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Contact a Family webinar

Good Practice in Volunteer Management Welcome!

Good Practice in Volunteer Management: An Introduction to the ‘4 Rs’ – recruitment, recognition, retention, reward Housekeeping • If there is a technical hitch, please do bear with us • Those of you joining by pc, laptop, tablet or smart phone should now

be able to see this introduction slide

Gethyn Williams Director of Development + Engagement, Contact a Family

Timing & Questions • As there are so many attendees, it is not practical for verbal questions to

be taken; therefore you will all remain ‘muted’ throughout.

• If at any point you have questions, please use the question icon on your GoToWebinar tool bar on your screen

• This will allow you to type your question in to the text box and submit this to the Webinar administrator

• I will select as many relevant questions to answer as time allows, if similar questions are received I will condense these where possible

Q&A

• Further relevant questions, not covered in the time allowed, will be

answered and posted on the Contact a Family website along with the recording of this Webinar, details of which will be circulated early next week

• At the end of the Webinar a short questionnaire will launch, please take the time to complete this as this will assist with future online training events

Thank You

• A short questionnaire will launch at the end of this webinar

• Please take the time to complete

• It will help us plan future online training events including other topics you would like to see

• The recorded Webinar and questions will be on the parent participation resources section of Contact a Family’s website in one weeks time.

http://www.cafamily.org.uk/parentcarerparticipation

About this webinar

• Part 1: Introduction to the world of volunteering and volunteer management – getting your head in the right space

• Part 2: Practical tools to improve your engagement with

volunteers

• Part 3: Q&A • Suitable for anyone within Forums responsible for engaging more

volunteers/support/help • About your presenter

Part 1: Introducing volunteering and volunteer management

Definitions and principles

In this section • What is a volunteer? • Volunteering in the UK • Who volunteers? • Why do people volunteer? A quick note about language We ‘engage’ volunteers – we don’t ‘use’ them

Part 1: Introductions to volunteering and volunteer management

A definition (NCVO)

‘…any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or groups) other than, or in addition to, close relatives. Central to this definition is the fact that volunteering must be a choice freely made by each individual.’ Footnotes: This can include formal activity undertaken through public, private and voluntary organisations as well as informal community participation and social action. Everyone has the right to volunteer and volunteering can have significant benefits for individuals.

How many people volunteer? Formal volunteering • Unpaid help through a group, club or organisation • 14.2m people volunteer regularly at least once a month – 27% of

population • Average 11.6 hours • Estimated worth £23.9bn a year • 21.8m people volunteer at least once a year – 42% of population

Informal volunteering • Unpaid help to individuals who are not relatives • 64% once in the last year, 37% once a month in the last year

Source: NCVO Almanac 2016 Part 1: Introductions to volunteering and volunteer management

Who volunteers? Gender • Overall roughly equal – 41% men, 43% women • Formal volunteering rates similar but some differences in informal (more women than

men) • Women more likely to engage in caring volunteer roles, men more likely to engage in

advice or representation role

Age • Age groups that volunteer most are 16-24 (32%) and 65-74 (31%) • Lowest rates of regular volunteering amongst 24-35 year olds (21%) • Youth volunteering (social action) is growing

Geography • Higher rates of volunteering in rural areas • Highest regional rates are in South West, East of England and East Midlands • Biggest regional increases in recent years is Yorkshire & Humber

Source: NCVO Almanac 2016 Part 1: Introductions to volunteering and

volunteer management

Why do people volunteer?


‘Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they

are worthless but because they are

priceless’

Legal issues

In this section • Volunteers and the law • Paying volunteers • Case studies • Parent Care Forums and Honorariums


Volunteers and the law Volunteer rights • Volunteers don’t exist in law - no legal rights, no universal

statutory definition • Any rights they gain come from the volunteer

contracts/agreements we set up with them. A contract or agreement is something that has the following elements – an offer, acceptance, consideration (of the value of the promises made) and an intention to create legal relations.

• Beyond this our duty of care (health and safety etc.) is the same as for paid staff

Part 1: Introductions to volunteering and


Volunteers and the law (continued) Volunteer agreements: legal advice • Beware the language of obligation - instead use 'our hope is, we suggest that' etc. • However, safeguarding and data protection obligations trump the need to avoid

contractual language with volunteers – in these areas it's fine to say you ‘expect them to comply’ etc.

