Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service Administrative Policies
ICVS COMMISSIONER POLICIES (reviewed and adopted June 9, 2015)
COMMUNICATIONS- (ENGAGEMENT)
Commission Correspondence
All mass correspondence from ICVS members or staff to the entire commission must be approved by the Executive Director or Commission Chair. Commissioners or staff should never communicate in their official capacity for matters unrelated to the work of the commission nor target commissioners in communication unrelated to the work of the commission.
Media
All media contacts should be referred to the Executive Director. Staff should not talk to the media regarding ICVS business unless delegated to do so by the Executive Director or Commission Chair. If the media contacts commissioners about specific ICVS programmatic issues, they should contact the Executive Director before granting an interview. If staff does communicate with a member of the media, an e-mail summary including the name of the media person, what was discussed and any materials shared should be sent to the Executive Director and the IEDA communications director immediately following the contact.
Elected Officials
Staff should refer all contacts from congressional offices, legislature, White House, and Governor’s Office to the Executive Director, unless inquiries are specific to them. Staff should not contact any elected official regarding the activities of the ICVS without prior approval from the Executive Director. The Executive Director should seek approval from the Governor’s Office or director of the Office of State and Federal Relations before contacting elected officials on behalf of the state.
Commission Reports
Staff will prepare quarterly reports for the Governor and Legislature detailing the commission’s progress towards fulfilling the objectives defined by Iowa Code and the commission’s state service plan as defined by state and federal law, as well as grantee performance results. The reports will be completed within three weeks of the end of each fiscal quarter and will be provided to the Governor, Lt. Governor, Legislature, Director of the IEDA and all commissioners.
Staff will prepare monthly e-mail reports to commissioners to keep them informed of progress and activities between regularly scheduled commission meetings. Information will include: dates of upcoming meetings, activities, and special events; personnel items; program updates; and other timely news and announcements. The executive director will communicate with commissioners once monthly to cover a broader range of topics.
Open Meetings Notice - Iowa Code Chapter 21
The ICVS is a governmental body and is required to hold meetings open to the public. A meeting is defined by the Iowa Code as “a gathering in person or by electronic means, formal or informal, of a majority of the members of a governmental body where there is deliberation or action upon any matter within the scope of the governmental body’s policy-making duties. Meetings shall not include a gathering of members of a governmental body for purely ministerial or social purposes when there is no discussion of policy or no intent to avoid the purposes of this chapter.”
All commission meetings, trainings, and special events are to be posted on the online “Calendar of Events” within the ICVS website as soon as dates are confirmed. In addition, and in accordance with Iowa Code Ch. 21, commission meeting notices must be released to the public at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting and must include, at a minimum, the date, time, place, and tentative agenda.
TRAINING- (ENGAGEMENT)
Commissioner Orientation/Training
ICVS will offer an annual orientation/training for newly appointed commissioners. The orientation will cover the mission and history of the commission, its relationship with the CNCS, the activities of the commission, commissioner roles and responsibilities, commission meeting dates and other relevant information.
Commission Leaders Training
The Executive Director and/or Commission Chair will provide committee chairs, vice-chairs, and officers with information about the responsibilities of commission leadership positions.
Grantee & Program Training
ICVS endeavors to provide programs and grantees with training and support designed to help strengthen program operations and encourage an environment for continuous improvement. Towards this end, ICVS will conduct an annual survey of programs and grantees to determine training needs. In addition, ICVS staff will provide input on training needs based on program monitoring. Based on these results, ICVS will develop an annual training plan to maximize resources and build partnerships between programs. Following each training, a survey will be conducted to determine the results of the training and assist ICVS in improving future training opportunities.
Volunteer Orientation and Training
Commission staff will engage volunteers throughout the organization to help achieve our mission. ICVS staff will provide a volunteer orientation and training to volunteers, with an overview of our organization, a connection between their role as a volunteer and our mission and specific training relevant to their volunteer task.
