Volunteer Registration

Thank you for deciding to register as a volunteer. So that we can offer you support and advice please take a few minutes to complete this registration document. If you are unsure about any part of this document please ask for advice or assistance.

Data Protection:

  1. At no time will we provide any of your details to a third party without your permission.
  2. You have the right to see any information about you that we hold in a retrieval system such as a computer database or paper index system.
  3. You have the right to challenge us about any information relating to you we hold in a retrieval system and have this changed.
  4. You have the right for your details to be removed from a retrieval system.
  5. We may compile statistical data from time to time but this will never include references to a particular individual.
  6. In order to keep you up to date with information and events we may include you in our mailing list or email list.

What will we do with the information you give us?

We will hold your information confidentially. Using the information we will try to match you with volunteering opportunities that appear to suit your preferences and availability. If we can’t find a match today we will contact you with the details of any future volunteering opportunity and you can then decide if it is something you would like to become involved with as a volunteer or not. If not, we will continue to look for volunteering opportunities that you may be interested in. We will not send your name and contact details to an organisation seeking volunteers unless you have agreed with us that we may do so.

Please tell us if there is any information you have given the Volunteer Centre in confidence that you do not wish to be passed on to an organisation you are interested in volunteering with.

VOLUNTEER DETAILS

First Name / Title
Surname
Date of Birth
Address
Phone Number
Email
Disability, if any?
Support needed, if any?
Geographical area(s) you would like to volunteer?
Types of volunteering you are interested in?
How often you would like to volunteer?
How would you like to correspond with the Volunteer Centre? / Face to Face meeting
Email
Telephone
Would you like to be on an emailing list for the Volunteer Centre?
Notes

Volunteering while claiming benefits see next page

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks

Some volunteer opportunties, particularly if you are working with children or vulnerable adults, are subject to Disclosure and Barring Checks, formerly Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) Checks. A DBS check is carried out by the Disclosure & Barring Service against police records and the list of those barred from working with vulnerable people.

No criminal records checks will be made without your consent and until you have been accepted as a volunteer for an organisation requiring such a check to be made.

Information for Volunteers

Please ask Volunteer Centre staff for any further information you need about the issues surrounding volunteering: expenses, insurance, DBS checks, references, volunteering whilst on benefits, equal opportunities, health and safety, training, confidentiality, volunteers and the law, volunteers’ rights and responsibilities, role of trustees…..whatever you want to know, we are here to help.

Data Protection

I give permission for the Isle of Wight Volunteer Centre to pass the information contained in this form to those organisations or groups in which I have expressed an interest in, as discussed and agreed with the Volunteer Centre staff*. This will then enable the respective organisations to contact you directly. I also agree to my details being kept on the Volunteer Centre’s secure database for administrative purposes only.

Signed

Date

*Please tell us if there is any information you have given to the Volunteer Centre staff in confidence that you do not wish to be passed on to an organisation looking for volunteers.

A GUIDE TO VOLUNTEERING WHILE CLAIMING BENEFITS

Is there any maximum number of hours I can volunteer under the ‘old’ benefits?

No. Jobcentre Plus (JCP) recognises that volunteering improves skills and community engagement, and a result, employability. There is no maximum number of hours that can be spent volunteering while claiming any established state benefit, provided that you:

  • Inform Jobcentre Plus of any volunteering you are doing
  • Are available for interview at 48 hours notice
  • (If on jobseekers Allowance) Carry out all job search activity every week, as agreed with JCP, as well as volunteering
  • Can start paid work within one week of any offer

Where do I stand on being paid expenses?

Expenses are legitimate costs that you incur as a direct result of volunteering. This could include costs of transport, overnight accommodation where needed, meals while volunteering, specialist clothes needed to carry out volunteering and care expenses in certain cases. These may be paid to you upfront or after volunteering, and do not affect benefits. You should always keep receipts for these, and produce these for JCP if requested.

When does money not count as expenses?

You must not be paid any money other than for the things in the above list. If, for example, you receive a ‘thank you’ type one off payment for your volunteering, this must be declared immediately to JCP. This would technically count as earnings and may affect your benefits. The safest method is not to accept any payment other than expenses.

What is Universal Credit?

Universal Credit is a single benefit for people who are unemployed or on a low income, to be phased in from 2014-2017 to replace all other work related benefits and tax credits.

How does Universal Credit affect volunteering?

The main change affects claimants of Universal Credit in the ‘all work activities’ category (those thought to be work ready). These claimants will be assessed as being capable of doing either 35 hours work per work or a specified lower amount. Such claimants are obliged to spend either 35 or the above specified number of hours per week carrying out work search related actions.

  • Volunteering does not count as ‘work search’ activity
  • BUT: A maximum of half the specified work search hours may be spent on volunteering, e.g. a person deemed fit to work 20 hours per week may volunteer for 10 hours, and must carry out other search activity for the remaining 10 hours.

Is there any way I can volunteer for more hours than half of my work search hours?

Yes; there is no upper limit on volunteering as long as you can prove that half of your work search hours have been spent on activities other than volunteering.

How can I find out more?

  1. The Department of Work and Pensions’ Guide to Volunteering while getting benefits, can be found at
  2. Universal Credit information can be found on gov.uk via tinyurl.com/blhhvrj
  3. The Welfare Reform Act (2012) is at:

How should I keep records?

It is best to maintain a simple log of hours spent volunteering, and expenses received, as JCP can, by law, request this.

Riverside, The Quay, Newport, PO30 2QR

Phone: 01983 539377

Email:

Registered Charity Number: 1063737

Company Registration Number: 3340032