Volunteer Handbook - Sussex Wildlife Trust · 2 SWT VolunteerHandbookSWT 3 Aboutus...

Woods Mill, Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9SD01273 [email protected]

President: David Streeter MBEChairman: Carole NicholsonChief ExecuNve: Dr. Tony Whitbread

Sussex Wildlife Trust is a company limitedby guarantee under the Companies Act.Registered in England, Company No. 698851.Registered Charity No. 207005

VAT RegistraNon No. 191 305969.Registered Office: Woods Mill,Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9SD

VolunteerHandbookWelcome to the team

The Sussex Wildlife Trust is the county’sleading nature conservaNon organisaNonmanaging over 5,000 acres of prime woodland,heathland, wetland and meadow habitatincluding some of the finest wild places inSussex. It speaks out and is listened to onconservaNon issues in our county influencingdecisions of local, regional and naNonalauthoriNes and engages with farmers andlandowners to ensure wildlife is not restrictedto its nature reserves but can move freelythrough interconnected habitats and flourish.

It also works with communiNes and localschools, encourages volunteering with awide range of opportuniNes and works with

the fishing industry and government towardssustainable fishing pracNces and designaNonsof Marine ConservaNon Zones off theSussex coast.

It runs an extensive programme of coursesand community events to help people learnabout and enjoy the wildlife in Sussex.Its Forest School, Nature Tots, family eventsand educaNon programmes are all aimed atconnecNng children with nature to promotea life-long love of wildlife.

Do look at our website for more informaNonabout our work.www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk

Welcomefrom Dr Tony Whitbread,Chief Execu3ve

Sussex Wildlife Trust was started byvolunteers in 1961 and is now the largestnature conservaNon organisaNon protecNngthe wildlife and countryside of Sussex.Volunteers are integral to our success andwe can only deliver the level of work wedo because of you.

There are lots of ways that you can volunteerfor Sussex Wildlife Trust – whether you wantto get outdoors and into the wild, work withgroups of children and young people or helpout in an office environment. However youchoose to help us you will receive a warmwelcome from our staff and other volunteerswho will all be keen to make you feel part ofour team.

Thank you for offering your .me andexper.se, it is much appreciated.

2 SWT Volunteer Handbook SWT Volunteer Handbook 3

About us

Please take a few minutesto read this booklet toensure your volunteeringexperience is safe, rewardingand beneficial.

If you have any quesNons,please feel free to ask yourteam leader or one of theVolunteer DevelopmentTeam who will always behappy to help.

Lucie MaldoomVolunteer Development ManagerTel: 01273 497535 or 07585 901360Email: [email protected]

Liz FrancisVolunteer AdministratorTel: 01273 497562Email: [email protected]

Becoming a volunteer

ExpensesWe can reimburse travelling (up to amaximum of a 40 mile return journey) and, insome cases, other out of pocket expenses asa result of your volunteering. These must beagreed in advance by your team leader.

Not everyone claims expenses but this is yourdecision as we do not wish to place anyfinancial hardship on our volunteers.

Please claim authorised expenses monthly orquarterly on a volunteer expense form whichyou can ask Liz Francis for. Please a/ach allNckets and receipts to the completedvolunteer expense form (except mileageclaims). Once completed, you should pass itto your team leader for processing.

Your team leader will then pass it on to ourFinance Team. When claiming expenses for

the first Nme, you will also need to complete aBACS request form so that we can reimburseexpenses straight into your bank account.

End of volunteer placementShould you decide to stop volunteering pleaseinform your team leader.

We value the Nme you have given and willask you to complete an exit and evaluaNonquesNonnaire so we can conNnue to developour volunteering programme and amendour records.

This informaNon ensures we have an accuraterecord of volunteer acNvity as well asproviding us with a greater understanding ofyour experience as a Sussex Wildlife Trustvolunteer.

SWT Volunteer Handbook 5

What to expectYou can expect a warm welcome at the Trust.You will be assigned a team leader who isresponsible for you and they will introduceyou to your fellow volunteers and staffmembers. They will show you what to do andwhere everything is.