Statewide or Regional Training
To strengthen volunteer and nonprofit management capacity in the state, ICVS will work with statewide partners to support volunteer and nonprofit management training. On an annual basis, ICVS will make a determination of the format, partners, and details of the training. As with all ICVS training, data from past conference surveys and staff input will inform the training sessions. Post-training evaluations will be conducted to determine the results of the training.
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT- (ENGAGEMENT)
Commission Volunteer Recruitment
Commission staff will recruit volunteers to support our mission using the statewide volunteer recruitment portal, social networking, personal and professional contacts and other means. Commission volunteers will have their duties outlined in a position description that will be the basis of recruitment. Commission staff will assess volunteers through a variety of means to determine if they are a fit for our organization and to identify training needs, recognition preferences and other components that will assist ICVS staff in providing positive volunteer experiences. If possible, position descriptions will allow flexibility to maximize the skills, schedule and interests of the volunteer in meeting commission goals.
VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT- (ENGAGEMENT)
Commission Volunteer Management
Commission staff will develop a commission volunteer management plan and system to enable volunteers to effectively contribute to all aspects of the commission’s work. The system will include developing policies and procedures to support all components of effective volunteer management, such as recruitment, training, supervision, tracking/reporting, evaluation and recognition. Commission staff will receive training and support in volunteer management and related systems.
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT- (ENGAGEMENT)
Volunteer Policies (adopted December 16, 2014)
Overall Personnel Policies
As an agency of state government, the ICVS follows all policies in the official State of Iowa Employee Handbook (available online at http://das.hre.iowa.gov/documents/publications/employee_handbook.pdf). A majority of the policies DO NOT apply to volunteers; however, the policies listed below DO apply to our volunteers (substituting the word “volunteer” for “employee”, unless “employee only” is specified). Overviews of the following policies are included in Appendix A:
• Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Anti Discrimination Policy
• Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policies
• Smoking and Tobacco Use Policy
• Social Media Policy
• Violence-Free Workplace Policy
• Safety
• Management Access to Work Areas
• Gifts and Gratuities
• Use of State Property
• Protection from Reprisal
Volunteer Policies
The following policies have been developed to guide our volunteer program; some have been adapted from the State of Iowa Employee Handbook.
Benefits:
• Opportunity to support the efforts of the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service
• Passionate staff and volunteers
• Fun projects and focus
• Small, 20-year-old organization: flexibility, adaptability and the possibility to learn about state government operations, volunteer management and national service
• Great experience for many majors and careers
• Record of volunteer service for related work and school purposes
• Acknowledgement of contributions on website; letters of recommendation, etc.
Building Access and Parking: If your volunteer assignment entails working or attending meetings in the ICVS office building, you will be able to park in the visitor parking area and access the building during regular office hours. Volunteers are not permitted in the building after hours or on weekends unless accompanied by ICVS staff.
Code of Conduct. As a volunteer, I am committed to:
1. Perform my volunteer duties to the best of my ability.
2. Adhere to agency rules and procedures, including record-keeping requirements and confidentiality of agency and client information.
3. Meet time and duty commitments, or provide adequate notice so that alternate arrangements can be made.
4. Understand that the state is not liable for any actions I take outside of the official scope of my volunteer activities.
5. Understand I am not eligible for workers compensation benefits arising from a work related injury resulting from my volunteer activity.
6. Understand that my volunteer assignment may be terminated at any time by either party to the Agency/Volunteer Agreement.
Communications:
• Staff—Volunteers should primarily rely on their assigned supervisor to answer questions. However, all staff members are available and happy to assist volunteers with their needs.
• Commissioners—All mass correspondence from ICVS members, volunteers, or staff to the entire commission must be approved by the executive director or commission chair. Commissioners, volunteers, or staff should never communicate in their official capacity for matters unrelated to the work of the commission.
• Media—All media contacts should be referred to the executive director. Volunteers should not talk to the media regarding ICVS business unless delegated to do so by the executive director or commission chair. If the media contacts volunteers about specific ICVS programmatic issues, they should contact the executive director before granting an interview.
