Volunteers are critical to the success of all Winter Center functions.
They create a public awareness of the many diverse opportunities we have to offer. They also stimulate public response and support for our existing programs and potential service expansions. But most importantly, a strong volunteer network is essential in the successful delivery of the many program services we offer; both at the Winter Center Hubs and at Winter Center Housing installations throughout the state. Winter Center volunteers are special people who, of their own free will, offer themselves for an Agency service or duty that ripples out to build stronger and healthier communities.
Where we need Volunteers!
- Rural or Neighborhood Networker
- Winter Center Housing Installations
- General Agency (VolunteerCorp)
- Emergency Services
- Clothing Banks
- Food Pantries
- Commodities Sites
- ElderEach
- Soul Food to go
- Harvesters and Gleaning Programs
- Neighborhood Relief Teams
- Educational and Tutoring Services
- Cowboy Christmas Corps
- Christmas Volunteers (Elves)
The Winter Center accepts the service of all volunteers with the understanding that such service is at the sole discretion of the Agency. No person who has a conflict of interest with any activity or program of the Agency, whether personal, philosophical, or financial shall be accepted or serve as a volunteer with the Agency. Volunteers agree that the Winter Center may at any time, for whatever reason, decide to terminate the volunteer’s relationship with the Agency. The volunteer may at any time, for whatever reason, decide to sever the volunteer’s relationship with the Winter Center. Notice of such a decision should be communicated as soon as possible to the volunteer’s supervisor.
Core Volunteer Values:
Confidentiality—all transactions between
clients or students and staff or volunteers are strictly confidential.
Volunteers are required to uphold this policy. This includes information about
what services a client requested and/or received, referrals made, client
financial information, student progress and reference questions asked by
students or clients.
Conduct—volunteers are public relations officers of the Agency. They are expected to conduct themselves in a compassionate and professional manner at all times. We offer assistance without prejudice, disrespect or judgment.
Volunteer Rights and Responsibilities—as
volunteers are a valuable resource to the Winter Center, they are to be treated
as co-workers—with respect and fairness, provided a meaningful assignment,
receive effective supervision and guidance and should be recognized for the
work they have done. In turn, the volunteers agree to actively perform their
assigned duties to the best of their abilities and to be loyal to the mission,
values, goals and policies of the Agency.
Prohibition of Discrimination—The Winter Center will
not discriminate against a qualified potential volunteer on the basis of race,
color, national origin or ethnicity, gender, sexual affinity, age, political
affiliation, religion, or disability.
Certificate of Ability—Any potential volunteer who indicates that they are under the care of a physician for either physical or psychological treatment may be asked to present a certificate from the physician as to their ability to satisfactorily and safely perform their volunteer duties. Volunteers under a course of treatment which might affect their volunteer work will not be accepted without written verification of suitability from their physician. Any volunteer who, after acceptance and assignment by the Agency, enters a course of treatment which might adversely impact upon the performance of their volunteer duties should consult with their program supervisor.
Becoming a Winter Center
Volunteer:
Application—People interested in
becoming a Winter Center volunteer may request an application at any Winter
Center installation, online or by phone. They can expect to receive a call from
a Program Coordinator within 7-10 days to schedule an interview.
Interview—Potential volunteers are
interviewed by the Program Coordinator or a Program Supervisor, should they be
interested in a specific area. The interviewing process provides an opportunity
for communication and ensuring a match between the volunteer’s skills and
interests, with the opportunities currently available.
Background Check may be required—As appropriate for the protection of clients, volunteers in
certain assignments may be asked to submit to a criminal background check.
Volunteers who do not agree to the background check may be refused assignment.
Acceptance and Appointment—Service as a volunteer
with the Winter Center shall begin with an official notice of acceptance or
appointment to a volunteer position. Notice may only be given by an authorized
representative of the Agency. No volunteer shall begin performance of any
position until they have been officially accepted for that position and have
completed all necessary screening and paperwork. At the time of final
acceptance, each volunteer shall complete all necessary enrollment paperwork
and may receive a copy of their job description and/or agreement of service
with the Agency.
Orientation/Training—All Permanent
volunteers will receive a general introduction to the Agency and it’s volunteer
expectations from the Program Coordinator. They will also receive instructions
and/or orientation from their Supervising Lead to provide them with the
information and skills necessary to perform their volunteer responsibilities.
