1

Student

Volunteering

Handbook

Your rights, responsibilities

and what to expect

2

© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any

form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording, or otherwise, without permission in writing from

Edge Hill Careers.

3

Click on the button above to book an appointment

with a Volunteering Adviser in Careers

Click on the button above to search the online vacancy

system to find opportunities

Click on the button above to find out more information

about international volunteering from the handbook.

4

Contents

Introduction 4

The Facts 5

Reasons to Volunteer 5

Finding opportunities through the University 6

Finding opportunities yourself 7

Awards for Volunteering 8

Policies & Procedures 9

5

Introduction

Thank you for your interest in Volunteering. Your contribution is valued both by the community and by the University.

Volunteering will provide you with important skills needed in the work place and job specific experience needed for the jobs you plan to apply for. Volunteering can also enable you to meet new people, settle in at University and be personally rewarding and enjoyable.

As part of the support available in Careers Volunteering Advisers support students and staff with finding suitable volun-teering opportunities and we are looking forward to developing a creative and productive partnership with you as a Volunteer.

The aim of this booklet is to give you all the information you need about volunteering and answer any questions you may have.

Helen Rimmer & Jennie Owen

Volunteering Advisers

Careers

Edge Hill University

careers@edgehill.ac.uk

6

Information sourced from (www.timebank.org.uk, Sept 2010)

80% of employers

value volunteering

on a CV

75% wanted to make a

difference in people's

lives The Facts

7

Reasons to Volunteer

To develop job

specific skills and

transferrable skills

needed in the work

place

To achieve

accredited training

which will enhance

a CV

To gain an

insight into

possible

future career

paths

To gain/ improve

confidence

To “give back to the community” and become part

of that community

To have fun

and make

friends

8

Finding opportunities through the University

When you enrol at Edge Hill University you will be automatically registered for the Careers Vacancy Service.

To search the

opportunities

click the button

below and you

will be directed

to our website.

You will be prompted to login. Use your student number and password to do this.

You will now be

able to search

for volunteer

opportunities

along with

graduate and

student jobs,

internships, and

placements.

Click the button below to book to see a Volunteer Adviser. Or go to ‘book an appointment’ on our website. They can help you with your application or help your search.

There is also lots of useful information on the website.

Click the button to be directed to the volunteering page or go to the volunteering page on the

You can also use are ‘ask a question’ service click the button below to be directed. Or just go to ‘ask a question’ on our website

You will be prompted to login. Use your student number and password to do this.

www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers

9

Finding opportunities yourself

Research a relevant organisation against the opportunities that you want to gain out of the experience.

Consider what you want. To develop general transferrable skills needed in the work place? To gain job specific skills? Both?

Consider..

How much time do you want to dedicate?

Where do you want to volunteer?

How far are you prepared to travel?

Once you have

identified a suitable

organisation.

Contact HR to find

who you should

submit a CV and

cover letter to.

When you send your CV and cover letter make sure that you outline why you are passionate and why the experience would be valuable to you and what you will be able to offer.

Be proactive, if you have not received a written response call the organisation, try to arrange a meeting.

If you are invited in for a meeting and interview or anything similar, the make sure you attire is suitable for a job interview.

If you still do not

have any success

remember that you

can always book an

appointment with a

Volunteer Adviser

for help and

guidance.

Or go to ‘book an

appointment ‘on

the website

www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers

10

Awards for Volunteering

Excellence Scholarship for Volunteering.

Students who can demonstrate determination, commitment and achievement in volunteering, stand a good chance of being rewarded with an “Excellence Scholarship”.

Click below for more info.

Volunteering Award.

The Careers Volunteering Award allows current EHU students to gain accreditation, recording a maximum of 150 hours, at the Bronze, Silver or Gold level for their involvement in Volunteering.

Click below for more info.

Student Volunteer of the Year Award. Another opportunity to gain recognition for your volunteering activity is available through the annual Careers Awards To apply for this you would need to provide a contact at your organisation who would be approached to nominate you for this award.

Click below for more info.