• Ensure expenses are commensurate with the role and realistic based on duties undertaken - anything that could be construed as additional reward could be interpreted as payment and tip your agreement into something more contractual

• Keep arrangements under review - nature of volunteer role may change over time - important this is recognised and all parties understand the arrangement

• Thanking volunteers is usually ok – it doesn't compromise the relationship (and good recognition and reward is considered vital to success by most Volunteer Managers)

• Litigation around volunteering is rare but usually results from rejection of the volunteer, who then lashes out


Paying Volunteers Volunteers give their time without payment

They are paid out of pocket expenses such as: • travel to and from the place of volunteering • travel to other venues • childcare • refreshments and meals taken during volunteering • care of other dependents • postage, phone calls, stationery

Being paid out of pocket expenses does not affect benefits or tax contributions Part 1: Introductions to volunteering and


• Risk – employment law: If you pay a volunteer over and above their out of pocket expenses then you may unintentionally create a situation where the status of the person has changed from being a volunteer to an employee or worker, giving them associated rights and protections.

• ‘Real’ volunteers do not have these rights and protections. To establish entitlement to employment rights, the volunteer first needs to show they have a contract with the organisation concerned. This does not need to be in writing. One way which might confer this status on a volunteer would be to pay or reimburse the volunteer for their time.


Paying Volunteers (continued)

• You aren’t paid for your time as a volunteer, but you may get money to cover expenses. This is usually limited to food, drink, travel or any equipment you need to buy.

• You might be classed as an employee or worker rather than a volunteer if you get any other payment, reward or benefit in kind. This includes any promise of a contract or paid work in the future.

• You get certain employment rights if you’re classed as an employee or worker, like getting the minimum wage.


Paying Volunteers (continued)

Differences between Volunteers and paid workers Voluntary Paid – employed as worker or employee

Person provides their time as a gift to the forum – reimbursed for out of pocket expenses only

Paid for their time and out of pocket expenses

Volunteer agreement with intentions and expectations

Job description and contract of employment with requirements and obligations?

Benefit from putting training into practice Training will create an obligation on the person to work for x hours

There are arrangements in place if they have a complaint

They will they have to follow a grievance procedure

Can someone be flexible in the number of hours they work and when they do this,

Commit to a certain number of hours and days

When is it volunteering and when is it participation?

? P V • Length of

commitment • Specific skill or

experience • Remuneration • Training and

development • Shared vision or

goal

Honorariums in Forums • An honorarium is a one-off 'thank you', an unexpected

payment. There are no clear legal rules on what is or is not an honorarium, and such payments are best avoided.

• They are likely to affect benefits and are treated as income for national insurance and tax purposes.


Part 2: Practical tools and tips for improving your engagement with volunteers

Benefits of working with volunteers

• They bring fresh ideas • They extend your own networks • Extra hands • Volunteers bring their own experiences, skills and

insight • They can offer an objective view of what you’re

doing and how to improve things • They can bring a community approach to what you’re

trying to achieve

Tips and tools for great volunteer engagement

In this section • Recruitment • Retention • Recognition • Reward A quick note about language We ‘engage’ volunteers – we don’t ‘use’ them

Recruitment: Attracting more volunteers to your Forum

Part 2: Tips and tools for improving your engagement with volunteers

Be Clear • What do you want volunteers to do in your

forum? (The level of management you need will depend on the depth of their role and certain risk factors)

• Who can be a volunteer in your forum? • What can your forum offer volunteers?

Clear roles Formal Forum roles (Governance) Minute Secretary Treasurer Parent Carer Representative

Forum Development Roles Membership Social Media Outreach Events Ambassador Communications Database

General Just help out!

How South Gloucestershire describe their offer to volunteers

• Experience: in disability and awareness of the needs of families with disabled children, team-working, introduction to working for a charity, administration and office skills, responsibility, confidence and self esteem.

• Training: in related topics such as child protection; health and safety; administrative skills and opportunities to develop areas of interest in training fields.