Induc3on and trainingYour inducNon starts with your team leaderexplaining all aspects of the role. Training andsupport will be provided to ensure you arehappy and confident to undertake your roleand if you have any specific training requestsplease discuss them with your team leader.

Further inducNon sessions are run by theVolunteer Development Team and you will beinvited to a volunteer informaNon eveningwithin six months of starNng. This is youropportunity to learn more about our work,receive addiNonal support and training as wellas the chance to meet with other newvolunteers in a social atmosphere.

As a Sussex Wildlife Trust volunteer you areresponsible for the following:

Personal detailsPlease ensure all your personal details,address, telephone, email and emergencycontact details are kept up-to-date. If youneed to make any changes just have a wordwith Liz Francis tel: 01273 497562 who willbe happy to help.

On ArrivalOn arrival at Woods Mill or any of our otheroffices, please sign the visitors’ book. If youare on one of our reserves or part of theConservaNon Hit Squad your team leader willnote your a/endance.

We value the Nme you are giving us and wantto appreciate just how o!en you volunteer.Your team leader will keep a record of yourhours but it’s important to ‘sign in’ as thisensures we comply with health and safetyobligaNons.

Your healthYour health is important to us and it is yourresponsibility to alert a member of staff oryour team leader to any medical condiNonsthat may be relevant. A copy of yourregistraNon form, including any medicalcondiNons and who to contact in anemergency, is held securely on file atWoods Mill and accessed by your teamleader only in an emergency.

Please update us of any changes to yourhealth so that your volunteering can conNnueto be a safe, rewarding and a posiNveexperience.

Holidays and illnessWe appreciate that everyone needs Nme off.Please let us know with as much noNce aspossible when you are planning to take abreak from volunteering so we can forwardplan our acNviNes. Equally, if you are unwell,please call your team leader or the VolunteerDevelopment Team.

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Your responsibilities

© Miles Davies

Fire Procedures

In an officeFire drill procedure noNces are displayed in alloffices. All staff and volunteers are requiredto ensure they know what to do in the eventof a fire. Only trained members of staff shoulduse a fire exNnguisher.

On our nature reservesNatural hazards occur on our nature reservesand your team leader will alert you to therisks. Those nature reserves that arehighlighted as at more risk e.g. heathlandsites have a Fire Plan that has been agreedwith the relevant Fire Authority and isincluded in the Management Plan.

First AidFirst Aid kits are available at all TrustlocaNons and should always be available atany event. There are appointed first aiders atWoods Mill, Southerham, Seven Sisters andRye Harbour nature reserve. No work parNescan take place on any of our nature reservesunless a trained first aider is present. A FirstAid kit is kept in each of the Trust’s vehicles.

The Trust also supplies a barrier kit as asupplement to all First Aid kits. It containsplasNc gloves and apron, which should beused when dealing with any bodily fluids atall Nmes for the prevenNon of contact in caseof blood-borne diseases (HIV. HepaNNs B).


Health and Safety is everyone'sresponsibility.The Trust is commi/ed to looking a!er thehealth, safety and wellbeing of everyone whovolunteers for us. Any acNviNes carried out ona voluntary basis are covered by the samehealth and safety legislaNve requirements asthose carried out by staff. It is thereforeimportant that you understand and acceptyour personal responsibility towardspromoNng and maintaining health and safetystandards in order to provide a safe workingenvironment for all.

Please take a few minutes to read our GeneralCode of PracNce below. Your team leader willbe able to brief you on the relevant workinginstrucNons perNnent to your role.

Full details are provided in our Health andSafety Policy which will be sent to you whenyou register to become a volunteer. TheHealth and Safety Working InstrucNons willbe given to you if applicable to the tasks youare taking on.

