Mirus Volunteer Handbook

www.mirus-wales.org.uk/volunteer

Email:

Mark Griffiths South East Region Volunteers (social groups)

Mobile: 07929 738 311

Email: MarkG@mirus-wales.org.uk

Welcome to the Mirus volunteer team

This handbook will give you an overview of the organisation, what we do and how volunteers play an important role in helping us achieve our vision.

This handbook is written in plain English. If you need this information in a different format please ask the Community Development and Volunteering Lead.

My name is Jade and I am the Community Development and Volunteering Lead.

My job is to run Mirus’ volunteer schemes and to think of new ways that volunteers can help.

I want to say thank you for choosing to become a volunteer with Mirus. We really appreciate all the hard work our volunteers do.

Volunteers are important members of the Mirus team. They give their time as well as their skills and interests. This is valuable to the people we support, and volunteers can play an important role in helping people to live fulfilled lives.

We know that volunteering is also good for you, as well as for the people we support. We will help you to learn new skills, be part of your community, and meet new people.

Please take time to read through this handbook.

Thank you and welcome to the Mirus volunteer team!

Jade Flynn

What is a volunteer?

People choose to be a volunteer.

They are not paid for what they do.

They enjoy giving their time, energy and skills for the good of the community.

Mirus would like you to be a volunteer for at least 6 months. You can volunteer as often as you like.

People often volunteer for 1 to 4 hours per week

All volunteers meet with the Community Development and Volunteering Lead every 3 months or more often if you want to.

These meetings are called supervisions.

They will be at a time that suits you.

Mirus believes volunteers have the right to…

• Be treated with respect

• Know what their role is and how to do it

• Feel safe and supported

• Know what to do when something goes wrong

• Claim back any money they spend as a volunteer

• Be able to learn new things

Mirus expects volunteers to behave a certain way…

• Treat other people with respect

• Be honest, trustworthy and reliable

• Do not talk about things which are private for people

• Tell us if there is something we may need to know

• Be careful, safe and follow rules

Volunteer agreement

My name is:

My volunteer role is:

I agree to read the volunteer handbook and follow the rules (my training and Mirus policies) while I am volunteering.

Signature:

About Mirus

Mirus is a charity that was set up in 1985. At Mirus, we support people with many different disabilities, autism, and mental health conditions to lead good lives. We support people in their own homes and in their communities.

We believe that the people we support must get to make their own choices, That way they will get to live a good life, the way they want to.

We make sure that people have choice and control in what they do, how they are supported and how they are involved in the communities that they are part of.

The support of our volunteers means that people get to do lots of things they couldn’t otherwise do.

Our Vision:

The people we support have good lives

Our Purpose:

To provide person-centred support that people need to live good lives

Our Values:

TOGETHER

We achieve success by working together and recognising everyone’s strengths.

RESPECTFUL

We are self-aware, open minded, and value everyone’s opinions.

RESPONSIBLE

We take responsibility for ourselves and the world around us.

EMPOWERING

We encourage everyone to believe in themselves.

COURAGEOUS

We inspire people to be innovative, creative and open to ideas.

The volunteer experience

We are Investing in Volunteers accredited. This means that experts have checked how we run our volunteering schemes and told us that we are doing it right! This helps us feel confident that we are offering you a high quality volunteering experience.

What volunteers can expect from Mirus

• The Community Development and Volunteering Lead will be available to give you any support you might need.

• You will have any training you need.

• Volunteering can teach you lots of skills that might in turn help you to get paid employment.

What we expect from volunteers

• Be committed to Mirus’ vision and values

• You don’t need to have experience – just the right attitude.

• We expect you to be able to get on with people.

• We would hope that you would stay as a Mirus volunteer for at least 6 months.

• We want you to be a positive person when it comes to volunteering.

• We want you to be kind, and always think of the people you are supporting.

• You will need to have a DBS check

• Please remember that when you volunteer for Mirus you represent Mirus. We trust that you will behave in a good way whenever you are being a volunteer.

