Clwyd Special Riding Centre
Volunteer Policy
The Clwyd Special Riding Centre relies on dedicated and generous volunteers who facilitate sessions at the Centre and assist with the maintenance and smooth running of the facility. It is recognised that without its volunteers the Centre could not exist and their contribution is greatly valued.
The policy is intended for staff and volunteer guidance only and does not constitute either implicitly or explicitly, a binding contractual or personal agreement. The Clwyd Special Riding Centre is committed to excellent practice in volunteering.
OUR AIM
To provide people with special needs with the opportunity to ride, equestrian vault or carriage drive to benefit their health and well-being.
OBJECTIVES
1. To provide residential riding holidays for riders, carriage drivers and vaulters with special needs.These objectives are met by the active participation of volunteers.
THE ROLE OF VOLUNTEERS
A volunteer is someone who of their own free will contributes their time, energy and skills to the benefit of the Centre. The Centre offers a wide variety of volunteering opportunities. Volunteers are needed to facilitate the riding, driving and vaulting activities of the RDA groups that are based at the Centre:
Leading
Sidewalking
Able bodied whips for carriage drivingbr>
Instructing
Vaulting
coaching
Group
organiser
Facility
maintenance
Administration
These roles are not intended to replace full time staff. Volunteers shall not be considered as employees of the organisation.
The Clwyd Special Riding Centre Ltd. Registered Charity number: 1118241.
Registered as a Company limited by Guarantee in England and Wales number: 6033558.
The Centre will undertake, on behalf of the RDA groups based here, to recruit, induct and give basic training as detailed in its own Green Card syllabus to all new volunteers who approach the Centre directly. Volunteers, once inducted, will join one or more of the groups based at the Centre; should they wish to undertake maintenance work or fundraising for the Centre they will then become a member of the Centre group. The RDA group that the volunteer has joined will then become responsible for that volunteer’s training and support. In this sense the Centre will operate in a similar way to a volunteer bureau.
All groups at the Centre agree to adhere to this volunteer policy. All staff, volunteers and riders are guided by the Centre's Health and Safety Policy, Child Protection Policy, Confidentiality Policy and Equal Opportunities policy. Copies are available to all new volunteers at their induction.
All volunteers recruited through the Centre will be asked to sign a volunteer agreement.
RECRUITMENT
The Centre also has a recruitment programme, in line with its aims. Volunteers will be recruited using a variety of different means in order to insure a diverse pool of potential volunteers. The Centre is fully committed to diversity in all areas of its work. We wish to develop and maintain an organisation in which differing ideas, backgrounds, ages and needs are fostered and valued.
Recruitment will begin with talks to groups, colleges and businesses, advertising through local media, press releases and liaising with the local voluntary councils.
When new
volunteers
contact
the
office,
they will
first fill
out an RDA
Volunteer
Enrolment
Form.
The
new
volunteer
will then
meet with
the
Volunteer
Coordinator
and be
given a
tour of
the
Centre.
At this
meeting
the
Coordinator
will
discuss
the
different
roles for
volunteers,
the times
for
volunteering,
and the
Centre's
volunteer
policy.
A
CRB check
will be
completed
within six
weeks of
the
initial
contact.
If this
does not
come back
clear then
whether or
not the
Centre can
recommend
the
volunteer
to the
groups
based at
the Centre
will be at
the
discretion
of the
Centre
Manager
and in
accordance
with the
Centre’s
Recruitment
of
Ex-Offenders
Policy.
A
reference
will be
taken up
for all
volunteers
within six
weeks of
their
initial
contact.
If the
reference
is not
satisfactory
then
whether or
not the
Centre can
recommend
the
volunteer
to the
groups
based at
the Centre
will be at
the
discretion
of the
Centre
Manager.
The
volunteer
will be
given an
information
pack,
their
volunteer
agreement
and a date
and time
set for
their
initial
training -
the RDA
Green
Card.
