Volunteering

Be an effective volunteer CHCVOL201B

 

This unit is about being an effective volunteer:

• how to work as a volunteer in an organization
• knowing what is expected of them as a volunteer, and
• knowing what they should expect of the organization.

 

 

How you will be assessed

This unit will be assessed by:

• Give your assessor a walkaround tour of your workplace, and describe your organization, its goals, and what you do. It should cover all skills listed. You assessor may ask any relevant questions in order to understand what you do.
• Supervisor observation of your contribution in team meetings
• Practicum supervisor reports based on the job description over a period of at least six weeks and the normal range of workplace situations.
• Review of your workplan and your workplace documents (memos, reports, etc.) using existing forms.
• Interview based on the requirements below. It may be informal and the assessor may choos not to do all questions in one session.

 

Interview

1. Your organization:
1. What is the purpose of your organization?
2. Explain the structure of your organization.
3. What are the lines of communication?
4. What kinds of relationships are expected between paid staff and volunteers?
2. What are the basic principles of effective teamwork?
3. Your role:
1. Explain your work and what you are responsible for.
2. Who are you accountable to? (Who is the boss?)
3. What are you authorized to do in your role?
4. What are the limits of what you are allowed to do?
5. What decisions do you make in your role?
6. What decisions must be made by your supervisor?
4. Policies are "rules" about what you can and can’t do it your job.
1. What rules do you have to follow in your role?
5. Procedures are sets of steps on how to do tasks. Explain the steps for the tasks you do in your role.
6. Help and support
1. What kinds of help and support are available to you?
2. How can you access it?
3. At what times can you access it?
7. What does your organization expect of volunteers?
8. Why is your particular role as a volunteer valuable?
9. What are you personal motivations for volunteering?
10. What other kinds of personal motivations do people have?
11. What benefits do you personally expect to from your volunteer work?
12. How does your organization inform volunteers about their roles? (Discussion, interview, booklet, briefing, etc.)
13. What information did they give you about:
1. your role?
2. the role of other people you work with?
3. your rights and responsibilities?
4. your organizations rights and responsibilities?
5. its policies and procedures?

 

Procedures and legislation

1. What are you organization’s procedures for:
1. Keeping information confidential? (Note: your organization’s policies might be more demanding privacy legislation.)
2. The organization should have insurance coverage for you. What does it cover?
3. Paying for your out of pocket expenses?
4. Making complaints?
5. Disciplining volunteers?
2. What are your responsibilities according to Occupational Health and Safety laws?
3. What are your responsibilities according to privacy laws?
4. Is any other legislation relevant to your role? [Other legislation will vary according to industry and may include: Working with Children Check, mandatory reporting]

 

About volunteering

1. What is volunteering? Give a definition.
2. What are the main principles of volunteering?
3. Explain the scope of the volunteering sector:
1. What kinds of organizations need volunteers?
2. What kinds of things do volunteers do?
4. What motivates people to give their time and expertise as volunteers?
5. What different kinds of people might you need to work with?
6. How is diversity and difference important in volunteer work teams?
7. The organization that you volunteer in has rights and responsibilities for your work.
1. What are its rights?
2. What are its responsibilities to you?
3. How do they apply to your work?
8. You also have rights and responsibilities as a volunteer.
1. What are your rights?
2. What are your responsibilities?
3. How do they apply to your work?
9. Why do people choose to become volunteers?
10. Volunteering is based on a win-win relationship (i.e. "reciprocity").
1. What does the organization get out of having volunteers?
2. What do volunteers get out of it?
11. Your personal values and attitudes can affect your work as a volunteer.
1. When is that good? Give examples.
2. When is that not good? Give examples.
12. Organizations usually need to do background checks on volunteers.
1. What kinds of checks does your organization need to do?
2. What kinds of checks do other organizations need to do?
3. Why do they do checks?
13. Organizations need to give their volunteers training.
1. What kinds of training must they give by law?
2. What other kinds of training do they give?
3. Why is it necessary?
14. What kinds of organizations have volunteers?
1. What kinds of work do they get volunteers to do?
2. Why is it important to the community?

 

 

Detailed requirements

1. Develop your understanding of the volunteering sector

1. Develop and understanding of the definition and principles of volunteering
2. Explain the scope of the volunteering sector
3. Develop understanding of what motivates people to volunteer their time and expertise
4. Develop understanding of the diversity and difference of clients
5. Develop understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in volunteer work teams

 

2. Apply the rights and responsibilities of the organization and the volunteer

1. Identify the rights and responsibilities of the organization and apply to work
2. Identify the rights and responsibilities of the volunteer and apply to work
3. Discuss relevant policies and procedures and apply to work
4. Explain the organization structure, lines of communication and authority and boundaries of work roles

 

3. Work as a volunteer

1. Work under supervision, and liaise and report appropriately to your supervisor
2. Adhere to your work role and responsibilities
3. Work within relevant legislation, policies and procedures
4. Follow your organization’s policies and procedures
• Maintain confidentiality
• Follow OHS guidelines (including when using workplace technology)
5. Use workplace technology effectively
6. Manage your own time and organize your own work
7. Manage contingencies
8. Work and communicate as part of a team with paid and unpaid staff
9. Respond to routine workplace problems according to your job role
10. Know how and when to access available support systems and use them appropriately

 

4. Communicate effectively

1. Follow instructions/directions
2. Communicate clearly and concisely:
• in writing
• in oral language
3. Read a list assigning tasks and work requirements
4. Process basic workplace forms
5. Ask for advice, help, clarification and/or further information
6. Ask for feedback and accept it
7. Use information technology appropriate to specific tasks
8. Relate to people in a way that appropriately acknowledges diversity
9. Use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques. This includes following your organization’s social, ethical and operational standards.