Coventry Mind has these aims:

• To work for improvements in mental health care and services
• To provide and pioneer facilities to complement and offer alternative support and services to statutory agencies
• To increase public understanding and support

In line with this mission, Coventry Mind seeks to involve volunteers:

• To ensure that our services meet the needs of our clients
• To provide new skills and perspectives
• To increase our contact with the community we serve
• To respect, support and demonstrate the value of people with mental ill health by involving them as volunteers in the organisational management and provision of services

Principles

This Volunteering Policy is underpinned by the following principles:

• Coventry Mind will ensure that volunteers are properly integrated into the organisational structure and that mechanisms are in place for them to contribute to Coventry Mind’s work
• Coventry does not aim to introduce volunteers to replace paid staff
• Coventry Mind expects that staff at all levels will work positively with volunteers and, where appropriate, will actively seek to involve them in their work
• Coventry Mind recognises that volunteers require satisfying work and personal development and will seek to help volunteers to meet these needs, as well as providing the training for them to do their work effectively.
• Coventry Mind seeks to involve volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities and commits the necessary resources.

Practice Guidelines

The following guidelines deal with practical aspects of the involvement of volunteers. More detailed information, including copies of the various documents referred to, is provided in the Volunteers Handbook.

Recruitment & Selection

All potential volunteers will receive an application form and will be requested to provide references from two different sources. The referees provided must have known the applicant for a minimum of two years and must not be related. If the references received are not satisfactory or the referee has not known the applicant for a minimum of two years, the potential volunteer will receive a letter of refusal. All volunteers will be contacted by the Volunteer Co-ordinator within a week of receiving an application in order to arrange an informal interview. If the interview is successful references will be sent for.

Review Process

All new volunteers will undergo a 3 month trial period. Following this period, they and their Project Head/Co-ordinator will review the role. This provides an opportunity for new volunteers to work in another service if their initial choice is not appropriate, and for the organisation to monitor their progress. If the review highlights any areas of misconduct or bad practice, Coventry Mind reserves the right to end the volunteering in writing.

Volunteer Agreements and Voluntary Work Outlines

Volunteers will have a Volunteer Agreement establishing what Coventry Mind undertakes to provide them. In addition they will agree to a written outline of the specific work they will be undertaking. Neither of these documents is a contract of employment; Coventry Mind has no intention of creating a contract of employment with any volunteers. Each volunteer will also receive a Volunteers Handbook.

Expenses

All volunteers will have their travel and reasonable out of pocket expenses reimbursed. Volunteers working a minimum of five hours per day will be able to claim expenses for lunch, for details see Volunteers Handbook.

Induction and training

All volunteers will receive an induction into Coventry Mind and their own area of work. Training will be provided as appropriate. Where possible volunteers will be entitled to receive additional training on the same basis as paid staff.

Support & Recognition

All volunteers will have a named person as their main point of contact. They will be provided with regular support sessions to feed back on progress, discuss future development and air any problems. Volunteers will also be invited to organisational events, social activities and recognition for special or long service.

The Involvement of volunteers

Volunteers are encouraged to express their views about matters concerning Coventry Mind and its work. They are entitled to refuse demands they consider unrealistic, beyond the scope of their role or which they feel they do not have the necessary skills to carry out. The experience of volunteers contributes to service planning and review, by involving volunteers in service Volunteer Forums and other appropriate ways.

Insurance

All volunteers are covered by Coventry Mind’s insurance policy whilst they are on the premises or engaged in any work on Coventry Mind’s behalf (this excludes the use of a car in a voluntary capacity, for more information regarding the use of a volunteers own car, see Volunteer Handbook).

Health and Safety

Volunteers are covered by Coventry Mind’s Health and Safety Policies a full copy of which is available from Wellington Gardens.

Equal Opportunities

Coventry Mind operates an equal opportunities policy in respect of both paid staff and volunteers. A copy is in the Volunteers Handbook. Volunteers will be expected to have an understanding of and commitment to our equal opportunities policy.

Confidentiality

Volunteers will be bound by the same requirements for confidentiality as paid staff and will be required to sign a copy of the confidentiality policy during their induction.

Misconduct and/or Bad Practice

Volunteers are expected to contribute to the success, effectiveness and efficiency of Coventry Mind. If volunteers fail to behave appropriately, they will initially be offered support, but as a last resort, Coventry Mind will cease their volunteering.

CRB (Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure)

All volunteers working with children and young people will be required to complete an enhanced CRB Disclosure Application.

Disclosure of Criminal Convictions

Coventry Mind will convene a panel which will consider all applicants who have disclosed or have been identified as having any kind of criminal conviction. This panel will take into account the type of conviction, the date of the conviction and the activities the applicant has undertaken since the conviction. Coventry Mind reserves the right to and may request that the applicants provide additional references in these circumstances.

The Right to Appeal

Volunteers whose application is refused or whose volunteering has been ceased have the right to appeal against this decision. The appeal must be made in writing to the Chief Executive of Coventry Mind. A letter of acknowledgment will be sent to the volunteer and a written response to the appeal will be made within one month of receipt of the appeal. If the volunteer is unhappy with the decision of the Chief Executive, they have the right to appeal in writing to the Chair of Coventry Mind. This appeal will be acknowledged in writing and an appeal panel consisting of 1 member of the Executive Committee, 1 service user and 1 volunteer (not known to the complainant) will be convened. The complainant will have an opportunity to address the panel with their appeal and be accompanied by an advocate if they so wish. The decision of this panel is final.