Frequently Asked Questions
Click on any of the questions below to have more information.  What can the team at Volunteer Centre Newcastle
offer me?
Is there an accepted definition of the word volunteer?
Because there is no legal definition of what a 'volunteer' is the word is used by different people and different sectors to mean different things. For instance, government schemes whereby people have to work for charities in return for benefits are sometimes described as 'voluntary,' but many people would argue that since the people taking part have to do the work they are not 'volunteers'. Equally many people work unpaid in order to gain experience in very competitive areas like television but most people would not describe them as volunteers. The definition of volunteering used in the 1997 National Survey of Volunteering is "any activity which involves spending time, unpaid, doing something which aims to benefit someone (individuals or groups) other than or in addition to close relatives or, to benefit the environment". Is there a minimum age for volunteers? What does the law say about children volunteering?
There is little guidance in the law with regard to children and young people volunteering. There is no general legal restriction on volunteering by children in not-for-profit organisations. However some local authorities have by-laws restricting the number of hours children can work. Some people might argue that there is a moral argument that organisations ought to fall into line with the Children and Young Person's Act, (1963) which applies to profit-making organisations only. The Act limits children aged 14 and over to a maximum of two hours work on Sunday or a school day. These hours must be between 7am and 7pm and must not be in school hours. Volunteer Centre Newcastle suggests that you should discuss this issue with the volunteer and between you work out a reasonable level of commitment. You should also check that your insurance policies cover younger volunteers – as some have a minimum age of 16 or 18. Volunteer Centre Newcastle would like to encourage more organisations to use younger volunteers and plans to offer specific training and a good practice guide on this topic during 2007. Can Refugees and Asylum Seekers volunteer for us?
Refugees and asylum seekers are able to volunteer for any organisation as long as no payment is received (other than legitimate expenses). Home Office guidance states that care should be taken to ensure that activity undertaken by an Asylum Seeker is for a not-for-profit organisation, and does not amount to either employment or job substitution. It confirms that Asylum Seekers are entitled to receive out of pocket expenses just like other volunteers. If the position requires a Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) check refer to the Volunteer Centre Newcastle’s Good Practise Guide to CRB checks for Asylum Seekers and Refugees. Have you any suggestions for volunteers who would like to volunteer from their own home?
There are opportunities available if volunteers wish to volunteer from home, these include: telephone befriending and ‘virtual volunteering’ – ideal if a volunteer has IT skills such as graphic design, web design, or an ability to write newsletters.
Are there any maximum hours a volunteer on Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) can volunteer for?
No, there are no maximum hours that someone claiming JSA can volunteer for. However, the individual must be actively seeking work and be available for work. To be available for work, a volunteer must be available to attend a job interview at 48 hour’s notice, or start work at a week's notice. For further confirmation please check with the DWP. Can people on Incapacity Benefit volunteer?
There is a lot of confusion over Incapacity Benefit because there used to be a rule that individuals in receipt of the benefit could only volunteer for 16 hours a week. This rule no longer applies although many people are still being told that it does. If you are in receipt of Incapacity Benefit then you can volunteer as much as you want. People often worry that starting to volunteer will automatically trigger an investigation into their need to claim Incapacity Benefit. In practise this is not true and reassessment because an individual has started to volunteer very rarely happens. Sometimes there is some confusion about volunteering and ‘Permitted Work’ (which can have hour limits). This relates only to paid work so should not affect volunteers. Disability Living Allowance is an allowance paid in acknowledgement of the fact that life for someone with a disability may be more expensive i.e. someone with mobility problems may be reliant on taxis. Volunteering will not affect whether an individual gets it or not. One of our volunteers is having problems with the Benefits Office (Department of Work and Pensions) because of their volunteering; what can we do?
Occasionally a volunteer will have problems convincing their benefits adviser that they are volunteering and not working. If this is the case, be prepared to talk to their benefits and to send information about the organisation and what the volunteer is doing for you. Keeping up to date records of reimbursed expenses paid to volunteers can also help and act as evidence when dealing with the benefits office.
Do we need a volunteer policy?
