Volunteer Recruitment and Selection Policy - MND … · Volunteer Recruitment and Selection Policy...
Transcript of Volunteer Recruitment and Selection Policy - MND … · Volunteer Recruitment and Selection Policy...
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Volunteer Recruitment and Selection Policy
Reference:
Date Approved: February 2015
Approving Body:
Implementation Date: February 2015
Version: 1
Supersedes:
Consultation Undertaken:
Target Audience: Staff and Volunteers
Review Date: January 2016
Lead Executive Sam Marshall
Author/Lead Manager: Chris Wade
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Volunteer Recruitment and Selection Policy
Contents
Page
Contents 2
1. Association Vision, Mission, and Values 3
1.1 Our Vision 3
1.2 Our Mission 3
1.3 Our Values 3
2. Our commitment to volunteering 4
3. Introduction 5
4. The Volunteer Journey 6
5. Diversity 7
6. Recruitment and Selection 8
6.1 Recruitment 8
6.2 Selection 9
7. Safeguarding 11
7.1 Reference checks 11
7.2 Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks 11
8. Branch Annual General Meetings (AGMs) 13
9. Micro-volunteering 14
10. Recruitment and Selection Process 15
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1. Association Vision, Mission, and Values
1.1 Our Vision
A world free from MND
1.2 Our Mission
We improve care and support for people with MND, their families and carers.
We fund and promote research that leads to new understanding and treatments, and brings
us closer to a cure for MND.
We campaign and raise awareness so the needs of people with MND and everyone who
cares for them are recognised and addressed by wider society.
1.3 Our Values
People with MND, their families and carers are at the heart of everything we do.
We collaborate, and value everyone’s contribution.
We achieve excellence through personal commitment and ongoing improvement.
We respect and respond to people’s diverse needs, backgrounds and views.
We achieve our aims through building open and transparent relationships.
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2. Our commitment to volunteering
The Association’s Principles of Volunteering set out key expectations of how volunteering
takes place in the Association. These include several key principles that impact on how
recruitment and selection take place.
Autonomy within boundaries
Collaboration and sharing
Volunteer friendly communication
Recognising differing motivations to volunteer
Diversity
Supportive
Making use of volunteer skills
Opportunity to learn and Develop
Support of flexible time commitments
Valuing Volunteers’ contributions
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3. Introduction
The Association values our volunteers, who are our greatest asset in realising our mission.
Recruitment, selection and induction are the foundation of volunteers’ relationship with the
Association and this is the time to lay a solid foundation for success. Effective recruitment
and selection means ensuring that a prospective volunteer is the right person to become
involved and that their skills, experience, and expectations and those of the Association are
well matched.
The recruitment and selection policy offers every volunteer a professional, effective, fair and
transparent system for attracting and selecting volunteers, whilst ensuring that we have
appropriately equipped volunteers to help people affected by MND. Our recruitment and
selection processes will be volunteer friendly and always be mindful of volunteer motivation
and needs.
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4. The Volunteer Journey
The volunteer journey below identifies the stage at which this policy comes into effect
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5. Diversity
Diversity in volunteer roles and diversity in our volunteer team are actively encouraged, as
we recognize that diversity also brings us new insights and innovation. The Association
values its volunteers and the skills and experience each one brings.
Every reasonable effort will be made to ensure that these procedures and our volunteering
opportunities are accessible and attractive to those interested in applying. This includes
making reasonable adjustments such as providing accessible documents for learning,
changes to the way we operate and use of accessible buildings. It may also for example
mean not holding interviews on days that are inconvenient for volunteers because of work or
faith.
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6. Recruitment and Selection
6.1 Recruitment
In the context of this policy recruitment is defined as the process of advertising and attracting
a cohort of potential volunteers to a role.
We will use appropriate and diverse ways to advertise for volunteers locally and nationally.
Both staff and volunteers play a key role in supporting the recruitment of new volunteers to
the Association.
Role descriptions will be in place for all roles that we seek to recruit to.
The promotion of and recruitment to volunteer roles is the responsibility of the volunteering
team guided and assisted by the staff member who will ultimately support the volunteer.
Branches and Groups may also play an active role in recruiting volunteers within their area.
Recruitment should be a planned activity in order to deliver the Association’s overall vision
and mission. Recruitment should normally be based upon pre-determined recruitment plans
designed to address current or future volunteer shortages, ensure that services can be
effectively maintained and that the diversity of our volunteers reflects the communities we
serve.
Regional staff are responsible for planning volunteer recruitment to ensure that there are
sufficient volunteers in any location to operate the activities required. Regional teams will
regularly review the number and diversity of volunteers and put in place plans to address any
current or impending shortfalls. Targets will be set to address key Association needs with
regards volunteer numbers. All targets will be related to our Strategy and have full
commitment from the directors’ team. In planning recruitment activities staff must consider
how the opportunity is promoted and administered in a way that is accessible to potential
volunteers.
Centrally based volunteering team members will support the development and piloting of new
volunteering roles with the creation of recruitment plans. They will receive regional staff support to
deliver and manage the piloted opportunity
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6.2 Selection
Our recruitment and selection process should result in having the right number of volunteers
with the right skills, in the right locations, representative of the local community and provide
prospective volunteers with a positive experience of the Association. The process provides
opportunity for the volunteer to learn more about the role and to be sure that it is suitable for
them. However, it is important that the process is selective, and staff and volunteers involved
in selection of volunteers ensure we are only selecting volunteers who meet the standards
set out in this process. For some roles the criteria for becoming a volunteer will be very basic
and for others the selection criteria will be very demanding.
Selection processes may differ slightly for each role but the following is the general
procedure:
Prospective volunteers will be welcomed and supported in exploring possible
volunteer roles suitable to their skills and aspirations.