Dress Code—As representatives of
the Agency, volunteers, like staff, are responsible for presenting a good image
to clients and to the community. Volunteers shall dress appropriately for the
conditions and performance of their duties.
Supervision—Every volunteer will
have a clearly identified supervisor, which will provide them with the
day-to-day guidance of their work. The supervisor is also available for
consultation and support, should the volunteer find the work is too much, not
enough, boring, etc. We encourage each volunteer to ask questions at any time
and to report any problems or concerns.
Probationary Period—All Permanent volunteer placements shall initially be done on a trial period of 30 days. At the end of this period a second interview of the volunteer shall be conducted, at which point either the volunteer or program staff may request a re-assignment of the volunteer to a different position or may determine the unsuitability of the volunteer based on ‘fit’ with the Agency’s culture and philosophies.
Types of Volunteers:
The Winter Center is very
fortunate to have many types of volunteers and you will have the opportunity to
work with volunteers from all walks of life. Volunteer types can be
broken down into the following basic categories:
- "Pure" Volunteers. A pure volunteer does or undertakes to do that
which he or she is not legally bound to do, without
compensation or expectation of compensation beyond reimbursement and which is not in pursuance or protection of
any interest.
- Student Volunteers. Students may be required to perform community
service as a part of their course work. This is sometimes called "service
learning."
- Service for Service or Participation. Some
programs encourage client participation as "volunteer" service
and students or clients may have an agreement that part of their case
management plan includes volunteerism. We are always glad to have this
community service occur in our programs.
- Board Members. Officers and directors of non-profit
corporations owe a special set of duties and obligations to the
corporation and to persons dealing with the corporation. By accepting
selection as an officer or director, that person agrees to be bound to
those higher, more rigorous standards.
- Professionals Acting as Volunteers. A “professional” (i.e. attorneys, accountants,
physicians, dentists and electricians, among others) — when acting in
their area of expertise is held to a higher standard of conduct than a
non-professional.
- Employees
as Volunteers The Agency accepts the services of
staff as volunteers, as long as the volunteer service is provided totally
without any coercive nature and involves work which is outside the scope
of their normal staff duties, and is provided outside of their usual
working hours. Family members of staff are also allowed to volunteer with
the Agency. When family members are enrolled as volunteers, they will not
be placed under the direct supervision of their family who are employees.
- Directed Service. Sometimes the court system will order a person
to perform a number of hours of "volunteer" work as a part of a
criminal sentence or civil penalty.
- Subsidized Volunteers. There are a variety of different kinds of
"subsidized" volunteers. Student Scholars, Americorps, VISTA and
the Peace Corps, as well as organizations like Foster Grandparents, for
example, provide a living allowance or stipend as partial compensation for
the services individuals in those organizations provide.
Classification
of Volunteers:
- Helper (commitment of less than 3 total
service-occurrences)
- Crew Member (part of a ‘team’ effort)
- Permanent (at least 15 hours per month)
- Regular (volunteered at least 100 hours of total Agency
service)
· OutReach
(at least 1 client visit per month)
· Project
based (scheduled at least monthly or as
program needs dictate)
· Nights
& Weekends (special
projects and events)
When you are "on the
job"...
Timekeeping
Procedures/Recognition—The Winter Center keeps
complete records of volunteer hours, in recognition of community support for
the Agency and it’s various programs. All volunteers are required to sign in
each time they report to work. The program coordinator will maintain the
sign-in sheet, where the volunteer records the time of arrival and departure,
rounded to the nearest quarter hour, and the total amount of time worked.
Attendance and
Punctuality—Volunteers are depended upon to work the hours scheduled.
Should tardiness, absenteeism or an emergency prohibit a volunteer from meeting
their commitment, their supervisor must be notified. (Supervisor’s names will
be provided during orientation) It is also important that the volunteer assist
us with future scheduling, by informing us of any planned vacations or other
time away.
Breaks—Volunteers
should be sure to take a 15 minute break for every 3-4 hour shift worked. Also,
they are encouraged to notify their supervisor or a staff person if/when
leaving their area of assignment.