Your main contact in Mirus is the Community Development and Volunteering Lead. A manager may also support you. You will see the Community Development and Volunteering Lead often at volunteer groups and meetings, called supervisions.

All Mirus volunteers agree to have a meeting or supervision, every 3 months. These usually take place just before or after a volunteering event or whenever is best for you. These supervisions are a chance for you to talk about anything to do with you being a Mirus volunteer.

The Community Development and Volunteering Lead will contact you by letter, phone, email and text. Please let us know which your preferred method of contact is.

If you are unhappy with anything you can complain at any time. You can speak to the Community Development and Volunteering Lead or if you prefer, one of the senior managers in Mirus.

The volunteer experience

Tracking your volunteer hours

We use the Volunteering Wales website to share information about volunteering opportunities and to keep track of time hours volunteers give. You can sign up for an account and gain earn digital badges for volunteering here: www.volunteering-wales.net

Tempo time credits

We value the contribution made by our volunteers, and are committed to involving volunteers in activities that they enjoy, and in ways that are supportive and encouraging. Volunteers are unpaid, but can receive Tempo Time Credits as a thank you. You can use Tempo Time Credits on a wide range of activities for you and a friend! Visit: www.tempotimecredits.org

Boundaries

Although as a volunteer, particularly as a befriender, you should be friendly you need to remember that you are there as a volunteer and not a personal friend. You should never give out any personal information while volunteering. You must also keep information about people confidential. If someone does tell you something that makes you worried, you should tell the Community Development and Volunteering Lead.

You should not usually give out your personal telephone number. If the person you are befriending needs to contact you they should contact the Community Development and Volunteering Lead. If the person you are befriending gives you their number you can use this if they say that they would like you to. You should always dial 141 before the person’s number to make sure your own number is withheld.

You may give or receive cards or small gifts at special occasions like birthdays or Christmas. These should not be worth more than £10 and you should let the Community Development and Volunteering Lead know. You must not give or accept gifts worth more than £10.

If you feel uncomfortable while volunteering you should let the person or the Community Development and Volunteering Lead know. You should never have to put up with any form of discrimination.

Health

We will ask you about your health when you apply to volunteer with us. We use this information to make sure you have a safe and supported experience. You can request reasonable adjustments at any time.

You should not take drugs or drink alcohol while volunteering, or volunteer while intoxicated. You should not smoke while volunteering, except during breaks.

The volunteer experience

Media

Mirus believes it is important to share and celebrate success. We welcome ideas from volunteers about how we can promote the organisation and the fantastic work volunteers do in a positive way.

While you are volunteering we may ask you if we can take photos or record video clips. We will ask your permission every time we do this.

We know that many volunteers are proud of their role and want to talk about this on social media.

Volunteers are welcome to share their volunteering story on their personal social media however volunteers must not:

• Share images taken during volunteering without written permission from the Community Development and Volunteering Lead and people in the photos

• Share private or confidential information

• Create online connections with people we support (for example facebook friends)

• Conduct themselves online in a way which would call into question their role as a volunteer or damage Mirus’ reputation (for example posting images or video clips that are inappropriate)

We trust that any personal posts on shared on social media reflect Mirus in a positive way and do not breach confidentiality. If volunteers notice any inaccurate information about Mirus online they should report this to the Community Development and Volunteering Lead.

Better Together and feedback

We know that our volunteers are as important as our staff and we always want to know what you think. You will be invited to the local “Better Together” meetings where you can give your opinion on things.

You will be asked to complete a survey once a year, and you can talk to the Community Development and Volunteering Lead at any time.

If you have any problems while volunteering, please talk to the Community Development and Volunteering Lead as soon as possible for support and advice.

If you want to change the way you volunteer or stop volunteering altogether, please talk to the Community Development and Volunteering Lead.

