Community Volunteers Full VIO Terms & Conditions

These terms and conditions relate to all activities associated with the engagement of Community Volunteers.

By requesting Community Volunteers support, you are deemed to have agreed to these terms and conditions of use. They do not apply to third party organisations. We reserve the right to change them at any time.

It is recognised that there may be exceptional circumstances not specified within, both parties agree to work within the ethos of this document in all interactions with one another.

1.1  Purpose

Community Volunteers can be requested to support local events and more urgent needs in the community. Community Volunteers will be managed directly by a Volunteer Centre.

Community Volunteers can be requested by any non-profit organisations, including charities, community groups, co-operatives and statutory organisations such as health centres, schools, hospitals, etc. A Volunteer Centre may ask to see your constitution or additional information to clarify your non-profit status. Exceptions may be made for for-profit events only if a direct financial, social, environmental or other community benefit can be identified.

Community Volunteers requests will not be accepted from individuals.

The decision to accept a request for Community Volunteers support will be at the discretion of the Volunteer Centre based on the requesting organisation fulfilling our terms and conditions.

1.2  Definitions

    • Volunteer Centres: (VCs) are the local volunteer development agencies that provide a suite of services to enable, encourage and support local volunteering, including the implementation of the Community Volunteers programme.
    • Volunteer Ireland: (VI) is the national volunteer development organisation and a support body for Volunteer Centres in Ireland.
    • Community Volunteers: (CV) refers to the national Community Volunteers programme, established by the Department of Rural Community and Development and delivered by VCs and VI to provide Urgent Community Support & Community Event Support.
    • Partner Organisation: (PO) refers to an organisation intending to engage CVs.
    • Community Volunteers Roles: Community Volunteers take on roles that are short term or episodic and provide either urgent community support or community event support:

Urgent Community Support – This could be in response to a national crisis such as COVID-19, a local disruption such as a weather event or water shortage, or simply a local need that
could be met by volunteers acting quickly, for example, practical support for an individual in the community, or a food bank receiving a big donation that needs processing.

Extended Urgent Community Support – Where urgent community support is required to extend beyond an initial call out.

Community Event Support – Supporting local not for profit events, such as community festivals, parades, concerts, matches, sporting events, environmental events or clean ups etc.

Note:

    • Community Volunteers roles should not directly replace paid roles.
    • Community Volunteers should not be asked to take part in direct fundraising roles.
    • The VC will determine if/when a request for Community Volunteers falls under Community Event Support, Urgent Community Support or Extended Urgent Community Support.

2.1  Volunteer Centre

The Volunteer Centre will manage Community Volunteers directly and are responsible for:

  • Recruiting, skill & interest assessing, interviewing, and checking the ID of Community Volunteers.
  • Signing a volunteer code of conduct with each Community Volunteer.
  • Having appropriate insurance in place for involving volunteers.
  • Ensuring that all Community Volunteers take part in training in urgent community support and event volunteering best practice which is being delivered nationally by VI.
  • Providing additional role specific training if required and feasible.
  • Garda vetting (only if a role is explicitly deemed relevant under the National Vetting Bureau Children and Vulnerable adults act.)
  • Managing all volunteer communications.
  • Scheduling and volunteer shift management.
  • Volunteer onsite inductions.
  • Onsite volunteer management & leadership.
  • Ongoing volunteer support & supervision.
  • Volunteer recognition.
  • Overseeing volunteer apparel. (Additional costs may apply.)
  • Identifying and training volunteer team leaders.

The Volunteer Centre will:

  • Engage in discussions with Partner Organisations to assess where and how Community Volunteers can provide Urgent Community Support and Community Event Support – both
    reactively (e.g. in response to an urgent need) and pro-actively (e.g. thinking ahead to events).
  • Develop role descriptions that meet identified needs.
  • Provide advice on good practice in volunteer management and make volunteer management training available to Partner Orgnaisations if requested.