General Code of Prac3ceWhilst at work all staff and volunteers must:

• Take reasonable care for the health andsafety of themselves and of others whomay be affected by their acts or omissionsat work

• Must co-operate with the staff to makethe workplace safe

Tools and Equipment

• No-one may use or operate any tools,equipment, machinery or vehicles unlessthey have been trained to do so

• No-one may use any tool, equipment,machinery or vehicle while under theinfluence of drugs or alcohol


Health & Safety

© Miles Davies

Lone workers are defined as those whowork by themselves without close or directsupervision in locaNons away from regularcontact with other people. No volunteershould be placed or place themselves in aposiNon of lone working without priorknowledge of their team leader.

Lone Working Volunteer ReserveManagers, Wardens or LookerersVolunteer Reserve Managers (VRM),Volunteer Reserve Wardens (VRW) andlookerers o!en undertake tasks when alone.These tasks should only proceed if they havebeen risk assessed or deemed as low risk.Please discuss with your team leader whatis considered low risk.

VRMs, VRWs, Lookerers and similar rolesmust inform a suitable person/buddy (e.g.spouse, partner, someone who lives withthem or reserve officer) when going out onto

the reserve alone and also on their returnhome. If a VRM/VRW or Lookerer fails toreport back on or a!er the specified Nme,then their ‘buddy’ should contact the reserveofficer so follow up procedure is acNoned.

All VRMs and VRWs will be given up–to-datecontact details for the Reserve Officers andthe Head of Land Management to use in theevent of an emergency.

The Trust provides Health and SafetyWorking InstrucNon secNon 19 which laysdown the procedures that the Trust has putin place for staff and volunteers who workalone. Volunteers who are lone workers mustensure they have read this secNon.

For ‘pracNcal conservaNon’ volunteers, a copyof the registraNon form will be held by theacNvity leader for use on site in the event ofan emergency.


Repor3ng of injuries, diseases anddangerous occurrencesThe recording of accidents and dangerousoccurrences is the basis of accidentpreven.on.

All accidents, however small, must bereported immediately to a first aider.All accidents, including near misses (exceptminor bumps and grazes that require nofurther treatment and do not preventcon.nua.on of work or visit) must berecorded in the Accident Book which iskept in the kitchen at Woods Mill, in theoffice at Southerham, with the SchoolsOfficer at Seven Sisters and by individualVolunteer Reserve Managers.

It is the responsibility of the team leader orperson in charge of the site to ensure thatlegislaNon requirements are observed.

Occupa3on Health and HygieneThe Trust promotes good general healththrough the provision of good workingpracNces and environments.

It is important that if you are a ‘pracNcalconservaNon’ volunteer that you have readthe Health and Safety Working InstrucNonsSecNon 5 on OccupaNonal Health andHygiene which covers informaNon regardingTetanus and Lyme disease. There is alsoinformaNon on the NHS website www.nhs.uk

All those volunteering outdoors should havean up-to-date tetanus inoculaNon (Pleasecheck your current status with your GP).

Good personal hygiene is essenNal inprevenNng illness and disease whilstvolunteering. Please remember to:

• Cover small cuts and abrasionsimmediately with a sterile dressing and askfor First Aid assistance if necessary

• Remind your doctor of the nature of yourwork so he/she can be aware ofoccupa,onal illnesses

• Wear any personal protec,ve clothingthat has been issued. You can requestprotec,ve clothing if you believe the taskrequires it

• Avoid inhaling substances and vapourswhich might be damaging in the long term

Poisonous PlantsPlease be aware that there are health riskslinked or associated with some plantsincluding bracken, giant hogweed andhogweed.

Handling Dead AnimalsThe handling of dead animals should beundertaken by Trust staff only. If you comeacross a dead animal on one of our reservesplease report it to your team leader or theGrazing Officer on 07884 496807.

Lone workingThe Trust is commi/ed to the health, safetyand wellbeing of our volunteers who mayundertake acNviNes on behalf of the Trustalone.

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If a volunteer has a grievance about theirvolunteering, every effort will be made torecNfy the problem at an informal level. Theindividual should speak to their team leaderregarding their grievance but if this does notresolve the problem, the individual shouldspeak to their team leader’s Line Manager.

If the problem is sNll not resolved saNsfactorily,formal procedures may then be necessary.