If
the
volunteer
wishes to
be
involved
with the
riders,
the
relevant
RDA Green
Card
training
must be
completed
with the
Centre
before the
volunteer
can
start.
The
volunteer
will then
be paired
up with an
experienced
volunteer
from their
group for
their
first few
volunteering
sessions.
At the end of the first six weeks the volunteer will be invited to a one on one review with the Volunteer Coordinator. Concerns can be dealt with and the volunteer can give feedback to the Centre through an evaluation form.
Through this recruitment and induction process it is hoped that volunteers will be able to confidently enter into their new role.
TRAINING
There will
also be
First Aid
and Child
Protection
courses
arranged
on a
regular
basis.
Once the
volunteer
has
completed
his or her
necessary
Green Card
training
that
volunteer’s
training
needs
become the
responsibility
of the
group whom
they are
volunteering
with.
Through the Community Training Partnership we can organise other training, such as Basic Food Hygiene.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
The Centre has employed a Volunteer Coordinator. The function of the Volunteer Co-ordinator is to ensure effective volunteer co-ordination within the organisation, and to direct and assist staff and volunteer efforts jointly to provide more productive services. The Coordinator is responsible for recruiting suitable volunteers, supporting volunteers and for tracking and evaluating the contribution of the volunteers to the organisation. A system of records will be maintained on each volunteer, by the Coordinator, including dates of service, positions held, duties performed, evaluation of work, and rewards received. The Coordinator will support all volunteers and will have regular meetings with them, both formal and informal, to talk about how their volunteering is progressing.
COMMUNICATION
Lines of communication operate in both directions, and exist, both formally and informally. Volunteers are consulted regarding all decisions, which would substantially affect the performance of their duties. Volunteers are entitled to all necessary information pertinent to the performance of their role.
An annual forum is held, during group sessions. Concerns or issues raised are fed back to the Trustees.
A volunteer’s newsletter is produced twice yearly. There is a comments box available to volunteers. The Volunteer Coordinator produces and collates information from a “check in” questionnaire that is circulated quarterly.
INSURANCE
Volunteers are insured through the RDA Group that they become a member of, for Public, Products and Pollution Liability and also Personal Accident.
Volunteers
for Clwyd
Special
Riding
Centre
will be
covered by
CSRC RDA
insurance.
Volunteers
must be 14
years and
over to
qualify
for
Personal
Accident
insurance.
Volunteers
between 14
and 16
years, the
sums
insured
are
increased
proportionately.
BENEFITS
Volunteers who are receiving benefits should contact their local benefits agency to inform them that they are volunteering. This may effect their benefit payment.
SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION
Clwyd Special Riding Centre volunteers are eligible for reimbursement of travel by public transport or petrol expenses incurred while undertaking work for the organisation. The volunteer co-ordinator shall distribute information to all volunteers regarding how to claim or expenses if they so wish. Volunteers with one of the RDA groups here at the Centre should speak to their Group Organiser regarding the reimbursement of expenses; each of the groups has their own policy.
An annual volunteer recognition event is held to highlight and reward the contribution of volunteers to the group or organisation. Volunteers and the RDA groups are consulted and involved in order to develop an appropriate format for the event.
All volunteers are encouraged to further their personal development through the attendance of regular training days organised by the Centre.
RESOLVING PROBLEMS
The Centre has a commitment to address complaints by or about volunteers. A copy of the complaints procedure will be given to all new volunteers at induction and displayed on the volunteer notice board.
CONFIDENTIALITY
In the course of volunteering, a person may well hear of information, which is confidential. All volunteers shall be discreet and keep such information confidential.
STAFF AND VOLUNTEER INTEGRATION
Clwyd Special Riding Centre wishes its entire staff to realise the value of its volunteers. The Centre expects that staff at all levels will work positively with volunteers. The importance of volunteers to the organisation is affirmed at induction for new staff and at all staff meeting. At staff appraisals integration with volunteers is discussed.
June 2011 Next Review date: June 2012
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