volunteering: rights and responsibilities - with audience contributions

Rights and Rights and Responsibilities:Responsibilities:

Volunteering experienceVolunteering experience

© Volunteering SA&NT Inc.

This session will cover:This session will cover:

• Definition of Volunteering

• Volunteering Principles

• Volunteer Stats

• Rights/Responsibilities of Organisations

• Rights / Responsibilities for Volunteers

• Volunteer Protection Act

• Questions

Volunteer : White boardVolunteer : White board

“All people in the world should have the right to freely offer their time, talent and energy to others and their

communities through individual and collective action, without expectation of financial reward.”

Adopted IAVE Netherlands 2001

Universal declaration Universal declaration of volunteeringof volunteering

Formal volunteering is an activity which takes place in not-for-profit organisations or projects and is:

• A service given of one’s own free will without coercion

• For no financial payment

• To benefit the community and the volunteer

• In designated volunteer positions only

Informal volunteering occurs outside an organisational setting

Definition of volunteeringDefinition of volunteering

Who is a volunteer?Who is a volunteer?

A housewife who donates time to charitable causes because the women in her family have always gained community prestige by doing so.


A teenager who offers to program the computer at a non-profit agency in order to establish an

“employment” history. After three months, he intends to quit and apply for a job at a local

company.


A mother who becomes leader of a Girl Scout troop because of her daughter’s desire to be a Scout. No one else will lead the troop, so the

mother agrees to take over, but only as long as her own daughter is involved.


The six-month-old baby who accompanies her parents to visit seniors at a nursing home and

lightens the hearts of the residents.

Difference between paid Difference between paid and volunteer staffand volunteer staff

What is your understanding: Whiteboard

Difference between paid Difference between paid and volunteer staffand volunteer staff

Paid staff

•Perform for a wage or salary

•Conditions set through awards or agreements

•Legal rights and responsibilities

Volunteers

•License

• Volunteering benefits the community and the volunteer;

• Volunteer work is unpaid;

• Volunteering is always a matter of choice;

• Volunteering is not compulsorily undertaken to receive

pensions or government allowances;

• Volunteering is a legitimate way in which citizens can

participate in the activities of their community;

Principles of volunteeringPrinciples of volunteering

• Volunteering is a vehicle for individuals or groups to address

human, environmental and social needs;

• Volunteering is an activity performed in the not for profit

sector only;

• Volunteering is not a substitute for paid work;

• Volunteers do not replace paid workers nor constitute a threat

to the job security of paid workers;

• Volunteering respects the rights, dignity and culture of others; and

• Volunteering promotes human rights and equality.

Principles of volunteeringPrinciples of volunteering

Intent behind these:Intent behind these:

• Volunteering is an activity performed in the not for profit sector only;



The StatsThe Stats

How many people volunteer in Australia:

a.2.8 million

b.3.4 million

c.6.4 million

d.7.2 million

The StatsThe Stats

The volunteer workforce in Australia was estimated to provide over $14.6 billion of unpaid labour in 2006-2007 (ABS Satellite Accounts)

The total annual hours volunteered in 2006 were 713 million.

The median weekly number of hours volunteered in 2006 was 1.1hrs.

The median annual number of hours volunteered in 2006 was 56hrs.

The StatsThe Stats

VolunteerVolunteer

Who is a typical volunteers?

Where do they usually volunteer?

Sport Education/ Training/ Youth development Community/Welfare Religion Health Art/Culture Business/Professional/Union Environment/Animal Law/Justice Emergency Services Foreign/International

Diversity of volunteer rolesDiversity of volunteer roles

Why do people Volunteer? Why do people Volunteer?

ABS Voluntary Work, Australia, 2006

• Very busy

• Wants flexibility

• Wants new hi-tech ways to get the job done

• Not only want to make a contribution - they

want to make a difference

Profile of todayProfile of today’’s volunteers volunteer


Rights of OrganisationsRights of Organisations• make decisions about appropriate placement

• review volunteer performance according to organisational policies and procedures

• expect volunteers to perform the given tasks

• expect from all volunteers, respect and courtesy towards all clients, paid and voluntary staff

• set the parameters and guidelines of the volunteer work positions

• release a volunteer who is not appropriate for the role


Organisation Organisation Responsibilities….Responsibilities….

Responsibilities of OrganisationsResponsibilities of Organisations


• provide a clear outline of duties

• provide insurance cover for their volunteers

• provide orientation and necessary training

• recognise volunteers for their hours and years of service

• set clear lines of communication about complaints and conflict resolution procedures

• provide safe, healthy working conditions

• include volunteers in relevant decision making processes

• provide supervision and support

• provide emergency procedures guidelines

• provide required documentation relating to the volunteer work to be undertaken

Volunteer rightsVolunteer rights

• To work in a healthy and safe environment

• To be covered by insurance

• Not to be discriminated against

• Not to do the work of paid staff

• To receive orientation and training

• To have a role description and agreed working hours

• To have access to relevant policies and procedures that affect your work


Volunteer Volunteer responsibilities…….responsibilities…….

Volunteer Responsibilities Volunteer Responsibilities

• Adhere to policies and procedures

• Respect and maintain privacy and confidentiality

• Be punctual, dependable and reliable

• Be respectful of others

• Speak to your supervisor when something goes wrong or isn’t working

• Undertake any training required

• Carry out your agreed duties in the agreed time frame

• Accept evaluation and feedback© Volunteering SA&NT Inc.

Volunteer checklistVolunteer checklist


Aim/s of volunteer involvement in the organisation

Support structures/mechanisms for volunteers

Recruitment & employment procedures of volunteer staff

Volunteer involvement, appropriate roles and job & person descriptions

Orientation, education & training for volunteers

Recognition of volunteer contribution to the organisation

Legislative requirements

What laws do you think may apply to you as a volunteer/ or your volunteers?

What do you need to know about them?

Relevant Legislation

Volunteer Protection Act

VOLUNTEER VOLUNTEER PROTECTION ACTPROTECTION ACT

The Volunteer Protection Act 2001 clearly states that “a volunteer incurs no personal civil liability for an act or omission done or made in good faith and without recklessness in the course of carrying out

community work for a community organisation”.

The organisation supports the volunteer by limiting the personal liability for negligence of the volunteer by transferring the liability to

the community organisation which is covered by Department of Health public liability insurance. Also the organisation will limit the

right to bring proceedings against the volunteer personally.

Workplace Safety Laws

Harassment/bullying

Equal opportunity

Discrimination

Workplace Health and Safety (WHS)

Insurance and liability

Industrial policy relating to volunteer work

Summary

Valued role

Recognised role

Support available for both organisations and volunteers

Any reflections to share

Resources

Volunteering Australia website

VSA & NT Publications

AAMoV

Thank You