Small informal groups, where often everyone is a volunteer, and everything is being done on a face to face level can get by without a volunteer policy. Once groups that use volunteers start to become larger and more formal the importance of a volunteer policy increases. A volunteer policy ensures consistency, and demonstrates a commitment to good practice. It also helps clarify exactly why volunteers are being used within an organisation, and how they will work alongside paid staff. For volunteers, it makes clear how they can expect to be treated by the organisation. You may wish to include the following in a volunteer policy: - Introduction: Explain the aims of the organisation, and how volunteers fit into this mission. This is also a good place to make a statement of intent about how volunteers will be treated by the organisation. - Recruitment: How will you recruit? What will your interviewing arrangements be? How will you treat prospective volunteers that aren’t suitable for the role? - Induction and Training: Do you need a volunteer handbook/induction pack? What training do the volunteers need to start their roles? What training might they need to develop in their role? - Expenses: Volunteers should not be out of pocket through their involvement with the organisation. - Support for volunteers: Who will supervise the volunteers? What arrangements will there be for the volunteer to discuss their role with their supervisor? - Equal opportunities: Are volunteers covered by your equal opportunities policy? How are you showing your commitment to diversity? - Problem solving: Do you have procedures for dealing with complaints by or about volunteers? Other items that could be mentioned in a policy include a commitment to involve volunteers in the day to day life of the organisation; through volunteer forums, attendance at staff meetings and so on. It is also a place to mention that volunteers are covered by your insurance policies. Alternatively, you may choose to have a number of policies to cover these arrangements for instance a separate policy for recruitment, a separate policy for complaints and complements and so on. You can find more detailed guidance on writing a volunteer policy in Volunteering England’s free pdf booklet: Get It Right from the Start. What questions should we ask on a registration (application) form?
When dealing with potential volunteers you will probably want to ascertain some basic information for your records. A logical first step may be to ask volunteers complete a registration form. This can be a good way of recording basic information like name, address etc. but in most cases it is not the best way of assessing a volunteer’s suitability for a role. It is recommended that when dealing with volunteers, that you should refer to such a form as a ‘Registration Form’ rather than an application form. This is because they are not ‘applying’ for a particular post as a paid employee. This also give the process a much more informal feel and suggests that the form is simply a way or gaining certain information rather than as part of a selection process. Some organisations find that rather than getting the volunteer to complete a complex form, it is possible to get all the information required when meeting the volunteer in person. This can avoid unintentionally putting barriers in the way for people who have problems with their sight, for whom English is not their first language, or whose level of literacy is not high (all of whom may have lots of other skills and experience that you would not want to lose). If you are going to use a form to take details, be clear about what information you need and why. For example many organisations ask for a volunteer's date of birth when all they actually need to know is if someone is above or below a minimum or maximum age. Information you need for equal opportunities monitoring purposes should be asked on a separate form, that is kept separately from other personal details and the reasons for asking should be clearly stated. We would suggest any combination of the following can be included on a registration form: - Name - Address - Phone Number (Home/Mobile) - Email address - Date of Birth or Age range - Reasons for volunteering - When available - Interests i.e. what they would like to be involved with Signed and dated to state that the information given is correct It is important that volunteers sign a form to simply give consent to you holding and processing their details and to confirm the details given are correct. Asking a volunteer to sign an ‘agreement’ or ‘contract’ can be dangerous as this can enable them to be seen as an employee and therefore be entitled to the same rights as employees. You can look at some examples of volunteer registration forms on the Volunteering England website. How should I interview a potential volunteer?
An interview or informal chat with a volunteer is a two way process, and gives an opportunity for both parties to find out more. Unlike interviews for paid positions, volunteer interviews are not usually used to choose between several candidates for the same role, but as a way to find out more about your potential volunteer. If it is clearly a selection process and not all volunteers will be taken on by the organisation, people should be made aware of this at the outset. The interview can be structured and organised without being unnecessarily formal. You may want to tell them about:
You may want to ask the volunteer:
If you are recording information from the interview, it is important that you record only factual information and not opinion and that you assure the potential volunteer that what they say will remain confidential (you should also mention if there would be anything you could not keep confidential e.g. something relating to a child protection issue). At the end of the discussion both you and the volunteer should together be in a position to agree whether you wish to proceed further. If you are not certain that the volunteer has the skills or experience to carry out the role you will need to explain this, making it clear that your assessment is based on the requirements of the role description and person specification (do think carefully about whether the role description can be adapted if the volunteer has some of the necessary attributes). A 'trial period' may also be useful for both parties. This is perfectly reasonable but it is important to be open with potential volunteers about what you are suggesting and why. At the end of the interview you should be in a position to:
Who should we accept as a referee for a volunteer?