A copy of the Grievance Procedures can beobtained from the Volunteer Administratoron request.

Disciplinary ProceduresIn the unlikely event that a volunteer needsto be disciplined for misconduct or unsaNs-factory acNons or behaviour, every effort willbe made to recNfy the problem at an informallevel.

The individual will be spoken to by their teamleader regarding the issue but if this does notresolve the problem, formal procedures mayneed to be started.

A copy of the Disciplinary Procedures can beobtained from the Volunteer Administratoron request.

DiversityWe are commi/ed to a policy of treaNng allvolunteers and volunteer applicants equallyand fairly. We will not discriminate againstany volunteer on the basis of their age, ethnicorigin, race, religion, gender, marital status,sexual orientaNon, disability or any otherfactor unrelated to a person's ability to carryout their volunteer task.

We will not accept such discriminaNon bystaff or other volunteers. A copy of theDignity at Work and Equal OpportuniNespolicies are available on request from theVolunteer Development Team.

InsurancesThe Sussex Wildlife Trust carries third partyinsurance cover in respect of volunteers whoare undertaking tasks on their behalf, eitheron Trust property or under direcNon of theTrust. Further details can be obtained fromthe Volunteer Development Manager.

The Trust also provides limited personalaccident insurance for volunteers; howeveryou are advised to check you have adequatepersonal insurance cover for your ownrequirements under your own policies, inrespect of any work carried out on behalfof the Trust.

Car drivers – it’s important that if you’reinvolved in an acNvity for the Trust thatinvolves using your own car, you must informyour insurers. Your car is not covered by theTrust’s insurance.

Our ThanksEven if your team leader has not had theopportunity to thank you personally a!erevery event, please remember that SussexWildlife Trust does appreciate all your volunteerhours, whenever and wherever you give them.The strength of the Trust is built on thepartnership between volunteers and staff,working together for our common cause.

Thank you for choosing to volunteer withthe Sussex Wildlife Trust.


Confiden3alityAs a Trust volunteer you may become partyto informaNon of a confidenNal nature andyour discreNon is essenNal. If you have anydoubt about an appropriate course of acNonor statement, it is essenNal that you speakwith your team leader about it.

The Trust’s email, internet and telephonesystems are only to be used for businesspurposes. Misuse of the Trust’s systems willbe regarded as misconduct and will thereforebe dealt with in line with the Trust’s IT Policy.

Data protec3onThe Trust needs to gather and use certaininformaNon about individuals, includingmembers, volunteers, business contacts, staffand other people with whom we have arelaNonship.

Volunteers are asked to ensure they haveread our Data ProtecNon Policy whichdescribes how such personal data must becollected, handled and stored to meet theTrust’s data protecNon standards and tocomply with Data ProtecNon legislaNon.

All volunteer details are kept under strictcontrol within our database network. You willbe given a copy of the Data ProtecNon Policywhen you start.

Dealing with difficul3es, problemsolving and grievance proceduresWe aim to make all volunteering experiencesposiNve and enjoyable and to treat allvolunteers fairly, objecNvely and consistently.We encourage frequent two-way communi-caNons as a means of prevenNng problemsbefore they arise.

However, we do realise that problemssomeNmes arise: a volunteer may have acomplaint or a complaint may be made abouta volunteer.

If you encounter a difficulty with any aspectof the role or the role isn’t working out ashoped, please talk to your team leader assoon as possible for advice and support.Together you should try to work out anydifficulNes. If this is not possible this shouldn’tbe seen as a failure. Speak to your teamleader or one of the Volunteer DevelopmentTeam about finding a more appropriate role,or to find out about other opportuniNes visit:

h�ps://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer

Although dealing with complaints can bedifficult, it can give us a posiNve opportunity toimprove the way things are done and provide abe/er service. If you wish to make a complaintor you receive a complaint from someone aboutanything to do with your volunteering rolewith the Trust, please pass the informaNon tothe Volunteer Development Manager. We willwork together to find resoluNon to the issue.


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