11

Policies and Procedures of Edge Hill University

Equality and Diversity

We wish to support all students and members of staff into volunteering and we seek to make opportunities and practices accessible for everyone.

We aim to ensure that all volunteers are able to carry out their activities in an environment free from all forms of discrimination. However if you experience any concerns please come and see us.

We expect all our students and staff to promote equality of opportunity in their volunteering.

Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults

Many volunteering opportunities involve work with children and vul-nerable adults. If your role will involve close contact with children or vulnerable adults you will require a Disclosure and Barring Ser-vice (DBS) check in order to safeguard vulnerable clients, and you as a volunteer.

The organisation you are volunteering with should let you know if a DBS check is required, and if it is, should apply for it on your be-half. If you have a DBS check as part of your university course, and have registered for the DBS update service, some organisa-tions will be able to accept this rather than submit a further check.

If an organisation is unable to fund the DBS check this should be stated clearly on the advert, or at the first point of contact.

12

Policies and Procedures of Edge Hill University

Health & Safety

It is important that when you commence a volunteering relationship, you familiarise yourself with the

organisation’s Health & Safety guidelines and procedures. You must ensure that you adhere to these

during your time with them.

Even though it is the responsibility of the organisation you volunteer for to provide appropriate insur-

ance, it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that the organisation has employer and public liability

insurance, or equivalent, which covers volunteers.

The health, safety and well-being of our students and staff are of fundamental importance.

The organisation you volunteer with has the following responsibilities:

1. To insure you for the volunteering activities you undertake

2. To complete a Risk Assessment covering the activity which is regularly updated

To give you a basic Induction so that you are fully aware of what the task entails and what action to take

if something goes wrong.

In order to help the organisation promote your Health & Safety:

1. Please disclose, in confidence, any medical conditions or additional support needs you may have to

the person supervising your volunteering

2. If you spot something which you consider to be a risk, do not assume someone knows about. It is

your responsibility to report it and check that something is done to address the problem.

3. Ensure you have read and understood risk assessments relating to the activities you are being asked

to carry out.

4. Do not feel pressured to do something you consider to be unsafe. We will always support you in such

a situation.

13

Policies and Procedures of Edge Hill University

Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults

Many volunteering opportunities involve work with children and vulnerable adults. If your role will involve close contact with children or vulnerable adults you will require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check in order to safeguard vulnerable clients, and you as a volunteer. The organisation you are volunteering with should let you know if a DBS check is required, and if it is, should apply for it on your behalf. If you have a DBS check as part of your university course, and have registered for the DBS update service, some organisations will be able to accept this rather than submit a further check.

Expenses

You are encouraged to claim back your travel expenses from the organisation; and you should discuss this with the organisation. Normally to claim back your expenses you need to keep your receipts and have a signed record of your volunteering. It is important to bear in mind that not all organisations can offer you this support. You may also be eligible for funding from the student opportunity fund. Click the button below to be directed.

14

Policies and Procedures of Edge Hill University

Confidentiality

Whilst volunteering, you are expected to hold in confidence all matters that come to your attention.

Information must not be divulged to any other person or agency without consent of the service user. The only exception is where there is a clear evidence of serious danger to the services user, or someone else, or if a child or vulnerable person tells you they are being harmed in any way. We expect the organisation to provide adequate guidance and training regarding the possible disclosure of abuse.

Complaints/ Grievance Procedure and Code of Practice

The organisation you work with should have a complaints procedure.

If you have any complaints against any host organisation, we ask that you follow that organisation’s standard complaint procedure. Please contact the Volunteering Advisers, so that we are aware of what is happening, and we can support you.

You must adhere to the Code(s) of Practice the volunteering organisation has in place.

15

Inclusive Learning

It is Edge Hill University’s aim to make our services and provision

accessible to all our users. If you need us to present our

information in a different format (e.g.: electronic copy, large

print), or need any other modifications to this publication, please

contact Careers and we will do our best to accommodate your

requirements.

Edge Hill University Careers

Tel: 01695 584866

Website: www.edgehill.ac.uk/careers

Opening hours: Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm

© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any

form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording, or otherwise, without permission in writing from

Edge Hill Careers.