Version–January2015

Volunteer

InformationPack

Each local Healthwatch will actively encourage volunteer involvement in its work.

This is to strengthen the ability of each Healthwatch to influence the design and delivery of health and social care services provided for local people.

Healthwatch Swindon Volunteering Opportunities

Thank you for registering your interest in volunteering with Healthwatch Swindon.

This information pack contains;

  1. About Healthwatch Swindon
  2. Why Volunteer?
  3. Volunteer Role Opportunities
  4. How to become a Volunteer
  5. The Nolan Principles
  6. Application Form
  7. Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

If you would like a hard copy of the information pack or in a larger print, please call our Volunteer Manager,Jason Ferris on 01793 497777.

For an electronic version email us at or download one from our website

  1. About Healthwatch Swindon

Healthwatch Swindon has been set up to be the Consumer Champion for the public, patients, carers and users of health and social care services in our area.

We work to gather, analyse and represent views, opinions and recommendations of the whole community: young, old, women and men, patients, care home residents, carers and the cared for, people from all cultures and backgrounds.

We help people by:

  • Scrutinising the quality of services and holding the service provider and/or commissionerto account,
  • Representing the voice of public and patients,
  • Contributing to the work of the Health and Wellbeing Board,
  • Contributing to the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
  • Providing information about access to services and signposting to local services
  • Engaging with communities to get people’s views on health and social care in Swindon and beyond.
  • Working with local people using information and evidence to influence, commissioners of NHS, public health and social care services
  • Providing support to make a complaint by offering a free, confidential and impartial NHS complaints advocacy service to people living in Swindon

Further information about Healthwatch Swindon can be found on our website:

  1. Why Volunteer?

Healthwatch Swindon is about local people with time to give, skills to share and a willingness to make a difference in shaping health and social care services in Swindon – through representingand helping their voices to be heard at all levels of service planning and delivery in the community.

Whether you have 15 minutes a week, a day, a month, or something in between, we could put your time to great use. If you think you could be someone who might lend a helping hand we would love to hear from you.

Whatever your time or skills, if you would like to make a difference, we would like to meet you. You can give your time working on your own or as part of a group.

This can be a one off or regular commitment. It is your time, your choice.

All of our volunteers receive an induction, and you can choose what type of activities or help you would like to offer, and, when you want to do it. We will ask for character references and for volunteers taking part in work with people who may be vulnerable, we will require to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check.

We hope that you will get a lot out of volunteering with us:

Make a difference / Volunteering gives you an opportunity to make a difference to health and social care services in your community.
Improve your employability / Many of our roles include working with people at a variety of levels, from health service users to Chief Executives who are also health service users. Volunteering can show your future employer that you have developed necessary skills and are a committed person.
Have fun / Volunteering can be fun and fulfilling, allowing you to experience opportunities not usually available to you and meet new people.
Gain experience & knowledge / Volunteering gives you a chance to gain experience, perhaps in a field you would like to work in.
Access training / Many of the volunteer roles will include training, which will be useful and not just when you are volunteering for Healthwatch Swindon. It adds valuable experience to your CV.

All Healthwatch volunteers will be provided with:

  • Training and support to undertake the role
  • An induction into Healthwatch Swindon
  • Ongoing appropriate training and support from the Healthwatch Swindon Team
  • Opportunities to meet at appropriate intervals with Healthwatch Swindon staff and Directors to keep in touch and be updated with what is happening
  • Out of pocket expenses in line with Healthwatch Swindon’s Volunteering and Travel Policy

You will be asked to:

  • Sign up to a Volunteer Agreement and Code of Conduct

All volunteers will be asked to adhere to a basic set of policies (to include equal opportunities, confidentiality, data protection, and code of conduct) and depending on the role there will be further specific policies to abide by. For example, for Enter and View teams there is further legislation that we must adhere to and therefore these roles require policies and procedures relating to this work.

We ask volunteers to sign a volunteering agreement, which sets out the minimum expectations of a volunteer and also what the volunteer can expect from us in return.