Emergency Plan— Site
supervisors will identify emergency exits and plans. Please make sure that your
personal ‘emergency information’ is kept up to date at all times. Any changes,
please notify your site supervisor.
Identification—Volunteer
name badges or shirts may be a requirement, depending on the site and/or
program. This identification is essential for security purposes. It also helps
staff, students and clients distinguish volunteers and serves as a positive
promotional tool for the Volunteer Program.
Requests for Items—Everything
that “leaves” with a staff member or volunteer needs to be tracked. This
ensures that we are good stewards of the items and funds entrusted to us to
make a difference in the lives of those in need. In addition to the clients we
serve, we have other non-profit partners that benefit from the donated food,
clothes and household items we receive. If you know of a need, please bring it
to the attention of your supervisor or a member of the Winter Center board.
Please NEVER ‘help yourself’ to donated items!
Professional Services—Volunteers
shall not perform professional services for which certification or licensing is
required unless currently certified or licensed to do so. A copy of such
certificate or license should be maintained by the site supervisor.
Continuing Education—Just as staff, volunteers should attempt to improve their levels of skill during their terms of service. Additional training and educational opportunities are available to volunteers during their connection with the Winter Center, in a wide array of topics. This continuing education may include both additional information on the most effective performance of current volunteer assignments as well as more general information. Seminars and classes are offered week-days, evenings and on weekends. Additionally, supervisors may encourage volunteers to participate in educational programs provided by other groups.
Telephone
& Computer Use Policy
1)
Volunteers should limit
personal phone calls on any Winter Center
phone to three
minutes.
2) When
using any computer or a phone at any of the Winter Center’s, volunteers fall
under the same policies and code of ethics as students and Winter Center
employees. In a nutshell, authorized callers or Internet users are not
permitted to engage in the following activities either during working or
nonworking hours, using Agency equipment or facilities.
A.
Activities for any illegal purpose
B. To
transmit threatening, obscene or harassing materials or correspondence
C.
For unauthorized distribution of Agency data and information.
D. Unauthorized
attribution of statements, data or information to the Agency.
E.
To interfere with or disrupt network users, services or
equipment.
F. For
private purposes such as marketing or business transactions.
G. Unauthorized
solicitations.
H. Unauthorized
Agency business activities
I.
Private advertising of products services.
J. Any
activity meant to foster personal gain.
K. Unauthorized
access to obscene materials, including knowingly retrieving or storing such
materials.
On
Leaving:
Re-Assignment—Volunteers
who are at any time re-assigned to a new position shall be interviewed for that
position and shall receive all appropriate orientation and training for that
position before they begin work. In addition, any screening procedures
appropriate for that specific position must be completed, even if the volunteer
has already been working with the Agency.
Resignation—In
order to ensure adequate schedule coverage, Permanent volunteers are asked to
notify their supervisor in writing, at least two weeks before resigning from
the program.
Dismissal of a Volunteer—Volunteers
who do not adhere to the rules and procedures of the Agency or who fail to
satisfactorily perform their volunteer assignment are subject to dismissal. No
volunteer will be terminated until the volunteer has had an opportunity to
discuss the reasons for possible dismissal with supervisory staff. Prior to
dismissal of a volunteer, staff may seek the consultation and assistance of the
Human Resource Committee. hrc@wintercenterhousing.org
Reasons for Dismissal—Possible
grounds for dismissal may include, but are not limited to, the following: gross
misconduct or insubordination, being under the influence of alcohol or drugs,
theft of property or misuse of Agency equipment or materials, abuse or
mistreatment of clients or co-workers, failure to abide by Agency policies and
procedures, failure to meet physical or mental standards of performance, and
failure to satisfactorily perform assigned duties.
Concerns and Grievances—Decisions
involving corrective action of a volunteer will be reviewed for
appropriateness. If corrective action is taken, the affected volunteer shall be
informed of the procedures for expressing their concern or grievance.
Notice of Departure or
Re-Assignment of a Volunteer—In the
event that a volunteer departs the Agency, whether voluntarily or
involuntarily, or is re-assigned to a new position, it shall be the
responsibility of the Board President to inform those affected staff and
clients that the volunteer is no longer assigned to work with them. In cases of
dismissal for cause, this notification should be given in writing and should
clearly indicate that any further contact with the volunteer is outside any
scope of relationship with the Agency.