► Stronger Guild

This area focuses on our role in developing our students and ensuring that they get the most out of their experience. For example, offering an individual help and support in their voluntary role, be it course rep, society member or a volunteer on one of our volunteer programs. We also promote democracy within our organisation and the benefits of student involvement.

We have chosen to focus on how we support Volunteers this year, which includes community volunteering, course reps, councillors and societies - reflecting how much we value what they do.

Volunteering Development Policy

1. Introduction
2. Staff Volunteering policy
3. Types and Roles of Volunteers
4. Recruitment
5. Induction and Training
6. Support: Monitoring and Supervision
7. Expenses
8. Feedback
9. Volunteer Recognition
10. Training and Development
11. Health and Safety
12. Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures
13. Equal Opportunities and Diversity
14. Insurance
15. Confidentiality

1. Introduction

Liverpool Guild of Students is strongly committed to the development of our student and staff volunteers and the impact that volunteering has on the organisation, university and the wider community. We believe that as a membership organisation, LGoS would not be able to undertake its core activities without the support and talents of its many volunteers. Volunteering, the process of giving ones time and personal capacity for the benefit of a collective objective is at the heart of what we do. We see all of our members as potential volunteers; endeavouring to increase quality, opportunities and recognition for students. We believe that volunteering plays a vital role in increasing participation, encouraging student-led activity and establishing links in the community. We are firmly committed to providing policy-led volunteering as we believe that it results in the greatest impact on volunteers, the organisation, the university and society. We therefore develop our volunteer opportunities based on:

• LGoS’ values
• Partners strategic priorities
• Needs of the individual, organisation, university and society
• Budget

This policy aims to set out good volunteering practice throughout LGoS so that all volunteers, support staff and outside organisations are able to access and understand the ethos in which volunteers are engaged in the volunteering project/activity group/course. The policy aims to help ensure fairness and consistency across projects and areas so that decisions are not made on a day-to-day basis.

2. Staff Volunteering Policy

LGoS strongly encourages its staff to volunteer and demonstrates this commitment in a staff volunteering policy (www. ??). Staff are allocated five paid days to volunteer every year. Staff are also given the opportunity to attend an annual staff volunteering day.

3. Types and Roles of Volunteers

LGoS is a member-led organisation and therefore most of our volunteering opportunities are student led with the support of our union staff and student representative officers. Below is a list of volunteering opportunities that LGoS provides:

• Course representative officers
• Student trustees
• Student council
• Halls representatives
• Activity group convenors
• Roof garden
• University Children’s Centre Garden Plot
• Foodcycle
• Leave Liverpool Tidy

We also provide our members with a brokerage volunteering system ‘Volunteering Liverpool’ which places students and the wider community into a range of opportunities.

4. Recruitment

LGoS is open to involving volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities. Recruitment or matching procedures are appropriate to the volunteer role(s) and individual’s needs and applied consistently. To ensure this, we use a variety of methods to recruit volunteers which include:

• LGoS website
• Volunteering Liverpool website
• Posters and flyers
• Word of mouth
• Presentations
• Emails
• Bi-weekly e-shots
• Welcome fairs and other volunteering events
• Lecture shout outs
• Social media

The organisation designates responsibility for recruiting volunteers to the following full-time staff members: volunteering and fundraising coordinator, student engagement manager and democracy and representation coordinator. LGoS ensures that the appointed staff members have the relevant knowledge and experience through provision of ongoing training opportunities.

Before a volunteer is selected, they are given further opportunities to find out more about the volunteering opportunities before committing themselves. Volunteers are selected and screened through a variety of methods dependant on the nature of the role and the level of responsibility that the role involves. We are committed to ensuring that all of our selection and screening methods are based on principles of equality and diversity. The methods include:

• Application procedure
• Interviews
• Criminal Record Bureau Checks - all volunteers working with vulnerable service users will be required to complete a Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) form. The use of official CRB checks takes into account the relevant Government guidelines. Some volunteers may be allowed to start volunteering once the check has been sent to the bureau; others may have to wait until the check is returned. Volunteer role profiles will state if a CRB check is required. Volunteers with a criminal conviction are not automatically unsuitable to become a volunteer as only a small number of convictions would prevent a volunteer from involvement. The decision of taking on a volunteer with a criminal record is made by the University’s Human Resources Department and the member of staff responsible for the recruitment of volunteers in that specific activity.
• Elections
• References are taken up by the organisation if this is appropriate for the role

During the recruitment procedure, the relevant staff member will ask volunteers to give their individual reasons for volunteering by providing them with a form to fill in. This enables LGoS to take the appropriate actions to respond to these needs.

Role Descriptions

Volunteers will be provided with a clear explanation of the responsibilities and tasks they will be undertaking during a project or activity. Volunteers will not be expected to commit to an activity until they are clear about their obligations. All core volunteer roles will have a role description with an associated ‘skills’ list. The role descriptions will state whether a CRB check is needed. The responsibilities of the volunteer and organisation are listed on our website. Where possible, tasks are adapted to suit the needs, abilities and interests of individual volunteers. The responsibilities of the volunteer and organisation are outlined on LGoS’ website. Volunteers are made aware in their induction that they can refuse demands they consider unrealistic, beyond the scope of the role or that they do not have the skills to carry out.

Unsuitable Volunteers

Volunteers are informed if their application is unsuccessful and are offered feedback and are signposted to other organisations as appropriate.

