Volunteers support North Tipperary Hospice Movement by giving their time to carry out roles which have been initiated by, or agreed with, the charity. The volunteering relationship is based on trust and does not involve the obligations associated with employment. No payment, other than the reimbursement of agreed expenses, is made by North Tipperary Hospice Movement to people who give their time as volunteers.

This policy is intended for volunteers of North Tipperary Hospice Movement who have accepted an agreed role with the charity. It outlines the principles on which the relationship between volunteers and the charity is based and provides basic information.

Recruitment

North Tipperary Hospice Movement welcomes and respects the breadth of experience, skills, dedication and goodwill that volunteers bring. Application forms completed and an interview is carried out to ensure that applicants are suitable for the role in question. We will base our selection on the ability of each applicant to fulfil the role concerned, taking into account any effect a volunteer may have on the safety of all parties, our name and reputation. North Tipperary Hospice Movement
follow the guidelines and regulations and are affiliated to Tipperary Volunteering association. Each volunteer will undertake an Induction course and be guided through the volunteer roles in each of our cancer care centres and in any other volunteer tasks to support the work of the organisation.

Age

In most cases you will need to be over 16 years of age to volunteer independently and all volunteers under 18s will be asked for parental consent. Younger people may get involved in some aspects of volunteering with us if they are accompanied by a responsible adult. North Tipperary Hospice Movement have a child protection policy and ensure that all children and young people involved with us are supervised and supported at all times. We do not have an upper age limit for volunteers but there may be situations that require us to ask someone to stop volunteering – for example when health issues are considered a risk to the person concerned or others around them.

Getting Started

Welcome to the team! We want to make sure you have everything you need to get started so we’ll
Provide you with an induction and access to useful materials and information. Your staff contact will be the Director of Services in our cancer care centres or any member of the individual fundraising committee with which you are associated or Board member of the organisation.

Equal Opportunities and Diversity

You will be volunteering in an organisation that is committed to equal opportunities and diversity.
This commitment is reflected throughout the charity’s policies and practices.

Responsibilities and Expectations

We want you to enjoy volunteering with us and we take our responsibilities towards you very seriously. As a North Tipperary Hospice volunteer, you will also be a representative of the charity and, as such, we ask that you act appropriately.

North Tipperary Hospice Movement responsibilities:

• To offer equal opportunities to everyone who wants to volunteer
• To match your skills and experiences with the right role for you wherever possible, listening to your motivations and aspirations
• To offer appropriate training and support for your role
• To celebrate success and recognise loyalty and dedication
• To respect all our volunteers and listen to what you have to say, consistently encouraging two-way communication
• To provide information about the charity’s work, policies and procedures
• To reimburse agreed out of pocket expenses
• To make necessary arrangements to ensure your health, safety and welfare as a volunteer
• To encourage a positive and friendly atmosphere
• To provide access to trained members of staff, to support, guide and advise you

Our expectations of you as a volunteer:

• To aim for high standards of efficiency, reliability and quality in your volunteering
• To work in partnership with other volunteers, staff and the general public
• To support, respect and adhere to our organisational policies, guidelines and management decisions – including all aspects of equal opportunities, health and safety, data protection and use of our logo
• To always consider and protect North Tipperary Hospice’s good reputation in your actions and conduct
• To act responsibly and within the law
• To let your staff contact know first if you have any problems so that we can find a solution together
• To let your staff contact know if there are changes in your personal circumstances that may affect your volunteering
• To have the best possible experience by getting involved and enjoying your volunteering

Health and Safety

We are committed to ensuring your well being and safety whilst you are volunteering and, in
turn, we expect our volunteers to contribute to maintaining a safe working environment.
All volunteers for North Tipperary Hospice Movement must:
• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and other persons who may be affected by your actions or omissions
• Co-operate with staff by assisting them to fulfil their statutory duties
• Follow our health and safety policy and measures put in place by North Tipperary Hospice Movement or any organisation whose premises you may be working on
• Report accidents/incidents or dangerous circumstances to the Director of Services, whether or not any person has been injured
• Be aware of actions to take when an emergency situation arises and who, from North Tipperary Hospice Movement to contact for support