  1. Volunteer Role Opportunities

These are the volunteer role opportunities and activities that are available;

Outreach Volunteer / Volunteers out and about in their own communities, spreading the word about Healthwatch Swindon, finding people’s views and helping us with our work. Attend meetings and events across the Borough to represent Healthwatch Swindon and feedback views received on services
Admin Support Volunteer / Volunteers supporting the office in tasks such as, but not restricted to, answering telephones, data entry, inputting survey results, proof reading documents, advocacy support, and working alongside paid staff to undertake ongoing research on specific issues raised by local residents
Specialist Volunteers / Specialist Volunteers carry out specific duties where they have an area of expertise, interest or have undertaken specialist training. Theses roles are designed to extend across the range of work Healthwatch Swindon carries out. These include Enter & View Authorised Representative, ‘PLACE’ Assessments, Advocacy support, collation of information, distributing information to other networks, assisting with and conducting research/projects on behalf of Healthwatch Swindon and responding appropriately to issues raised by the public.
  1. How to become a Volunteer

  1. The Nolan Principles

The seven principles of public life were first published in 1995, and have become widely known as ‘The Nolan Principles’. They are the general principles of conduct that underpin public life.

This is how we want all our staff and volunteers to behave, carrying out the activities of Healthwatch Swindon.

Selflessness

Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or other friends.

Integrity

Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties.

Objectivity

In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

Openness

Holders of public office should be open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when they wider public interest clearly demands.

Honesty

Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

Leadership

Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

  1. Volunteer Application Form

Disclaimer
The information and personal data you provide on this form will only be used for the purpose of applying to be a volunteer with Healthwatch Swindon and its related process purposes. It may also be used for relevant communication between yourself and Healthwatch Swindon. Your data will be stored on a computer and/or manual files in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Your details:
Name:
Phone number: Mobile:
Email:
Address:
Postcode:
Emergency contact: Phone:
Which volunteer roles are you interested in? You can tick more than one?
Outreach Volunteer
Admin Support Volunteer
Specialist Volunteer
 Not sure yet
Please tell us about any work, volunteering, personal experience or skills that you have that are relevant to the role you are interested in:
Availability - At what times are you interested in volunteering?
 Flexible
 Specific days/times (please state when)
 Not sure yet
Character References
Please supply details of 2 people who know you well enough to comment about your suitability for this role. They should not be family members. If you are not sure about who to put we are happy to discuss this with you.
Referee 1
Name:
Address:
Email:
Phone:
How does this person know you?
Referee 2
Name:
Address:
Email:
Phone:
How does this person know you?
Do you have any particular needs that we should be aware of so as to best support your volunteering with us?
How did you hear about us?
 Healthwatch Swindon newsletter, flyer
 Healthwatch Website
Another voluntary/community organisation (e.g. Volunteer Centre)
Please state
A friend/family member
Other (please state)
Sign: Date:
Thank you for taking the time to complete this form
Please return to:
Healthwatch Swindon,Swindon Advice and Support Centre,Sanford House,Sanford Street,Swindon,
SN1 1QH
Or email

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  1. Equal Opportunities – Monitoring Form

The information on this form is collected so that we can assess the effectiveness of our equality policy and monitor our recruitment processes. We aim to be representative of the community of Swindon and by monitoring the diversity of our applicants, we can assess our effectiveness in achieving this goal. The information you give will only be used for this purpose and no other. It is anonymous and this form will be detached from your application before we look at your application. If you do not want to answer any specific question then please leave it blank.

PERSONAL DETAILS
Year of birth: Postcode: (first part of the code only e.g. SN1)
Gender: Male  Female  Other  (please state)
Disability: Do you consider yourself to have a disability? Yes  No 
If you have answered yes, please give details of your disability below:
......
Sexual orientation: What is your sexual orientation?
Bisexual  Gay man  Heterosexual/Straight  Lesbian/gay woman  Other (please state) 
Ethnic Origin:
 British  Irish  Any other White Background (please state)
 White & Black Caribbean  White & Black African  White & Asian
 Any other Mixed Background (please state)
 Indian  Pakistani  Bangladeshi Chinese
 Any other Asian background (please state)
 Caribbean  African
 Any other Black/African/Caribbean Background (please state)
 Gypsy/Traveller  Any other Ethnic Group (please state)
Faith/Religion/Belief:
 No religion  Christian  Buddhist  Hinduism
 Humanism  Islam Judaism  Sikhism  Other (please state)
Please return to: Healthwatch Swindon,Swindon Advice and Support Centre,Sanford House,Sanford Street,Swindon,SN1 1QH
Or email

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