2.2  Partner Organisations

Partner Organisations will be expected to:

  • Assign a contact person for the VC to liaise with in relation to this programme.
  • Engage with the VC to identify where and how Community Volunteers can provide Urgent Community Support and Community Event Support – reactively (e.g. in response to an urgent) or pro-actively (e.g. local events).
  • Agree a Statement of Work (SOW) for each engagement of the Community Volunteers.
  • In the case of Community Event Support or (Extended Urgent Community Support) agree costings to be paid to the VC for each engagement of the Community Volunteers.
  • Have adequate Public Liability / Employer’s Liability (if applicable) insurance in place for all events or projects where they intend to involve Community Volunteers.
  • Manage volunteer data obtained through the Community Volunteers programme in a safe and secure manner and retain it for no longer than is necessary.
  • Provide safe working conditions for VC staff managing volunteers and volunteers.
  • Act in line with all Irish Equality Legislation, treat VC staff and volunteers fairly and ensure they do not experience discrimination.

In the case of Community Event Support, costings will be agreed with the partner organisation that cover volunteer management provided by the Volunteer Centre, as well as agreed resources, volunteer apparel and PPE.

In the case of Urgent Community Support, Partner Organisations will not be charged for volunteer management, volunteer expenses or resources, apparel or PPE. Note: If a Community Volunteers response is required to extend beyond the initial call out additional costs may become applicable for this Extended Urgent Community Support.

Partner Organisations may contact the Volunteer Centre with a support request for either Urgent Community Support or Community Event Support.

The request will be considered by the VC and if accepted, the VC will agree a Statement of Work (SOW) with the Partner Organisation outlining the details of the project and the role volunteer will take on. In the case of Community Event Support (or Extended Urgent Community Support) costings for the project will also be issued and agreed.

In the case of Community Event Support Partner Organisations should normally place a request a minimum of two weeks before Volunteer Support is needed.

Community Volunteers can be mobilised quickly to provide Urgent Community Support. A request for Urgent Community Support can normally be processed within 24 to 48 hours. Community Volunteers can remain involved in a particular response for as long as the Urgent Community Support is required. However, if Urgent Community Support extends beyond the initial call out, additional costs may become applicable.

The Volunteer Centre does not guarantee that all Community Volunteers support requests will be fulfilled. This is at the discretion of the Volunteer Centre, before agreeing to provide support, the Volunteer Centre will consider their capacity at the time of the request as well as the appropriateness of involving volunteers in the specific project and the quality of the volunteer tasks.

Both parties acknowledge the intellectual property rights of the other whether registered or not.

All information shared between the parties referenced in this document, including data relating to individual Community Volunteers as part of the Community Volunteers programme will be dealt with in accordance with Data Protection Policy and Data Protection Acts.

Any Community Volunteers data obtained by a Partner Organisation may only be used in relation to the specific project it is relevant to and should be destroyed after the project is complete.

There are a number of grounds in which a Volunteer Centre may discontinue/refuse their services, these include but are not limited to:

If an organisation involves volunteers inappropriately in relation to the criteria detailed above.

If volunteers are being exploited or put in unnecessary danger.
Breaches of the Irish Equality Legislation i.e. an organisation engages in, through their recruitment process or operational activities, direct discrimination or indirect discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, family status, religious belief or membership of the travelling community.

If an organisation refuses to or cannot show evidence that its activities provide a social and community benefit.

If an organisation abuses the involvement of volunteers e.g. replacing paid staff members or engages them in profit-making activities.

If an organisation actively engages in unlawful behaviours or deeds.

If an organisation misuses volunteers private data provided for individual projects.

If an organisation actively promotes anti-social behaviour towards governments, people, animals or property.

Note: These grounds can apply to an organisational culture or to a particular individual in the organisation who interacts with or co-ordinates volunteers.

7.1  Disclaimers

The services and materials in relation to the Community Volunteers programme are provided “as is” and without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. By requesting Community Volunteers support you are indicating that you fully understand the terms and conditions and privacy notice.

Under no circumstances will Volunteer Ireland or Volunteer Centres be held responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any loss or damage that is caused or alleged to have been caused to you in connection with your use of, or reliance on, any content, goods or services available on any other site.

7.2  Limitation of Liability

We control and operate this site from our offices in the Republic of Ireland. We do not represent that materials on the site are appropriate or available for use in other locations. Persons who choose to access this site from other locations do so on their own initiative, and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable.

Supported by