VOLUNTEER POLICY
Crescent Relief relies on the support of its volunteers who give up their time, energy and skills to help the helpless people around the world. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of volunteers, we are able to change thousands of lives. Volunteers are also ambassadors for the Crescent Relief, promoting our cause and organisation and In return, we want volunteer’s experience to be positive and rewarding. This document sets out our volunteer policy that provides information, advice and guidance about how a volunteer can contribute to the cause. It also explains what Crescent Relief asks for and what a volunteer can expect from us.
GENERAL EXPECTATIONS, IDENTIFICATION AND ATTIRE
To help ensure an amicable and positive volunteering experience for all and to protect the Crescent Relief’s reputation, we ask that volunteers treat each other, members of the public and Crescent Relief staff with courtesy and respect. Volunteers should always behave in a civil fashion and communicate politely using only appropriate language.
Please strive to avoid any possible confusion between your voluntary role on behalf of the Crescent Relief and any voluntary or paid role/s on behalf of any other organisation. When carrying out any public-facing duties as a volunteer, please wear Crescent Relief photographic identification badges. This is particularly important when carrying out fundraising activities. We also ask that volunteers wear suitable attire with a Crescent Relief branded top when representing the charity at public shows and events. These are available free of charge from the Crescent Relief office.
DUTIES
We ask volunteers to perform such duties as are assigned, within the scope agreed with each volunteer, and to comply with all reasonable directions given by the office, Crescent Relief staff or directors.
In all reasonable circumstances a volunteer must be guided by common sense and be prepared to act accordingly. In any case where action must be taken and it is not possible to obtain the authority or permission of the branch, Crescent Relief staff or directors, the Volunteer should take such action as he or she thinks best in accordance with the Crescent Relief’s objects and report as soon as possible to the office, a member of Crescent Relief staff or a Director. Outside office hours, the Crescent Relief staff can be contacted in an emergency on 1800 273723.
INSURANCE
The CRESCENT RELIEF’s public and products liability insurance cover all registered volunteers, regardless of age. This indemnifies volunteers against legal liability to pay damages arising out of accidental injury to any person and/or accidental damage to property. The insurance does not extend, for example, to unauthorised work or to authorised work carried out by persons not authorised by the Crescent Relief; or to work or activities which are not properly supervised. It is therefore most important that you comply with the conditions of the Crescent Relief’s insurance and do not do anything, which might result in the insurance being voided.
EXPENSES
You are welcome to request reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses if authorised in advance by a office, a member of Crescent Relief staff or a Director. Please submit your claim accompanied by receipts, vouchers or other evidence of actual payment and within two months of incurring the expenses. Please be advised that, as a Volunteer, we cannot offer and you will not receive any salary, gratuity, payment in kind, or privileged use of the Crescent Relief’s facilities.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Crescent Relief is under a duty to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the health, safety and welfare of volunteers and members of the public who are affected by its activities.
As a volunteer, you can expect a safe and healthy working environment. Please help contribute to maintaining a safe volunteering environment. Take reasonable care for your health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions and co-operate with the Crescent Relief so far as is necessary to perform any duty or comply with any requirement imposed by any law.
It is important for all volunteers to:
- Perform their duties safely and efficiently;
- Avoid doing anything, which does or might injure any other person or expose any person to risk;
- Make full and proper use of all safety and protective equipment and clothing;
- Adhere to all procedures specified or any instructions issued with any plant or machinery or substances used at work;
- Report any actually or potentially unsafe conditions, system of work, buildings, vehicles, plant or other equipment.
FUNDRAISING
We encourage volunteers to hold events to raise funds for the Crescent Relief. Please discuss a fundraising proposal in advance with a Crescent Relief member of staff so we may support it, for example with promotional materials.
All fundraising material written to raise money on behalf of the Crescent Relief must state that funds are being raised for the Crescent Relief, a charity registered with ACNC.