The volunteer experience

Your training

All Mirus volunteers have free training about being a volunteer that covers many different areas:

• Keeping safe (Safeguarding)

• Dealing with accidents or near accidents

• The right way to behave

• Special training for your role as a volunteer

As well as Mirus volunteer basic training you can also take part in extra training if you want to. You can do extra training on things like First Aid and Keeping people safe. Please ask the Community Development and Volunteering Lead if you are interested.

All volunteers are offered basic Welsh language learning.

Volunteering can help you learn new skills and have new experiences. It might also help you get a job. We will help you find training and opportunities so that you can learn the skills that you want.

We can provide you with certificates for the number of hours you have volunteered and write references for you.

Policies and Procedures

Mirus has lots of policies and procedures. These tell volunteers and the organisation what to do in different situations.

You can view all of our policies through the Mirus intranet, ‘The Wall’ and the Community Development and Volunteering Lead will provide you with a copy when you begin volunteering.

Volunteers are included in many of Mirus’ organisational policies.

In some cases volunteers need their own policy.

You will learn the key information from these policies as part of your induction training.

Safeguarding

Mirus volunteers receive training on safeguarding as a key part of the volunteer induction.

As a volunteer you will promote and use many safeguarding principles when you are spending time with people who are at risk.

The volunteer experience

The principles of safeguarding are: Choice, Dignity, Respect, Independence, Equality, Honesty, Empowerment, Privacy, Partnership, Confidentiality, Diversity, Consent, Accountability, Protection.

People we support may be more at risk of abuse or neglect. This is when one or more of the principles are not respected.

Abuse means physical, sexual, psychological, emotional or financial abuse. This could take place in any setting – it could be in someone’s home, in an institution, in public or any other place. Financial abuse includes theft, fraud, pressure about money, and misuse of money.

Neglect means a failure to meet a person’s basic physical, emotional, social or psychological needs, which is likely to affect the person’s well-being (for example, damaging their health).

Abuse or neglect may constitute a criminal offence. These include offences against the person (violent offences), sexual offences and property offences such as theft.

If abuse or neglect is motivated by someone’s personal characteristic – disability, race and ethnicity, religion and belief, sexual orientation and transgender / gender identity – then this may be a hate crime.

If you see, are told, or suspect abuse you must report this to the Community Development and Volunteering Lead immediately – do not assume that someone else will. Safeguarding is everyone’s business.

Volunteer Expenses

Mirus believes that people should not be out of pocket because they volunteer. We reimburse (pay back) money you spend while volunteering. There are maximum amounts that you can claim for certain things:

• Activity tickets £7 (bowling or cinema)

• Treetop golf - £5.50 (inc discount)

• Non-alcoholic drinks - up to the value of £2.50

• A meal with a drink up to the value of - £13, £15.50 with a non-alcoholic drink

• Travel tickets - (bus or train tickets) are reimburse at full value within your local area

• Mileage - 40p per mile

If things cost more than this you should ask the Community Development and Volunteering Lead. The Community Development and Volunteering Lead will provide you with a form to fill out to claim your expenses.

The volunteer experience

Health and Safety

While you are volunteering, Mirus will help you to look after your health and safety. Part of your volunteer training is learning how to look after yourself and others. You need to let us know if you have any personal health and safety needs.

Mirus assesses risk for all volunteer activities. The Community Development and Volunteering Lead will share these written risk assessments with you. If you ever feel that an activity is not safe or that you are not safe with someone while you are volunteering, you should leave straight away. You must tell the Community Development and Volunteering Lead straight away.

As a volunteer, you can always say no to things you do not want to do. You should never help with personal care, medication, household jobs or anything you might feel uncomfortable with.

As a Mirus volunteer, you will have an ID card. This card has the numbers you can ring anytime if you need help. If you have an accident, or nearly have an accident while you are volunteering please tell the Community Development and Volunteering Lead.

Fire

While volunteering you should stay aware of hazards. Pay attention to signs inside buildings and follow rules regarding health and safety. When you visit a new location, you should make sure that you know what to do if there is a fire.

Bomb Threat / Terrorism

In the event of a bomb threat / terrorism threat please evacuate the location in a calm manner. You should ensure that the threat is reported to the police. You should never touch or move a suspect package.