5. Induction and Training

All of our volunteers are provided with an induction and training specific to their roles. The induction includes an introduction to the organisation and to the relevant paid staff and student project leaders, a tour of the premises, Health and Safety, risk assessments, complaints and disciplinary procedures, introduction to the organisational structure, information about training and support, and how they are recognised as volunteers.

We ensure that all volunteers are provided with adequate training to enable them to perform their specific role.

6. Support: Monitoring and Supervision

LGoS believes that a good support system plays a vital role in ensuring that all volunteers have a valuable experience of volunteering. Therefore, LGoS provides all of our volunteers with support in their role. Regular communication exists between volunteers and the relevant paid staff member. All volunteers are informed that they can raise any concerns with the project leaders/convenor, relevant paid staff members or student representative officers at any time throughout their volunteering. They are also offered one-to-one and/or group support. Volunteers are informed about the support available in their induction. LGoS’ complaints and disciplinary policy clarifies the procedure concerning complaints and disciplinary procedures (www.??).

7. Expenses

LGoS believes that volunteering should not result in a financial cost to volunteers to ensure that it remains accessible to everyone. It is LGoS’ policy to reimburse volunteers for out of pocket expenses for schemes incurred solely for their volunteering activity upon representation of receipts, which takes account of the organisation’s financial situation. Volunteers are required to complete a payment voucher, which is signed by the relevant staff member or student representative officer. We also ensure that all volunteers have the necessary resources and materials to carry out their role.

8. Feedback

LGoS is committed to providing quality volunteering opportunities. We believe that it is vital for us to find out what the needs and interests of our volunteers are to enable us to respond to these.. To ensure this, we provide our volunteers with a feedback form after each training session and at the end of their volunteering placement. Once evaluations have been received, actions will be taken to respond to any recommendations made on a continuous basis. We also will offer all volunteers the opportunity to provide LGoS with feedback on a face-to-face basis.

9. Volunteer Recognition

LGoS strongly believes in recognising the contribution of our staff and student volunteers as it would not be able to undertake its core activities without the support and talents of its many volunteers. LGoS recognises the contribution that our volunteers make and communicate effectively their appreciation to volunteers in the following ways:

• Annual Guild awards ceremony
• VInvolved recognition
• References and/or other statement of their achievements provided by LGoS

LGoS will lobby the university to formally recognise all volunteering opportunities offered by the Guild.

10. Training and development

LGoS is committed to the personal development of its volunteers. At the start of their volunteering opportunity, all LGoS volunteers will be offered a volunteer development training package to equip them with skills and knowledge to further their personal development. At the end of their time they will have an official review session offered to them to discuss their development over the process.

11. Health and Safety

LGoS has a comprehensive health and safety policy (www. ??). All volunteers are made aware of our health and safety policy in their induction and can request a copy of it from our HR manager. LGoS provides training in health and safety for all new volunteers. Risk assessments are carried out where necessary and are made accessible to all volunteers.

12. Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures

LGoS recognises that circumstances may arise where the actions or attitudes of a volunteer or staff member may infringe upon the rights of others, cause offence, breach the policies, aims and objectives of LGoS, or otherwise bring the organisation into disrepute. LGoS will consider all complaints carefully and will investigate them fully. LGoS’ complaints and disciplinary policies clarify the procedures concerning complaints and discipline (www.??).

13. Equal Opportunities and Diversity

LGoS believes in the importance of operating an Equal Opportunities policy (www.??). LGoS is firmly committed to diversity in all areas of its work. We recognise that there is much to gain from diverse cultures and perspectives and that diversity will make the organisation more effective in meeting the needs of its stakeholders. LGoS is committed to developing and maintaining an organisation in which differing ideas, abilities, backgrounds and needs are fostered and valued, and where those with diverse backgrounds and experiences are able to participate and contribute. We will monitor the diversity of the volunteer team and implement appropriate procedures that aim to increase diversity and representation from the local community.

14. Insurance

All volunteers are covered by the appropriate Employers Liability Insurance and Public Liability Insurance except when volunteering overseas. These policies will ensure that volunteers are protected in the event that a claim is made against them for damage to people or property that is not the Student Unions. These policies also offer protection to any member who accidentally causes harm to either another member or another third party, who then decides to sue for damages. These policies also cover the volunteer if they are injured whilst participating in their volunteering activity/project.

15. Confidentiality

LGoS asks only for information which is needed in order to make a placement. LGoS ensures that all confidential data that is collected will be treated with the strictest confidence by the relevant staff within the union and kept in a secure environment. It will not be passed on to third parties without the written consent from the volunteer and is recorded in a consistent manner. As a volunteer you may be in a position where you have access to confidential records and personally sensitive information. It is important to respect these confidences. Confidentiality means not discussing information outside your placement/project/group. All volunteers are able to discuss any concerns that they may have about the information that they receive. Volunteers are also asked in their induction to ensure that they have an obligation concerning confidentiality. They are asked to treat anything you learn about individuals they are in contact with as confidential but raise any issues that may be of concern.

Contact Us

Do you think that this works for volunteering? Are we on the right track?

The Guild

Hello and welcome to Liverpool Guild of Students!

As a University of Liverpool student, you are automatically one of over 17000 members of the Guild. We are run by 4 elected students, who are supported by staff and volunteers.

The Guild aims to make students lives better, through campaigning with you to make positive change and providing you with a huge range of opportunities to meet other people, gain new skills and have fun.