Volunteer Policy

The Jamil Trust (“We”)  recognises that people become involved in volunteering for a variety of reasons and are often motivated by a range of personal goals. We hope that you enjoy your time with the Jamil Trust and find it a rewarding experience. 

This policy sets out the principles governing the role of volunteers within the Jamil Trust and summarises the different roles available for volunteers. Arrangements with volunteers depend on trust and mutual understanding, and are not intended to be legally binding. We aim to train, support and supervise our volunteers to the best of our abilities and to act quickly and fairly if difficulties arise.

Principles

1. All volunteers and staff will be valued and treated with respect 
2. All volunteers should adhere to the Jamil Trust policies and procedures 
3. All volunteers will have support, feedback, encouragement and appreciation 
4. All volunteers can expect to work in a safe, friendly environment 
5. All volunteers will have access to information about the charity, its ethos, policies and ongoing development 
6. All volunteers should feel free to raise their concerns and know that these will be taken seriously 
7. All volunteers should ask for help and support when needed to fulfil their role 
8. The conduct of all staff and volunteers should be guided by integrity, discretion and dignity and all volunteers should expect others in the charity to adhere to such codes of conduct 
9. All volunteers should refrain from public criticism of the Jamil Trust, its work or its policies.

The following guidelines deal with practical aspects of the involvement of volunteers. 

Recruitment 

All prospective volunteers will be asked to complete the volunteer application form on the Jamil Trust website. This will apply even when volunteers are responding to adverts placed with Volunteer Edinburgh or other organisations. 

The application form will give us information about their areas of expertise and interest and they will then be contacted by the most appropriate person to discuss this further. Individuals must demonstrate a commitment to the aims of the charity and will only be placed if their skills as a volunteer meet the needs of the organisation at the time of application. If an applicant is suitable, but there are no vacancies for a particular role at the time they apply, they will be asked whether they would like to be placed on a reserve list and contacted as soon as a vacancy becomes available. Volunteers will NOT be accepted if they have a conflict of interest.

Volunteer Agreements & Voluntary Work Description 

All volunteers will be required to sign a volunteer agreement to confirm their role within the charity, that they understand and will adhere to the Jamil Trust policies and that they will commit to a minimum of hours of volunteering per year.

Induction and Training 

All volunteers will receive the volunteers’ handbook (electronically) and will undergo induction and training that is relevant to their role. 

Support 

All volunteers will have a named mentor as their main point of contact. They will be provided with regular opportunities for feedback on progress, to discuss future development and to air any problems. All volunteers are encouraged to express their views, raise concerns and make constructive suggestions to support the work of the Jamil Trust.

Expenses 

Volunteers will not receive reimbursement of their expenses unless specifically agreed in advance. This will be made clear to all volunteers from the outset. All volunteers are entitled to tea and coffee from our kitchen at 7 Yew Tree Road office only.

Insurance 

The Jamil Trust is covered by Employers’ Liability and Public Liability Insurance (with the condition that any person or service user involved in lifting heavy goods shall be fully trained in Manual Handling procedures). Please note that the Jamil Trust cannot take responsibility for personal possessions or valuables that are lost or stolen whilst on the premises. 

Volunteers should not bring valuables or should at least keep such items with them at all times. 

Health and safety 

The Health and Safety risk assessment is on display in our 7 Yew Tree Road  premises and is available as an appendix in the volunteer handbook. 

Equal opportunities 

We operate an equal opportunities policy in respect of both paid staff and volunteers. 

Confidentiality 

Volunteers will be bound by the same requirements for confidentiality as paid staff. A database is maintained on all volunteers, containing the information provided at the time of application. Volunteer records are held in confidence and only accessible to those directly managing volunteers. 

Dismissal Volunteers 

who do not adhere to the organisation’s policies may be asked to leave. Grounds for dismissal include but are not limited to, gross misconduct, being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, theft, misuse or unsafe use of equipment, abuse of volunteers and staff, breaches of confidentiality, failure to abide by Jamil Trust policies, failure to complete duties to a satisfactory standard.

Leaving the Jamil Trust

Where possible informal exit interviews will be held with any volunteer leaving the charity. The interview is an opportunity to explore why the volunteer is leaving, their experience and any suggestions they can offer to improve the running of the organisation. Constructive feedback is always welcome from Volunteers. Each volunteer is entitled to a personal reference when requested. 

Volunteer Role

Computer Refurbishment 

A Refurbishment Assistant at the Jamil Trust will be taught all of the procedures we implement to wipe and restore a donated PC to produce a fully functional computer ready to give away. 

The Main Tasks

1. Computer Wiping 
2. Computer Repair 
3. Data Security and Management 
4. PC Installation 
5. Stock Management 

Technical learning opportunities include PC fault finding, repair and maintenance, data management, basic computer networking.

Social Media 

This is for a volunteer who has experience of using both Facebook and Twitter and who is prepared to be the main point of contact for posting. This role does require a basic understanding of how the Trust works and good communication skills to ensure a constant flow of news.

Fundraising 

This role is for volunteers with enthusiasm and experience in fundraising. They will work closely with the donations manager to maximise our income from fundraising. 

Grant Writing 

This role is to work closely with the team, and in particular the fundraising and communications manager and chairman of the Jamil Trust, to identify potential grants and collaborate on writing the grant applications to maximise our income.

Graphic Design 

This role is for a volunteer with experience in design and publishing to support the production of printed media for the Jamil Trust. Video editor This role is to support the development of news and promotional videos on the website and for use at promotional events.

End.