• Support: Ongoing support to enable them to establish clear goals and objectives and help to make sure they get the best out of their time at SGPC

• Social contacts: opportunities to meet other volunteers, staff, parents and professionals. Development of social skills through interaction with colleagues and users as well as contact with third party organisations and individuals.

• A variety of activities: with the scope to develop areas of unrealised potential.

Finding volunteers • Your membership and wider networks • Local Volunteer Centre • www.do-it.org.uk • Some forums have a volunteer co-ordinator who will go to

events and meetings to give parents the opportunity and make it easier for them to talk face to face with someone

http://www.do-it.org.uk/

Safe Recruitment for more intensive / higher risk roles

• For clearly defined or regular roles have an application form – even if you know them well

• Be mindful of safeguarding and data protection – volunteers likely to be around children and vulnerable adults, or with access to your data, need a higher level of management and a DBS check.

• Ask for references – one work and one personal is a good start.

• Have an interview process with at least two people involved

Retention: Keeping them! In this section:

• Understand their motivations • Minimise misunderstandings

• Agreements • Policies and procedures

• Appropriate levels of management / contact • Don’t forget reward and recognition


The GIVERS tool

• Growth • Impact • Voice • Experience • Recognition • Social


• For regular, governance or ‘riskier’ roles • A code of conduct - expectations on both sides • A point of reference for future discussions • Not legally binding • Surpassed by any ‘employment’ relationship • Get it signed

Minimise misunderstandings: Volunteer agreements


Clear policies

e.g. advances on expenses • For some people on a low income, even the cost of buying the

bus fare may be too much. Other people (for example some asylum seekers) receive their benefits with a payment card and have no access to cash.

• Offering to give people cash in advance so they can buy the ticket can remove this barrier. If you do this, make sure that you get a photocopy of the bus ticket before giving advance payment for the next ticket.


Levels of volunteer management


• Benchmark against your staff roles • Set them according to the level of the role – the

minimum should be an agreement, an induction and clear point of contact

• More intense, regular or riskier roles should follow similar patterns to line management of staff

• Build in the positives – impact (on volunteer, beneficiary, wider purpose) and recognition

Look for opportunities to celebrate!

• Your community events – give your volunteers a prominent role and thank them

• Volunteer celebration events – consider bringing them together to celebrate their work. Ask your beneficiaries to come

• Use wider opportunities like Volunteers’ Week


Recognition


How can we recognise our volunteers?

• mention them in talks and meetings • praise and genuinely value your volunteers • make them part of your forums story • use certificates and awards • Volunteer achievement records • Regular review meetings so you can praise

them directly for their achievements and contribution

What impact are they having?

• Giving back to others • Gain knowledge,

expertise and experience

• Better, more responsive local services

• Needs of families better understood

• Increased culture of participation

• Better able to advocate

• Greater diversity of voice and experience

• Legitimacy with local partners

• Sustainability

• Service efficiencies

• Inclusive culture • Healthier local

democracy

Parent Carer

Local Families

Parent Carer Forum

Local Area

Rewards


• Rewarding volunteers as a group (e.g. outings, parties or ceremonies) is allowed as long as the cost is reasonable in proportion to the organisation’s total income and the scale of the contribution to its work made by the volunteers.

• Small in-kind gifts to individual volunteers as a “thank you” (e.g. vouchers, tickets to events, flowers, chocolates) are permitted as long as the cost is reasonable in proportion to the organisation’s total income and that volunteer’s contribution to the organisation’s work.

What’s ok?

• ‘pocket money’ - not connected to out of pocket expenses

• sessional fees • honoraria (one off payments for work done) • lump sums or other payments to cover ‘expenses • Regular perks such as free items in return for

volunteering • Training not connected to the role

What should we avoid?

Training is not a 'benefit in kind' if: • it is necessary to perform the volunteering role; • it is given for the sole purpose of improving the volunteer's or intern's

ability to carry out the role; • it is necessarily acquired in the course of the voluntary work. However, training outside of this scope may well be considered benefit in kind for NMW purposes. • It is important to know if the individual is a 'worker' and therefore entitled

to the NMW. The consequences of non-payment of the NMW can be serious -the employer could be required to pay six years backdated pay and could face criminal charges if found to have wilfully neglected to pay the NMW.

More about training…


Part 3: Q&A

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