Other Emergency

An emergency is when you or someone you are volunteering with is in immediate danger. In an emergency please dial 999. You could also try to find a first aider.

If something happens to you while you are volunteering we will contact the emergency contact you gave us.

Volunteering checklist

Every time you volunteer you should ask yourself…

 Do I know where I am going, what time I am expected and who I am meeting?

 Am I sober, well enough feeling good about volunteering right now?

 Am I dressed in the right way for what I am going to do?

 Do I have the number for the Community Development and Volunteering Lead, Mirus on-call support and my own emergency contact stored in your mobile phone if you have one?

 Do I have my Mirus ID?

 Have I let the Community Development and Volunteering Lead know I am volunteering today?

And if you can’t volunteer at your usual time…

• Phone the Community Development and Volunteering Lead or my manager to let them know as soon as possible.

Important things to remember…

• Volunteers should never smoke, drink or take recreational drugs while volunteering

• Volunteers should always behave properly

• Volunteers should never give or receive gifts or money

• People you are volunteering with trust you. You should never take advantage of that trust.

• Do not do anything dangerous and do not do anything which would make people think you should not be a volunteer.

• Volunteers have lots of support from Mirus- all you need to do is ask

You will never be asked to…

• Help with someone’s money

• Help with someone’s medication

• Help to move someone

• Help to clean someone’s house

If you need to take a break from volunteering but would like to remain a volunteer so that you can continue in the future then please talk to the Community Development and Volunteering Lead about this.

Frequently asked questions

Will volunteering affect my jobseekers allowance or universal credit?

Volunteering in unpaid roles should not affect income support. It will not affect your jobseekers allowance or universal credit as long as you:

• Make sure you are still available for work

• Actively look for work, for example by applying for jobs; signing up with job agencies, and taking other actions that Jobcentre ask you to

• Let Jobcentre know that your are volunteering – we can be contacted by Jobcentre to confirm your unpaid role

• Can attend interviews and take up work without delay

You cannot accept any payment for volunteering other than reimbursement of expenses.

Why do I need a DBS check / why do you ask for so much info when I apply?

UK legislation and guidance requires that we undertake DBS and other checks for those working or volunteering with people at risk. We request information and undertake checks to make sure that you and the people we support can do so safely and with adequate support.

Can I volunteer if I have a criminal record?

A criminal record may not mean that you cannot volunteer. If you have a criminal record we ask that you disclose this when you apply. We will discuss this with you and complete a risk assessment if one is needed.

The Mirus volunteer recruitment policy outlines Mirus approach to recruiting those with a criminal record.

What do I do if someone asks me for more information about Mirus?

You can direct them to our website www.mirus-wales.org.uk or provide them with our phone number 02920 236216.

What do I do if I have more questions or if I need support or something goes wrong?

The Community Development and Volunteering Lead, Jade, is your first person to contact. You may also have a manager who is there to support you locally.

You can also call the office on 02920236216 and ask the admin team for advice.

You can look at the complaints policy and other policies by logging onto the Mirus intranet, ‘The Wall’.

Frequently asked questions

What information do you keep about me?

Mirus keeps your information safe by following the law (GDPR). We expect volunteers to maintain confidentiality and to follow the law. Information is not shared unless it needs to be. The things you tell us are confidential.

We store information you have provided us with which may include:

• Documents that were filled out when you joined us as a volunteer such as employment history and occ health.

• Personal contact information and one page profiles.

• Notes taken when we meet for supervisions.

• Accident reports.

• A record of your volunteering.

• Photos and videos of volunteering activity.

If you have any further questions please contact the Community Development and Volunteering Lead, Jade, JadeF@mirus-wales.org.uk

Head Office

Mirus Wales

Unit 5 Cleeve House

Lambourne Crescent

Llanishen Business Park

Cardiff, CF14 5GP

02920 236 216 admin@mirus-wales.org.uk

www.mirus-wales.org.uk/volunteer