Confidentiality: Volunteers may have access to information that is not available to the general public, which imparts special professional and ethical responsibilities on the volunteer. Information provided should be discussed only with commission staff and should not be used to the benefit of any specific person or organization.
Dress Code: The ICVS follows the same dress code policy as the Iowa Economic Development Authority: for anyone in the building during regular business hours, “Professional, business like attire is expected at all times, ranging from traditional, to appropriate business casual.” Depending on their assignment, volunteers may wear more casual or project-appropriate clothing (staff can provide guidance).
Expense Reimbursement: Volunteers should seek preapproval from their supervisor prior to incurring travel expenses. In most cases, volunteers will make their own travel arrangements, hotel reservations, etc. Volunteers must: adhere to state reimbursement limits; pay their own hotel bills, parking fees, meals and misc. travel expenses; then submit a Volunteer Expense Report (along with all required documentation) to request reimbursement.
Insurance and Liability: As stated in the Agency/Volunteer Agreement, the state is not liable for any actions a volunteer takes outside of the official scope of their volunteer activities. Volunteers are not eligible for workers compensation benefits arising from a work related injury resulting from their volunteer activity. The Federal Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 (Title 42 U.S.C. 14503) provides certain protections to volunteers, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities in lawsuits based on the activities of volunteers.
Mutual Performance Reviews: Volunteers will receive opportunities for mutual performance reviews at 30 days, 60 days, six months, and annually. These check-in meetings give both the volunteer and the ICVS an opportunity to discuss what additional support the organization needs to offer volunteers to ensure success, express appreciation, identify problems and needs, determine the volunteer's future involvement in the organization, and hold the volunteer and the organization accountable for their commitment to one another.
Personnel Records: The ICVS maintains personnel records for volunteers in accordance with DAS-HRE rules and policies. A volunteer’s personnel file includes copies of their enrollment form, application and evaluations, and other documents pertinent to their volunteer assignment(s). Volunteers may access their personnel file, except for confidential references or other materials identified by DAS-HRE rules or by statute. Volunteers who wish to review their personnel files must arrange a time during business hours that is convenient to their department(s). Volunteers may be charged the actual cost of copying file information, up to $5.00.
Political Activities: All volunteers have the right to express their opinions as individuals on political issues and candidates. However, volunteers are prohibited from engaging in political activity during scheduled work hours, when using state equipment, or while on state property. These activities include, but are not limited to, soliciting or receiving political contributions. Political buttons and other attire may be worn by volunteers who have minimal contact with the public, if the buttons do not constitute a safety risk. In certain situations, ICVS may have additional work rules regarding the wearing of political buttons and other attire.
Recognition: As part of the volunteer enrollment process, we collect information about how you prefer to be recognized for your contributions. In addition, we may select volunteers to receive special awards, feature them in a posting on Facebook, our website, or recognize them by other means. We want to make sure our volunteers – and the world – know how much their contributions are appreciated.
Reporting Hours (timesheets): Volunteers provide many intangibles that cannot be easily quantified, which can make it difficult to put a dollar value on volunteer time. Charitable and governmental organizations most frequently use the value of volunteer time for recognition events or communications to show the amount of support an organization receives from its volunteers. To that end, it’s extremely important that ICVS is able to report on how many hours of volunteer time are dedicated to our activities. You will be provided with a timesheet to keep track of your hours day by day. And, at the beginning of every month, you will receive an e-mail with a link to an electronic reporting form so you can quickly and easily submit your hours to staff.
Requesting Supplies, Services, and/or Equipment: Only the Executive Director is authorized to approve expenditure of commission funds. Volunteers should seek preapproval from their supervisor prior to purchasing supplies, services, or equipment. Office supplies, state computer systems, and equipment may already be available or can be ordered by staff if specific items are necessary to complete job tasks.
Resignation: Volunteers may choose to resign or request change of positions at any time. Volunteers are encouraged to give as much notice as possible when resigning, or a minimum of two weeks. Volunteers should submit resignations to their supervisor in writing and may be asked to participate in an exit interview.