Media Relations

Each Volunteer will be introduced to the Social Media Policy for volunteers of the organisation. No comments or stories should be given directly to the media, unless your volunteer specifically includes talking to the press or other local media.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

We take great care to protect your information as part of our data protection responsibilities.
As a volunteer, we expect you to protect any personal or confidential information to which you may have access. North Tipperary Hospice Movement has developed an up to date GDPR policy,

Expenses

Volunteers may request reimbursement of reasonable out of-pocket expenses, such as travel costs and, if devoting a full day to the charity, a sandwich lunch or equivalent. Payment of reasonable
Expenses must be authorised by your staff contact in advance and receipts or tickets will be required.

Insurance

North Tipperary Hospice Movement has appropriate types of insurance in place to cover its volunteers. These include employers’ liability insurance and public liability insurance in the event
of a volunteer being harmed due to the negligence of the charity, or a third party being injured as a result of the actions of a volunteer whilst performing North Tipperary Hospice Movement’s duties. However, our insurance does not cover your personal belongings.

Using Your Own Vehicle

North Tipperary Hospice Movement does not provide motor insurance for you as a volunteer. Driving in connection with charitable volunteering is normally classified by insurers as “social, domestic and pleasure” which is part of your standard cover. We recommend that you check with
your insurer but there should not be any additional cost. If we have agreed to reimburse your expenses for travelling in your own vehicle, we use the government standard mileage rate, which includes an allowance for insurance as well as fuel, maintenance, tax, etc. Current rates of mileage are as follows:

Official mileage in a calendar year:
January 1st to Dec. 31st Engine Capacity
Up to 1200 C.C. Engine Capacity
1201 – 1500 C.C. Engine Capacity
1501 C.C. over
Kilometres Cent Cent Cent
Up to 6437 km. 39.12 46.25 59.07
6438 and over 21.22 23.62 28.46

Smoking and Substance Abuse

All North Tipperary Hospice Movement’s premises and events are smoke free. No smoking is allowed in or near our sites.
Volunteers are asked not to smoke when wearing a badge, branded clothing or anything that would
Identify you with the charity.
Volunteering whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be accepted.

Training and Development

You will have access to training or information to help you successfully carry out your volunteering role.
You will be offered an appropriate induction including information about the volunteering environment and any equipment you may be using in your role. If you choose to take on an additional or alternative role or activity as a volunteer, your staff contact will be happy to help
you widen or develop your skills and knowledge accordingly

Resolving Concerns

If you have any problems or complaints about your volunteering, please talk to your staff contact
immediately. The charity takes the concerns of its volunteers very seriously and will make every
reasonable effort to resolve any difficulties. Copies of our “Handling feedback and Complaints Procedure” are available from your staff contact or the Board of North Tipperary Hospice Movement.

Audit and Whistle Blowing

North Tipperary Hospice Movement is accountable to the Charity Commission and to the public who support us so generously.
We have a responsibility to check and audit our activities to maintain our reputation as a trustworthy charity that manages donations honestly and efficiently. This includes gifts of goods and money raised by all fundraising groups. If you would like to know more, your staff contact will be able to inform you how we do this in practice.
If you find that any member of staff or volunteer is behaving in a way that is likely to bring the charity into disrepute or cause financial loss, you should let your staff contact know immediately. If, for any reason, you would rather not talk to your staff contact, please call the Chairperson of North Tipperary Hospice Movement on 087 2772858.

Support and Advice

If you would like further information or advice on any aspect of your volunteering with us, please ask your staff contact or the
Board of North Tipperary Hospice Movement,
Suir Haven Cancer Support Centre,
Clongour Rd.,
Thurles
Co. Tipperary
E : suirhaven@gmail.com

Further Information

North Tipperary Hospice Movement recognises your contribution as a volunteer to the vital work of the charity.
This is borne out in the policies and procedures the charity has developed, which cover both staff
and volunteers in their work.
Volunteer Policy.

