VOLUNTEERING AUCKLAND - POLICIES
1. POLICIES ON VOLUNTEERS
1.1 Every person has a right to register with Volunteering Auckland as a volunteer.
1.2 Registration with Volunteering Auckland does not carry an automatic right to placement. Failure to be placed as a volunteer may be the result of lack of appropriate positions, client agency criteria, or failure to provide essential information for referral.
1.3 Volunteering Auckland reserves the right to limit volunteer referrals to conform to the criteria of client agencies.
1.4 All referrals shall be followed up within a maximum of four weeks of referral to an agency.
1.5 Volunteers will be asked to supply personal details relevant to placement. Volunteering Auckland will comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1993 in collecting such information:
Access to personal details of Volunteering Auckland’s clients shall be limited to authorised staff and shall not be revealed either inside or outside Volunteering Auckland without permission.
Personal information shall not be disclosed to client agencies without consent.
Statistical records shall be kept to monitor the performance of the agency and any such information released publicly shall not identify individual volunteers.
2. POLICIES ON CLIENT [MEMBER] ORGANISATIONS
2.1 Volunteering Auckland shall register for volunteer referral any non-profit or charitable organisations or groups, but not individuals, offering volunteer placement on the condition that they:
Comply with relevant legislation;
Have in place reasonable volunteer engagement policies and documentation, including volunteer job descriptions, training, supervision and support, as appropriate.
2.2 Client agencies shall be required to provide a referral contact and relevant information for volunteer referral.
2.3 Volunteering Auckland may impose charges [fees] to client organisations for services. Such charges [fees] shall be determined by the Board from time to time.
2.5 Volunteers shall be referred to client organisations to supplement, extend or reinforce services and shall not take the place of paid staff or fill positions for which funding is available.
2.6 Client organisations are responsible for any risk and liability arising out of their engagement of volunteers and for obtaining any insurance against this, including in relation to volunteer health and safety. Volunteering Auckland will not accept any responsibility in this area.
2.7 Volunteer placement is ultimately the client organisations’ decision.
3. POLICIES ON TRAINING
3.1 Volunteering Auckland will offer an annual training program of courses to client organisations, with the objective of enhancing volunteer experiences.
3.3 As an organisation providing leadership in volunteer experience Volunteering Auckland’s courses should be both pro-active and reactive to the market place.
3.4 The annual program of training courses is expected to be at least self-funding and should be income generating. This policy will allow for an overall program where some training can be offered free of charge where appropriate.
3.5 Monitoring and evaluation of courses, course content and course effectiveness shall be carried out each year.
3.6 Volunteering Auckland shall produce resource material to assist organisations in providing their own in-house volunteer training programs.
3.7 Volunteering Auckland shall regularly assess the need for and provide community education programs for volunteers as appropriate.
4. POLICIES ON GIFTS AND FUNDRAISING
4.1 Volunteering Auckland shall not exclude any person or group from the opportunity to support its aims and objectives through a financial or other gift.
4.2 Volunteering Auckland has a responsibility to operate within its own defined values, philosophies and aims and in seeking funding shall not approach funding sources that are known to be socially incompatible or commercially competitive at the time of application or during the current financial year.
4.3 The wishes of donors shall be protected by a policy of transparency and where donations or grants for specific items are already sponsored, such donors shall be notified and offered the option to nominate an alternative or withdraw, as desired.
4.4 All donations, grants and gifts to be acknowledged to the donor and gifts, donations or grants to the value of $500 or more to be acknowledged publicly as appropriate, such as listing in Volunteering Auckland’s Annual report.
4.5 Volunteering Auckland shall not permit naming rights as a condition for a gift, grant or donation but shall consider naming rights on a case by case basis.
4.6 Volunteering Auckland has a responsibility to ensure that any gift, donation or grant received assists it to achieve its primary aims and objectives. Where it is felt that conditional gifts, donations or grants detract from these primary aims and objectives, it has the responsibility to negotiate or refuse such a gift, grant or donation.
5. POLICIES ON FINANCE
ACCOUNTABILITY
1.1. The Board is responsible for the financial viability and management of Volunteering Auckland.
1.2. The Board shall ensure that audited accounts for the previous financial year-currently 1 July to 30 June are published in the Annual Report and presented at the Annual General Meeting for approval.
1.3. The Board shall ensure that a Revenue and Expenses Budget for the current financial year is published in the Annual Report and presented at the Annual General meeting for approval.
1.4. The Board shall make a recommendation to the Annual General Meeting in respect of the appointment of an auditor for the ensuing year.
ANNUAL ACCOUNTS
2.1 The Annual Accounts shall be prepared on an accrual basis and will comply with the current standards of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand
2.2 The Accounts shall be audited by a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand authorised to undertake an audit role.
