking and sharing information with other appropriate community organisations and agencies
Maintaining the good reputation/credibility of Refuge at all times
Administration and Management
We recognise that efficient management and administration practices are essential for maintaining quality services, and the confidence of funding providers. We will ensure that the following practices are in place:
Effective human resource management, including recruitment, contractual obligations and employee accountability
Accurate and timely recording of all information, including client data
Effective and efficient office procedures
Accurate records maintained of all financial transactions, and monthly financial reports presented to all appropriate meetings
Annual collation of accounts and audit of financial transactions
Regular forwarding of statistics to National Office
Provision and encouragement for all advocate training and any other training deemed necessary
Ensuring employee compliance and familiarisation with all refuge policies
Regular evaluation of practices and services
Supervision, monthly reports and annual performance appraisals to monitor employee performance standards
Volunteer Application 2009
Confidentiality and Non Disclosure Agreement
Statement of Purpose
Information collected for the purpose of processing employee and service users’ case management notes is to be treated as private and confidential.
All client files must be locked away in a secure place, and kept for at least 2 years.
Information relating to the location of the refuge safehouse, employees’ personal telephone numbers and addresses and NCIWR contact lists are confidential to the organisation, with the exclusion of publicly available numbers and business addresses.
None of the above information shall be released to members of the public. Outside agencies (Police, CYFS etc, have a process to go through before they are able to access any information that is confidential to the organisation).
Discretion must be used when discussing matters relating to refuge work/clients outside the office.
Reference
The society shall use the following references to determine any disciplinary action for non-compliance of this policy:
Signed Individual Employment Agreement(if applicable)
Terms and Conditions of Employment
Disciplinary Action Procedure
Signed Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement
Volunteer Application Form (if applicable)
Agreement
I ______hereby agree to keep private and confidential, all information relating to Refuge business. I understand that the safety of my team members and the women and children who use our services may depend on my ability to manage and maintain discretion and confidentiality. I undertake to fulfill the conditions of this agreement as set down by Taranaki Women’s Refuge.
Signed ______Dated ______
Volunteer Application 2009
CONSENT TO DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
Licensing & Vetting Service Centre
Police National Headquarters
PO Box 3017
WELLINGTON 6140
I,......
(Surname)(Fore Names)
......
(Maiden or any other names used)
Sex ………….. (M/F) Date and place of birth ......
Nationality ...... Residential address ......
Suburb...... City ......
NZ Driver License Number ......
hereby consent to the disclosure by the New Zealand Police of any information they may have pursuant to this application, to Taranaki Women’s Refuge. I understand that any record of criminal convictions I might have will automatically be concealed if I meet the eligibility criteria stipulated in Section 7 of the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004.
Signed ...... Date ......
COMMENTS OF THE NEW ZEALAND POLICE
A stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all requests
Volunteer Application 2009
Volunteer Application 2009