Volunteer Management

North Tipperary Hospice Movement encourages a model of good practice in volunteer engagement and management. We regard volunteers as a valuable resource and are committed to getting them involved at all levels of the organisation and within all appropriate activities. We recognise that engaging volunteers in our own work will enhance our ability to achieve our core objectives, expand our knowledge and add to the quality of our services. To meet this commitment we will:
1. Consider involving anyone who wishes to volunteer with the organisation who is able to demonstrate a commitment to our aims and if their needs as volunteers match the needs of the organisation.
2. Engage volunteers to enhance the work of paid staff not as a substitute for them.
3. Treat volunteers as an integral part of the team, in the same manner as paid employees and include them in decision making procedures whenever possible.
4. Aim to recruit volunteers from a variety of backgrounds, age groups, races, abilities and nationalities in line with our equality and diversity policy.
5. Train, support and supervise our volunteers to the best of our abilities, and to act quickly and fairly if difficulties arise.
6. Provide volunteers with appropriate resources to carry out their role effectively and efficiently including expenses.

Volunteer Recruitment

To ensure that the organisation engages the best possible volunteers and that those appointed are appropriately skilled, qualified and experienced.
Responsibility Board of Management, Staff of North Tipperary Hospice Movement
1. Selection
Once a volunteer opportunity has been identified a role description must be completed which includes:
• Title of the Role.
• Start and finish dates.
• Time commitment.
• Place of work.
• Task(s) the volunteer will be involved in.
• Supervisor’s name.
• Person specification, if appropriate.
Note: The role description may be amended on agreement between the volunteer and supervisor

2. Volunteer positions are advertised on the organisations website, various social media platforms and local news papers. The advertisement should state:
• Where applications are sent.
• The need for an application form and/or a CV, cover letter.
3. Applicants for volunteer positions will be required to complete a registration form and provide 2 references.
4. Applicants are then matched to a specific volunteer role and a short interview will be carried out.
• Volunteers are selected based on requirements of the role, experience, skills, availability and interest.
5. Appointment and Probation
References are required for the volunteer role; volunteers will be required to complete Garda Vetting.
6. Following reference checks the successful volunteer(s) will be notified via phone and/or email.
All placements are subject to an initial agreed trial period.
• The volunteer’s trial or probation period of 4 weeks and can be extended.
• At the end of this time, the supervisor will meet with the volunteer to discuss their suitability for their role.
• At this point, volunteers may continue in their current role, be reassigned to a more suitable role, or be asked to leave.

Volunteer Induction/Orientation

To ensure that our volunteer development and support needs are identified and addressed.

Responsibility: Board/Steering Committee, Manager, Supervisor

Induction
1. On a volunteer’s first day, they can expect to receive a planned induction with their supervisor. This induction involves, but is not limited to:
• An introduction to all staff/volunteers.
• General housekeeping.
• Volunteer policy and agreement overview.
• Terms and nature of the role.
• Organisation operations.
• Organisations services.
• Additional relevant policies and procedures.
• Confidentiality is a key organisational policy which underpins the sensitive nature of the work of the organisation.
• Be informed of any arrangement regarding expenses in line with the organisations expenses policy.
• Be made aware that insurance is provided to cover all volunteers while working on behalf of and at the direction of the organisation. (Drivers using their own cars in connection with their voluntary work must inform their own insurance company to ensure adequate and continued cover).
• Be informed that all their personal information is dealt with in accordance with our data protection policy and the data protection acts.

Training
1. On the job role specific training will be provided.
2. All volunteers are actively encouraged to identify and avail of training opportunities internally and externally.
• Approval to undertake external training must be agreed in advance with the supervisor and agreed by the Board of North Tipperary Hospice Movement.

Monitoring and Review
Monitoring and Review Volunteers will have the opportunity to provide feedback on their experience during regularly scheduled support and supervision meetings with their supervisor and when they complete their activities. This information will be complied and presented to the Board.
Volunteers will be asked to complete an exit form when leaving the organisation.
Volunteers will be made aware of the organisations Complaints procedure and will be encouraged to complete this process if they have complains about their time in the organisation and this will be presented to the Board of management who will investigate the complaint and communicate the findings to the volunteer.
Volunteers will receive a thank you letter from The Board of North Tipperary Hospice Movement once the volunteer leaves the volunteer role.