Obtaining references does give you, and your clients, added security. References can add to your picture of a volunteer, helping you to identify their strengths and weaknesses, and occasionally alerting you to serious problems. They also help to confirm the volunteer is who they say they are. However you should bear in mind that a lot of potential volunteers may not have been employed, or may have been out of employment for some time. In order to avoid creating barriers you will need to be flexible about who you will accept a reference from. As well as previous employers you could think about suggesting social workers, probation officers, religious ministers, tutors, people working in day centres etc, that the volunteer attends or anyone else that they have an official relationship with. Also, think about the length of time you want the referee to have known the volunteer, if you ask for too long a period of time you will again be creating barriers for many people. Occasionally someone will want to volunteer for you who is completely unable to provide a reference (i.e. an asylum seeker who has not been in the country very long). You will need to make a balanced assessment of the risks involved and decide whether there is a safe way of involving them. You may be able to adapt some of your procedures. For example, involve them only in group activities for the first few months while you get to know them better. If you do this you will have to explain to the volunteer why they are being treated differently so that they do not feel singled out. What do I do if a volunteer is unsuitable?
It is a simple fact that not all volunteers will be suitable for a particular role or your organisation. If, after finding out as much as possible about the volunteer and (if possible) a trial period, you decide that a volunteer is not suitable for a particular role, the best course of action is to speak to them frankly and honestly about the reasons for their unsuitability (trying to be as positive as possible). You should suggest alternative roles within your organisation where they would be better suited. Reasoning and persuasion are important here as you don’t want to loose or upset the volunteer but also, you cannot afford to have a volunteer in an unsuitable role. If the volunteer is unsuitable for your organisation as a whole or you don’t have alternative roles for them again, this should be explained to them. You should then refer them to the Volunteer Centre who can look at other options with different organisations. What are the criteria for conducting a Criminal Records Bureau check on a volunteer?
There are no clear or definitive guidelines as to what voluntary roles require a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. Much of the decision is left to each individual organisation to decide. If a volunteer is in contact with a vulnerable group, a CRB check is recommended but not always essential. For example, if a volunteer and client group are always in the presence/supervision of a member of staff or experienced volunteer who is CRB checked the ‘risk’ is greatly reduced. Anyone volunteering on a ‘one to one’ basis with: a child or young person or group of children/young people, a vulnerable individual or group of vulnerable adults should be CRB checked. Whilst CRB checks are a valuable and often essential tool in screening volunteers and deciding their suitability, they should not be too heavily relied upon and should always be used in addition to other methods. These include references and in depth informal chats. A lot can be learnt about an individual be simply talking to them and asking questions. Conducting CRB checks or not, largely depends on organisation policy. Review your policies and if needed, make changes to them in order to ensure safety without creating barriers. The disclosures website may offer further guidance. How do we check volunteers with the Criminal Records Bureau?
In order to complete a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check for a volunteer, the organisation must be a registered body or go through an ‘umbrella body’. Registering with the CRB carries a fee and specific criteria (see question ‘How does are organisation register with the Criminal Records Bureau’ below). If you do not wish to pay a large registration fee, quite often an umbrella body in your area will offer to complete CRB checks on behalf of other originations for a smaller fee which is often just to cover admin. This admin fee can vary and depends on what the organisation wishes to charge. To find out about umbrella bodies willing to complete checks on behalf of other organisations, contact the Volunteer Centre . Or check out the CRB website. How does our organisation register with the Criminal Records Bureau?
In order to get Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosures, organisations need to become registered bodies or use an ‘umbrella body’ to process the application(s). To register you will need to: - Pay a £300 fee - Satisfy the CRB that they are entitled to ask for the information under the Exceptions Order of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act - Show that they have a code of practice regarding employing ex-offenders - Show that their confidentiality policy is clear about who will need to know information, how it will be stored, and when it will be destroyed. - Adhere to the CRB strict code of practice If the CRB is satisfied that all this is in place then the organisation need to nominate a lead signatory who has overall responsibility for checks and counter signatories. All signatories are checked by the CRB to the level of an enhanced disclosure to see if they have any offences that would make them unsuitable to receive confidential information. All applications for Disclosures have to be signed by a signatory and the CRB applicant. For further information regarding the Criminal Record Bureau and registration please visit the CRB’s website . How do we contact the Criminal Records Bureau?
You can contact the Criminal Records Bureau Information Line 0870 90 90 811 or the Disclosure website for more details: www.crb.gov.uk.
Should I take on someone with a criminal record as a volunteer?