They will be given the information and role descriptions they require to make an
informed application. The applicant will complete an application form. All applications
will be acknowledged swiftly.
The applicant will be interviewed by the appropriate staff member or branch
committee member. Prospective volunteers will know who their named contact
person is in managing their application.
Volunteers will be kept informed regularly as their application is processed, and
where appropriate will be involved in the local activities of the Association.
Those carrying out the selection processes will ensure that the volunteers’ access
needs are considered and reasonable adjustments made such as finding an
accessible venue.
The time and date of any interview must meet the needs of the volunteer rather than
be designed to simply fit in with staff schedules.
Applicants will be given timely feedback on whether they have been successful in
their application, and where appropriate signposted to other roles if not successful.
Any selection decisions will be taken objectively against selection criteria, learning
outcomes or person specifications on the role description.
Documentation, processes and all communication are simple and straightforward
Any unnecessary barriers to volunteering are eradicated and volunteers kept
informed.
We will recognise the needs of volunteers and try to accommodate the lifestyles,
availability and motivations when using these procedures
6.2.1. Selection Decisions
In all cases the volunteer must be kept informed on the progression of their application, and
be given timely notice of the outcome of selection decisions, and be given objective reasons
for decisions.
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Recruitment and selection processes may result in one of the following outcomes:
Accepted as a volunteer in the role applied for (subject to any outstanding
references/checks)
Not selected for the role but other roles may be considered as appropriate
Not selected for any role in the Association
Not selected at this time, but volunteer may be helped to gain specific knowledge or
experience to help them meet the requirements)
Some roles (such as Association Visitors) have a detailed and separately documented
selection process in recognition of the complexity involved
6.2.2. Appealing against a decision
All volunteers are entitled to appeal against a decision if not successful in the role they have
applied for. In the first instance, they can write to the Head of Volunteering outlining their
concern. If this is not satisfactory they can follow the MND Association’s complaints
procedure.
Where there are serious or persistent concerns about a volunteer, the procedure for
Managing Concerns about a Volunteer policy should be referred to.
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7. Safeguarding
7.1 Reference checks
When a new role is designed, a decision must be made of whether a reference check is
required for the role. The final decision on this will rest with the Head of Volunteering. This
has been predetermined for several roles and is recorded on the volunteer zone. If in doubt
the staff member or volunteer leading the recruitment should check with the Head of
Volunteering.
When references are required, two references will be required. Acceptable referees can be
requested from:
Employer (both past and present), teacher, lecturer, professor etc
Colleague/fellow volunteer
Family doctor or other health and social care professional
Religious leader
Family Friend (no more than 1 referee)
Unacceptable referees:
Immediate family member (i.e. parent, child, sibling, husband, wife, partner)
Housemate
7.2 Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks
When a new role is designed a decision needs to be made whether a DBS check is needed. This will
normally be detailed in the selection processes for the specific role. Roles that involve direct access to
children under 18 years old or vulnerable adults must be considered for DBS checks The final decision
on this rests with the Head of Volunteering.
Where a DBS check is required the following process should be followed:
As part of the preparation for the interview a volunteer will supply the regional staff members with
three photocopied forms of identification (bringing along the originals for comparison)
If at the interview that volunteer has not brought the documents or has supplied incorrect ones, the
staff member must arrange another opportunity to check these.
Once the identification has been checked the regional staff members will return the original copies
back to the volunteer, but retain the signed photocopies.
The signed photocopies will be sent to the Volunteering Recruitment, Learning & Development Co-
ordinator (VRLDC) for processing. If documents are being sent through the post, they must be sent
recorded delivery marked private and confidential FAO: Volunteering Team Only
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When the DBS check is complete, the VRLDC will record on RE. If the volunteer discloses something
will appear on their DBS, they should write to the Head of Volunteering with the information in a sealed
envelope marked ‘private and confidential’.
If the DBS check indicates previous convictions the Head of Volunteering will make a decision on the
individual in the role they have applied for.
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8. Branch Annual General Meetings (AGMs)
Some volunteers will be nominated and voted onto a committee at an annual branch AGM.
In these instances, the selection procedure is not necessarily followed, but the guidance on
recruiting at AGMs is followed instead as the branches members vote on who will represent
them on the branch management committee.
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9. Micro-volunteering
All volunteers are welcome at the Association and this includes any who chooses to
volunteer for a short period of time and/or for a one-off activity. Micro-volunteers would not
necessarily go through the same recruitment selection process as regular volunteers but this
will be tailored to the individual and the role they do. If in doubt, please discuss with the Head
of Volunteering. Please note that anyone with direct access to vulnerable adults of children in
their role must be considered for a DBS check
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Recruitment and Selection Process
VD
C o
r S
upport
ing S
taff
Me
mb
er
(SS
M)
Volu
nte
ering
Vo
lunte
er
Volu
nte
ering
/
B&
Gs
Registers interest
directly
Online application
form, automated
email to
Volunteering
Application form
received, saved
on RE
Info/application
pack sent to AV –
email/post
Notified of
potential
volunteer
If required,
references
requested
Satisfactory
references
received?
VDC or SSM to contact by
telephone, to discuss role further
and if required arrange interview
Successful
Receive copy of
mutual
expectations
document
Advertising/
promotion of
role
Via email or
telephone
Interview
confirmed email
Keep warm if delay in interview.
Via website
Welcome
letter, ID,
membership
set up
Ack sent by
Yes
Discussion
about other
suitable
opportunities
No
Yes
Discussion
about other
suitable
opportunities
No
Welcome to the
MND
Association and
Induction
Opportunity identified
Opportunity identified
10. Recruitment and Selection Process