Volunteer Policy: Home

Purpose
This policy provides guidance on working with volunteers. According to the Compact Code of Good Practice on Volunteering (2005), volunteering is defined as “an activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or individuals or groups other than (or in addition to) close relatives”. Academic Services recognises that volunteers can bring specialist expertise and make a valuable contribution to its services. Volunteers do not replace paid staff but support and supplement their roles..

Reference
This Policy draws upon best practice and guidance of the ‘Love Libraries Love Volunteering Toolkit” and advice from Volunteering England.

Recruitment

• Volunteering is open to staff and students of the University.
• Volunteering can either take place in the form of fixed-term or ongoing placements, depending on staff availability and workspace.
• Volunteering is offered in the areas of Archives & Special Collections and Digitisation Studio.
• Opportunities are offered only after an interview with an appropriate member of staff.
• References may be requested.
• Volunteering may end at the discretion of either party with 1 week’s notice.
• At the end of a placement or volunteering opportunity an exit interview may be given and feedback requested from volunteers.

Volunteer Roles

• Volunteers will be provided with a set of agreed tasks.
• Volunteer roles include helping with events, promotion, social media, listing of and research into archival records, digitisation projects, oral history, and basic preservation.
• The majority of opportunities will be on campus, but depending on the role remote volunteering may be possible.

Training and Induction

• Volunteers will be introduced to Students Services and how it relates to the rest of the University.
• Volunteers will be introduced to and will abide by the following University’s policies -
  • Health, Safety & Wellbeing
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Consent
  • Data Protection
  • Safeguarding
  • IT Use Policy
• Volunteers will be allocated a named supervisor and will be provided with regular meetings and support throughout their volunteering experience. Remote volunteers will be contacted via Teams, phone or email, as appropriate.
• Volunteers will be introduced and familiarised with guidelines for projects they will be working on.

Expenses
Students Services does not pay travel expenses to volunteers. Remote working can be offered where appropriate.

Insurance
Volunteers will be covered by the University’s insurance policies.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing
It is the volunteer’s responsibility to report any relevant health and safety issues to their supervisor.

Equality and Diversity
The University is committed to the diversification of its workforce and actively promotes equality and diversity. Wherever possible the University will seek to make reasonable adjustments for volunteers.

Confidentiality, copyright, and data protection
The copyright of any work produced by volunteers resides within the University. Volunteers may be working with information that is sensitive, including materials which are restricted by data protection laws and copyright law. In such cases appropriate training will be provided. If information is particularly sensitive the volunteer may be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Review
The Library will review this Policy every year and any significant changes will be considered and approved by the Director of Student Services.

January 2024
Review: January 2025