2.3 The Accounts and Audit process shall be completed within three months of the end of the financial year.
2.4 The Board shall have the authority to determine accounting policies provided that they comply with current standards of the Institute of Chartered accountants of New Zealand. Any changes in policies shall be advised in the Annual Report.
BUDGET
3.1 The Board shall ensure that an annual operating Budget is prepared in an appropriate format and sufficient detail that ensures ongoing measurability against actual results throughout the financial year
3.2 The Budget shall include the following as a minimum
3.2.1 Income projections and anticipated sources of Grants and Donations
3.2.2 Expenditure by Department
3.2.3 Projected cash flows for the financial year
3.2.4 A projected Statement of Financial Position at the end of the Budget Year
3.3 The responsibility for the preparation of the Budget is that of the Treasurer in accordance with the Role Description for this position.
3.4 The Budget shall in the first instance be approved by the Board, but is ultimately subject to AGM approval as set out in 1.3 above.
3.5 The Annual Budget shall be the basis for the monitoring of financial performance and for this purpose shall be broken down into individual months and incorporated into periodic accounting statements prepared during the year
TREASURER
4.1 The Board shall appoint from its members a Treasurer, who will provide financial leadership and advice to the organisation and support to the General Manager in financial affairs.
4.2 The Treasurer’s role will be the subject of a separate Role Description which is to be incorporated in the Policy Manual.
PERIODIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
5.1 At the end of each month Statements of Financial Performance for the year to date and a Statement of Financial Position at the end of the month shall be prepared as quickly as possible and submitted to the Board at its next meeting.
5.2 The monthly accounting statements shall be in a format prescribed by the Board from time to time. The current format includes actual results, budget, and variances between the two; year-to-date, when compared to last-year-to-date; and a schedule of tagged and untagged funds available.
5.3 The monthly financial accounts shall be prepared as prescribed by the Board, and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
5.4 The Treasurer will review the Accounts prior to each Board meeting and present a Report summarising the position and explaining major variances from Budget.
5.5 A monthly schedule of payments made during each month shall be prepared for authorisation by the Board at its next meeting.
FUNDING
6.1 The Board and Management recognise the prime importance of funding by way of Grants and Donations to the financial sustainability of the organisation.
6.2 During the year, the Board will receive monthly reports and regularly monitor income and sources of funding both current and future, and may provide regular and ongoing assistance to management in this area if requested.
BANKING ARRANGEMENTS
7.1 The Board shall determine the Bankers for the organisation.
7.2 The Board shall authorise the number and type of accounts to be opened and operated at the nominated Bank(s).
7.3 Payments of accounts shall normally be made electronically, or Automatic Payment with the exception of Petty Cash disbursements.
7.4 Cheque signatories shall be authorised by the Board, there being two signatures required on each cheque and automatic payment authority. One cheque signatory shall usually be the General Manager and the other a Board member. No single expenditure over $1,000, separate and apart from normal monthly operating expenses shall be made without board approval.
7.5 All income received by the organisation will be banked.
7.6 A Bank Reconciliation shall be prepared by Management at the end of each month and made available to the Treasurer.
PAYMENTS
8.1 The Board shall establish and authorise expenditure limitations of the General Manager.
8.2 Payments shall be within Budget categories and projected outlays and any expenditure that falls outside of either of these criteria are to be submitted to the Board for prior approval.
8.3 All payments shall be supported by invoices, vouchers, wage records or other appropriate documentation.
8.4 Volunteering Auckland shall at all times preserve its reputation with suppliers of goods and services and pay accounts on due date subject only to a lack of funds available or a dispute.
8.5 A Petty Cash float at the amount authorised by the Board shall be maintained by the General Manager. This float shall be reimbursed as required by cash cheque payment.
PURCHASES
9.1 Purchase orders will normally apply to all purchases but must be where an individual purchase is in excess of $1,000, such amount to be determined by the Board from time to time.
9.2 Purchase Orders will be signed by the General Manager.
6. POLICIES ON RESERVES
The Board of Volunteering Auckland Trust believe that a Reserves Fund Policy is necessary to cover the great uncertainty of future revenue streams and that reserves should be sufficient to avoid situations where staff have to be made redundant or have their hours reduced when anticipated funds are not received.
The Trust Board therefore has determined [as per Section 7 (d) of the Trust Deed [see below] that it should establish a Reserves Fund greater than six months budgeted operational expenditure and less than twelve months budgeted operational expenditure.
7 (d) The investment of funds and keeping of bank accounts, in the name of the Board of Trustees or under their legal control, provided that all income therefrom shall be applied to the purposes of the Trust.
Such expenditure shall include the following:
A] Personnel costs including salaries, associated costs e.g. ACC, KiwiSaver, Travel reimbursements
B] Committed essential operating costs as per budget including but not limited exclusively to premises lease, communications, etc. These will be determined by the Board of VA in consultation with the General Manager.