This is not a simple yes/no question. Firstly, it's important to remember that organisations who refuse to take on any volunteer with a criminal record cannot claim to be operating equal opportunities or abiding by the law. By refusing to treat people as individuals and looking at each case on its own merits organisations would be operating on the basis of naked prejudice, further to this the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act of 1974 states that if a conviction is spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you can legally say ‘no’ when asked if you have a conviction. In choosing not to take on people with criminal records organisations would also be cutting themselves off from a large number of potential volunteers. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development: - More than five million people in the UK have convictions for crimes that could have involved imprisonment. - One in three men under 30 years of age have criminal records. - It is estimated that at least 20% of the working population has a criminal record. It is therefore important to look at the relevance of a conviction to the volunteering role, and asses whether or not it is appropriate for the volunteer to undertake the role. The CRB list the following ‘considerations’ to take into account when trying to decide this: - Whether the conviction is relevant to the position - The seriousness of the offence - The length of time since the offence occurred - Whether the applicant has a pattern of offending behaviour - Whether the applicant’s circumstances have changed - The circumstances surrounding the offence and explanation offered by the applicant. To find out more about when a CRB check is appropriate and when an offence may make it inappropriate to take on a volunteer please see the CRB’s website. What is the best way to reimburse expenses?
Most people in receipt of benefits are on very low incomes and could not afford to volunteer if their expenses were not paid, so when you decide how you will pay expenses, try to make sure that you are not creating unnecessary barriers. Many organisations find it easier to reimburse expenses weekly or monthly rather than daily, and some always reimburse by cheque. However, this can create problems for someone on a low income who cannot afford to wait a long time for money to be reimbursed, or for someone without a bank account. If possible, always try to reimburse expenses on the same day, in cash. In particular, Asylum Seekers in receipt of vouchers have very little access to cash, so find it difficult to pay for travel or to go out and buy a sandwich. If this is an issue, you may want to consider giving them there expenses up front. This must be recorded and volunteers reimbursed this way must still produce a receipt and return any change. If you do not do this, it can be seen that the volunteer is being given payment which can have severe consequences for your organisation and the volunteer. For further information on this, see questions ‘Can we pay volunteers expenses in advance for expensive items?’ & ‘Can we give our volunteers a flat rate expenses payment? We are finding it time-consuming and difficult to pay out exact expenses against receipts. It’s an administrative nightmare.’ If you are not sure which methods of reimbursement suit people, the easiest way to find out is to ask them. Can we pay volunteers expenses in advance for expensive items?
There have been some problems in the past where volunteers on benefits have been given advance payments (for instance for something that would cost a lot like childcare or a weekly travel-card). The introduction of the Social Security Amendment (Volunteers) Regulations 2001 meant that income support, Job Seekers Allowance (JSA), and Incapacity Benefit are not endangered if a volunteer receives advance payment for expenses to be incurred in the future. It is still important to keep receipts and records, and the volunteer would have to repay to the organisation any money that was not spent. Can we give our volunteers a flat rate expenses payment? We are finding it time-consuming and difficult to pay out exact expenses against receipts. It’s an administrative nightmare.
It may seem easier to pay volunteers a flat rate, rather than reimbursing actual receipted expenses, but by doing this you are putting both yourselves and the volunteer at risk. Volunteers on benefits may lose part of their benefit if they receive anything over and above what they have actually spent. So, for instance, if you have a flat rate of £5 a day, but they have only spent £3.50, the extra £1.50 will be seen as a payment and could affect their benefits. The Inland Revenue also views money over and above actual out-of-pocket expenses as taxable income. You may also find that if you pay a flat rate you are inadvertently creating a contract of employment, because the volunteers may be seen as working in return for a sum that exceeds their actual expenses - no matter by how little. By creating a contract you could make them an employee, which means that they could be entitled to full employment rights including the National Minimum Wage. It is therefore quite important that you take receipts and keep records so that you can prove, if necessary that any money you have paid out is an actual reimbursement. It may seem like unnecessary work to collect receipts and pay exact amounts but it is important in order to protect both the organisation and its volunteers. Should our organisation be reimbursing care costs to volunteers?
As with all expenses, there is no legal requirement for you to reimburse someone's care costs. However, if you do not, you will be excluding single parents, parents with pre-school children and people caring for an adult from volunteering for you. At present many organisations will not even consider reimbursing care expenses because of the costs involved, and because the arrangements seem overly complex. Given the number of carers in the community (Carers UK estimate that the number of carers in the UK may be as high as 1 in every 8 people). This means that there are many skilled people with valuable life experiences who may want to volunteer but cannot. Under all definitions of 'reasonable out-of-pocket expenses', care costs are included. It is absolutely fine to reimburse receipted care costs, and this will have no minimum wage implications and no effect on volunteer's benefits Are there any legal implications if our organisation reimburses care costs?
