Action Cancer
Volunteer Policy
(Summarised Version)
Thank You
Thank you for your interest in becoming part of the Action Cancer Volunteer Team!. Action Cancer is Northern Ireland’s leading and foremost local cancer charity. Formed in 1973 we are dedicated to “Saving and Supporting” people and their families affected by Cancer. We are:
ü The only charity in the British Isles which provides free breast screening services, screening circa 9,500 women annually and detecting a carcinoma in approximately every 150 women screened.
ü The largest voluntary sector provider of free health checks for men and women, testing circa 5,000 people annually with nearly 50% tested being referred for further investigation.
ü We provide to adults and children, through our highly qualified specialists, the most extensive range of therapeutic support interventions of any Northern Ireland charity.
ü We lead on the delivery of education and awareness programmes to school children and in raising awareness of cancer to the general public of Northern Ireland.
We are a local Northern Ireland charity - all our money is raised to provide services for local communities. Our dedicated team of staff and volunteers work across the whole of Northern Ireland helping to save lives and support people affected by cancer. To operate our services we must raise circa £4 million every year. As an Action Cancer volunteer you will help Action Cancer provide our vital support and services to people affected by cancer across Northern Ireland.
Volunteers are an important part of the Action Cancer ethos, as they add considerably to the quality of service that Action Cancer provides. We realise that the achievement of our goals is best served through the participation of members from the local community. To this end, we encourage the involvement of volunteers in a variety of roles in Action Cancer, and we see it as our responsibility to continue to identify ways in which the work of Action Cancer can be extended by the involvement of volunteers as a core part of our team, with a distinctive but complementary role alongside paid staff. All Action Cancer staff are encouraged to assist in the creation of meaningful and productive roles through which volunteers can gain personal benefits.
Action Cancer welcomes and encourages volunteer applications via our website, our shops, our fundraising activities, and by word of mouth. Our services are very special and the belief that the dignity of people must be maintained is vital to all our relationships. We recognise that the provision of equal opportunities is not only good management practice, it also makes sound business sense, helping all those who work and volunteer for us to develop their full potential and to fully use the talents and resources of Action Cancer to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.
Equality of opportunity comes into every aspect of our work, and in relation to volunteers when:
· Recruiting
· Considering adjustments to support volunteering
· In relationships between staff and volunteers
· Between volunteers and 3rd parties
Involvement as a volunteer for Action Cancer, is a most rewarding and stimulating experience. Simply knowing that you are in a position to help and make a difference to others who often cannot help themselves is a real privilege. In the case of Action Cancer knowing that you are helping to contribute to the delivery of our Mission which is
“...saving lives and supporting people (in Northern Ireland) through cancer awareness, prevention, detection, and support” is both a joy and priceless.
The purpose of this summarised Volunteer Policy is to provide you with information if you are thinking of volunteering with us - Application Forms can be downloaded from this page. A full Volunteer Policy is available if you would like more detailed information.
There are a variety of volunteering opportunities available in Action Cancer and each area has produced information for potential volunteers giving a flavour of what the volunteering activities involve, and how to apply. This information is available via our website by clicking on each volunteer tab, or by contacting the volunteer representative in the relevant area:
- Retail – Katherine Young
- Peer Mentoring – Jane Gilmore
- Fundraising and Fundraising Events – Georgina Campbell
- Local Groups – Nicola Hanna
- Finance – Arlene McGeown
- Counselling – Ruth Fleming
- Health Promotion - Amy thompson
- Reception – Michele Warke
- Tea Bar – Joanna Currie
- Council of Management – Norman Carson
Definition of Volunteering
Volunteering is defined as:
“the commitment of time and energy, for the benefit of society and the community, the environment, or individuals outside (or in addition to) one’s immediate family. It is unpaid, and undertaken freely and by choice.” (DSD Jan, 2014)
A volunteer must be formally appointed and matched to their agreed role prior to starting their volunteering. Volunteers shall not be considered as employees of Action Cancer.
Our Heritage
Established in 1973 by cancer specialist Dr George Edelstyn the initial aim of the charity was to fund pioneering research into chemotherapy and to support and sustain patients and their families during treatment. Our founders’ vision for the future was that people of Northern Ireland would be free from the risk of cancer.
Since Action Cancer was formed we have been the only charity in the UK and Ireland to provide a screening service for breast cancer, leading the way in 2006 with the introduction of digital mammography. Then in the same year we developed another first - a state of the art articulated vehicle nicknamed the Big Bus, with on-board facilities for breast screening and health checks.
Through our clinic in Belfast, the Big Bus and the use of local community facilities each year we provide free breast screening to women 40-49 and 70 +, support and therapeutic services and health checks in over 200 locations across Northern Ireland. We also deliver health checks, cancer awareness and health education programmes in schools and a wide variety of other settings. We continue to lead the way in on health promotion, lobbying and campaigning on cancer and health related issues.
Values and Behaviours:
Our strengths are that we are a Values driven charity with people being at the very centre of everything we do. Our services are proven to make a difference, we are a Northern Ireland charity run and controlled by local people, raising money, spending money, and supporting people only here in Northern Ireland.
We have three stated Values which are supported by seven expected behaviours.
Value 1: Putting People First - People are at the centre of everything we do.
Value 2: Making a Difference - Having a positive impact on everything we do.
Value 3: Being Accountable - Clear, open and honest about everything we do.