It is important that you do not use the Crescent Relief name or logo or charity number or in any way imply or permit it to be believed that a fundraising event is approved by the Crescent Relief if it has not first been discussed with a Crescent Relief member of staff. Fundraising events must be conducted in accordance with the local authority or national regulations. Please seek advice from the Crescent Relief office before undertaking any sort fundraising activities.
Money raised on the Crescent Relief ‘s behalf must be kept separate from any other person’s money. All cash and cheques collected must be correctly recorded and all monies received should be paid into Charity’s bank account, details of which are specified below, or a branch bank account within 14 days:
Commonwealth Bank
CRESCENT RELIEF
BSB: 062334 Account Number: 11507989
Please notify us when you have paid funds into our account so we can acknowledge receipt with our thanks.
Where practicable, money received (as cash or cheque) that totals more than $500, should be banked on the day of receipt if possible. For safety reasons, it is advised that two people should bank such sums of cash together. Where money cannot be banked on the day of receipt, it should be stored in a locked moneybox or safe.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION
All information relating to the Crescent Relief (including its organisation, finances, supporters, donors, recipients and activities) is confidential. It is important for all volunteers to keep this information confidential and not use or disclose it except as authorised or required by his or her duties and shall use best endeavours to prevent the use or disclosure of it by any other person.
All records in any medium (whether written, computer readable or otherwise) including accounts, documents, photographs, filmed material and private notes about the Crescent Relief and its activities and all copies and extracts of them made or acquired by the Volunteer in the course of his or her work shall be the Crescent Relief’s property and must be used for the Crescent Relief ‘s purposes only, returned to the CRESCENT RELIEF on demand at any time; and returned to the Crescent Relief without demand if the Volunteer ceases for more than one month to be actively involved with the Crescent Relief’s work. The Crescent Relief has in place a Privacy Policy that applies to all directors, staff, volunteers and anyone working on behalf of the charity. Please ensure you are familiar with this policy.
MEDIA RELATIONS
We ask that you do not make any comment to or provide materials to representatives of the media, other than with the prior approval of Crescent Relief. Please direct all media enquiries to the Crescent Relief ‘s Media Coordinator who will be very happy to help.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Crescent Relief is committed to equal opportunities and diversity. This commitment is reflected throughout the charity’s policies and practices.
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN
The Crescent Relief recognises the valuable contribution that young volunteers can make and the ideas, enthusiasm and commitment they bring to the role. The welfare of young people is paramount and those under 18 years of age are defined as “children” for the purposes of child protection legislation.
The Crescent Relief has in place a Child Protection Policy that applies to all directors, staff, volunteers and anyone working on behalf of the charity. Please ensure you are familiar with this policy.
The consent of a Parent or Guardian must be provided before a child can carry out volunteer duties for the Crescent Relief. Children under 16 must be accompanied and under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian at all times when volunteering for Crescent Relief.
CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS
If you have any problems or complaints about your volunteering role or experience, or about any issue to do with the operation of the Crescent Relief, please contact a member of CRESCENT RELIEF staff immediately. Crescent Relief takes the concerns of its volunteers very seriously and is committed to handling concerns and complaints promptly, sensitively, fairly and reasonably and with due confidence.
REPRESENTATION
Except when expressly authorised in writing, the Volunteer is not the agent of the CRESCENT RELIEF in any way and does not have any authority or right to assume any obligation of any kind express or implied on behalf of the Crescent Relief or to bind or commit the Crescent Relief in any way.
A Volunteer should not represent him or herself as working for or employed by or in any way connected with the Crescent Relief or its activities after ceasing for more than one month to be actively involved with its work.
CEASING TO BE A VOLUNTEER
Crescent Relief reserves the right to refuse the offer of services of a volunteer, generally or in any particular case, and to remove an individual from the list of volunteers. The Crescent Relief may exercise these rights at any time, with or without prior notice and without giving any reason.
If you wish to stop volunteering for the Crescent Relief, please provide as much notice as possible of the date on which you will stop volunteering.
Further information
Compliance Committee
Email: office@crescentrelief.org.au
Telephone: 1800 273723
Mail: 43 Ernest Street, Lakemba NSW 2195