In order to make it clear that any payment is a reimbursement and not a wage all expenses that are paid out should be on the production of a receipt and for auditing purposes should be signed for by the volunteer. You may want to produce an expenses form that volunteers can complete. When deciding how often to reimburse expenses and whether to pay by cheque or cash do bear in mind that care costs are likely to be quite high. In order to make it viable for people on low incomes you should probably think about reimbursing as promptly as possible in cash. As long as you are reimbursing expenses to the volunteer and not paying the child care agency directly you are not entering a legal relationship with them. If needed, you can put them in touch with your local Childcare Information Services who will be able to tell them about care options in your local area. The Department for Education and Employment has established a childcare information helpline and website called ChildCareLink which puts people in touch with their local Childcare Information Services who will hold details of local childminders, playgroups and nurseries. We seem to be losing volunteers faster than we recruit them. Where are we going wrong?
One obvious way to find out why volunteers are leaving is to ask them - exit interviews or questionnaires might reveal issues that need addressing.
You may also want to consider the following questions:
Regular supervision that gives the volunteer opportunities to honestly express any concerns is important. It's much better if you’re aware of any problems whilst you still have the opportunity to do something about them before you loose a volunteer. When people decide to volunteer they will have certain motivations to do so. They want to feel useful, learn new skills, get out of the house and meet people - the list is endless. If these needs are not met by volunteering with you they'll move on to another organisation or into a different activity altogether. It therefore makes sense to find out what these motivations are, and how well they are being fulfilled. Remember too that motivations change. A person may start volunteering to improve their CV, but stay because they enjoy the organisation or the people they are involved with. Most of us like to feel that we're part of something. If volunteers feel marginalised they are less likely to want to stay with you. Make sure that volunteers are involved in the internal life of the organisation - consulted on decisions that affect them, invited to participate in relevant meetings, and included in any social plans. Lastly, there are specific measures to reward or recognise volunteers - certificates, parties, volunteer events. More important than the big gestures, are the everyday things you do to let volunteers know they are valued. A simple thank you goes a long way. Do I need to provide motor insurance for my volunteer drivers?
If your organisation is providing the vehicles then you should, of course, arrange appropriate insurance cover. Volunteers using their own vehicles should inform their insurance company that the vehicle is being used for voluntary work. There should not be an extra premium. Some companies insist that the volunteer will have to change their policy to business cover, but usually if you make it clear that they are not making any profit from volunteering they will cover the voluntary activity under social use. You should check that volunteers have told their insurance companies about the new use of their vehicles, as not doing so could invalidate their cover in the event of an accident. It’s also useful periodically to check that their cover is up to date. Many organisations find it useful to issue volunteers with a standard form that can be sent to insurance companies informing them that the vehicle will be used in the course of voluntary work. Returned forms act as a confirmation that the volunteers are insured. Volunteering England has an example of such a form, and you can obtain a copy by ringing the Freephone helpline, telephone 0800 028 3304 or by emailing information@volunteeringengland.org. It is possible to arrange 'contingent motor liability insurance', which protects the organisation against any legal liability that may arise from a volunteer being involved in an accident during the course of their voluntary work. This could occur if a volunteer failed to inform their insurers. In addition to ensuring that drivers are insured you may wish to check the volunteers Driving License (including counterpart) to ensure that it is a full (not provisional) valid license and that the volunteer has not been banned from driving. Also if a volunteer is using their own can which is over three years old you may wish to see their current MOT certificate. Can we offer a paid job to one of our existing volunteers?
There is nothing to legally stop an organisation from doing this. However, it may be poor equal opportunities practice to recruit from within, especially if your existing volunteers are not representative of your local community. Volunteers may come to expect they will be guaranteed paid work, as it becomes available. This can affect volunteers' motives for volunteering and lead to people volunteering just to obtain paid work, like an unpaid apprentice. This again runs against equal opportunities, as not everyone is able to volunteer. It is important to have a clear policy on this issue. Some organisations simply advertise all posts externally, encouraging volunteers to apply. Others have internal recruitment procedures, similarly encouraging volunteers to apply alongside paid staff. If no suitable candidate is found the post is then advertised externally. If your questions have not been answered here, please contact Volunteer Centre Newcastle |