Our Values are supported by seven Behaviours. We Will…
1. Treat people with respect, care, dignity and consideration.
2. Listen, hear and respond positively to what people say.
3. Support, develop and equip our people to reach their full potential.
4. Gain from our experience and celebrate success.
5. Work together, supporting, adding value, learning from and sharing with others.
6. Embrace and develop new ideas, ways of working and technologies.
7. Welcome scrutiny, taking ownership and responsibility collectively and individually for our actions.
Benefits of Volunteering with Action Cancer
· Helping to support Northern Ireland’s leading cancer charity
· A happy and friendly volunteering environment
· Tea and coffee whilst volunteering
· Support with your volunteering needs
· Bi annual organisational volunteer recognition and celebration event
· Training and development within your role
· Flexible volunteering times
Many thousands of people have been touched by the work of Action Cancer- through the early detection services throughout the province, our information and support services for cancer patients, our Men’s Health Programme, awareness initiatives such as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But great challenges still lie ahead of us. Cancer is set to become the most common cause of death in Northern Ireland. Cancer treatment and detection have improved greatly, but there is still much more to be done. We rely heavily on the support and dedication of our volunteers to enable us to carry out this vital work. As well as providing a very worthwhile service volunteering with Action Cancer has great benefits for the volunteers themselves, such as:
· Having fun and sharing great company
· Training & development
· Relieving boredom
· Learning new skills
· Gaining confidence
· Improving self-esteem
· Helping a worthy cause
· Meeting new people
· Making friends
· Gaining valuable work experience to add to your CV
Key Information
Recruitment of Volunteers
Action Cancer recruits volunteers as widely as possible. We promote our volunteering opportunities via our shops and groups throughout Northern Ireland, via our website, the Volunteer Now and Community NI websites, and Volunteer Application Forms can be collected or requested from Action Cancer House. Clients who have been supported by Action Cancer also offer their volunteering services.
Volunteers may be recruited either through an interest in a specific function, or through a general interest in volunteering which will later be matched with a specific task. No final acceptance of a volunteer will take place without a specific written volunteer role description for that volunteer.
Special Case Volunteers
Action Cancer also accepts as volunteers those participating in student community service activities, and other voluntary service programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. In each of these cases, however, a special arrangement must be in effect with the agency, school, company, or programme from which the special case volunteers originate - this should identify responsibility for management and care of volunteers. Volunteers who are under the age of 18 years of age are required to obtain written permission from a parent or guardian before commencing any voluntary task in Action Cancer, and to ask their parent or guardian to confirm consent on the Volunteer Application Form. Certain activities of Action Cancer’s work will be restricted for minors. These will be identified by a Risk Assessment during Induction.
Recruitment and Selection Procedure
Recruitment and selection of volunteers differs from area to area, depending on the frequency, the nature of, and the sensitivity of the volunteering role. Therefore each area has produced its own information or flow chart detailing how to become an Action Cancer volunteer, and the process followed in recruiting and selecting volunteers. This information is available in hard copy, or on our website for the following:
· Retail - Assistant, Driver
· Fundraising and Fundraising Events – Action Cancer House
· Fundraising Groups – Member, Treasurer, Chairperson
· Finance
· Counselling
· Peer Mentor
· Council of Management
· Receptionist
· Tea Bar
Role descriptions and information are available online for each volunteering role – simply download from the appropriate tab – or on request from Action Cancer House and shops. Contacts for each area are detailed on Page 4 of this Policy. These contacts will provide you with information regarding what Action Cancer expects from volunteers, and will invite you to attend an informal chat when they receive your volunteer application form.
Interviewing
Prior to being assigned to a position, all potential volunteers will be invited to an informal chat to ascertain their suitability for and interest in that position. How the chat will be conducted is confirmed in the relevant “How To Become A Volunteer” information and flowchart, and will be appropriate to the frequency, the nature of, and the sensitivity of the volunteering role.
In most cases – this may not be feasible for ad hoc events and groups volunteers - the informal chat will determine the skills and interests of the volunteer, their commitment to fulfil the requirements of the role, and will give the volunteer the opportunity to ask any questions they have about the role.
The recruitment process is managed by the relevant volunteer supervisor and is aimed at allowing both parties to give and receive sufficient information to assess whether the volunteer opportunity available matches the potential volunteer’s skills, qualities and needs.
Individuals will be notified either verbally or in writing if an available volunteering opportunity matches the potential volunteer’s skills, qualities and needs. Alternatively they will be offered an opportunity to discuss the outcome of their informal chat and identify possible alternatives within or outside of Action Cancer.
References
All potential volunteers who complete a Volunteer Application Form will be asked to submit the name of two referees. These referees should be known to the volunteer for two or more years and not be related to them. A volunteer role which involves cash handling responsibilities will only be confirmed after the receipt of two satisfactory verbal references.
Criminal Records Check
As appropriate for the protection of clients, volunteers in certain roles may be asked to submit to an AccessNI check. Volunteers who do not agree to the background check for a volunteer role which requires this will not be able to undertake that particular role but may still be able to undertake a non-regulated role in Action Cancer. At present our counselling roles require an AccessNI check.
Past/Pending Convictions
Usually a volunteer has no legal obligation to reveal spent or unspent convictions. However, our volunteers regularly work closely with children and adults at risk of harm or in need of protection and for this reason we ask potential volunteers about past and pending convictions. This is known as asking an exempted question, which when answering, a person has a legal obligation to reveal spent convictions.
Prospective volunteers are asked to state on their Application Form whether they have any spent or unspent criminal convictions, or any cases pending against them, and if they indicate yes, further details will be asked for during the informal chat, and the reason for this will be explained to the prospective volunteer. This information will be dealt with in a confidential manner, may not necessarily exempt the person from volunteering, and will not be used to discriminate against applicants unfairly.