7. POLICIES ON MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
7.1 The Board of Volunteering Auckland is a governance body that is responsible for the conduct of Volunteering Auckland’s affairs.
7.2 The aims, objectives and responsibilities of the Board, paid employees and service volunteers shall be clearly defined in writing and shall be set out in the Governance / Delegation of Duties Manual of Volunteering Auckland Trust.
7.3 Volunteering Auckland shall make copies of policy documentation available to the Board and all paid employees and service volunteers.
7.4 Service volunteers shall be included in staff meetings relevant to their job responsibilities and paid employees shall have a mechanism for input into volunteer program goals and objectives.
8 POLICIES ON EMPLOYMENT
General Policies :
8.1 Volunteering Auckland acknowledges that its employees and volunteers [governance and service] are its most valuable resource. Its policies and procedures will demonstrate this belief.
8.2 Volunteering Auckland acknowledges the Treaty of Waitangi as New Zealand’s founding document.
8.3 Volunteering Auckland supports New Zealand’s human rights legislation and will ensure that its policies and actions fulfil the spirit and requirements of that legislation.
8.4 Volunteering Auckland is an equal employment opportunities organisation.
Employment Practices :
8.5 Volunteering Auckland shall comply with employment rights legislation in engaging employees.
8.6 Volunteering Auckland recognises the importance of training and education and is committed to encouraging and supporting employees and volunteers [governance and service] to undertake suitable training and education opportunities as identified and by agreement.
8.7 Volunteering Auckland will set aside an amount in its annual budget to support training of its employees and volunteers [governance and service].
8.8 Volunteering Auckland recognises the importance of supervision and support in the management of employees and volunteers [governance and service] and is committed to ensuring that suitable procedures, both formal and informal, are in place. This will include position descriptions, amended from time to time.
8.9 Volunteering Auckland shall provide a performance appraisal system, which shall include such factors as performance, effectiveness, training needs, goal setting and career and personal development. Employees and volunteers [governance and service] shall participate in the performance appraisal process as appropriate
8.10 Volunteering Auckland acknowledges the importance of positive and regular recognition of employee and volunteer [governance and service] performance and shall ensure that suitable procedures, both formal and informal, are in place.
8.11 Volunteers [governance and service] shall not displace paid employees in positions for which funding is available. This does not preclude volunteers [governance and service] from applying for paid positions.
8.12 All employees and volunteers [governance and service] shall receive an exit interview where practicable.
8.13 It is the ultimate responsibility of Volunteering Auckland’s General Manager to select and appoint all employees, but the Board or its representatives must approve new positions and be consulted in the selection of staff for the senior appointments.
8.14 Records of employment details and service shall be kept and supplied to employees when required. Records shall comply with the requirements of legislation and accounting and audit procedures.
8.15 Employees and volunteers [governance and service] shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their work for Volunteering Auckland provided that these expenses are authorised in advance by Volunteering Auckland. Items to qualify for reimbursement, and the rate that apply, shall be reviewed at least annually. An amount to cover out-of-pocket expenses shall be included in Volunteering Auckland’s budget.
Media and Publicity:
8.16 Employees and volunteers [governance and service] may only make public or media comment with Volunteering Auckland’s express approval. Comment on all matters concerning government policy or voluntary sector performance may only be made by the Chairperson or their delegate.
9. POLICIES ON HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Volunteering Auckland Trust Health and Safety Management System (HSMS) applies to all land based Volunteering Auckland Trust operations and personnel. Contractors and preferred suppliers shall also abide by this HSMS system, unless otherwise specified by the Trust Board and/or General Manager.
9.1 Leadership and Commitment
Volunteering Auckland Trust is committed to the achievement of a safe and healthy environment for its employees, volunteers [governance and service], contractors and the public.
9.2 Planning and Policy
Volunteering Auckland Trust has set the overall objective of zero harm to anyone, at any time. Health and safety considerations shall be incorporated into Volunteering Auckland Trust’s operating plans to ensure achievement of this objective.
The implementation of the H&S system will be monitored through the General Manager’s regular reports to the Board. These reports shall include:
- Close calls and Incident/s reported.
- H&S activities/initiatives undertaken to eliminate, isolate and minimize hazards.
9.3 Health and Safety Policy
Volunteering Auckland Trust is committed to the provision of a safe and healthy working environment. To meet this policy objective Volunteering Auckland Trust will:
Implement a health and safety programme based on compliance with occupational health and safety legislation and sound hazard identification and risk management practices.
Ensure that employees and volunteers [governance and service] are suitably trained in the use of their equipment and perform in keeping with accepted safety procedures.
Encourage contributions by all employees and volunteers [governance and service] to promote sound personal health and safety practices.
Ensure plans are in place and employees and volunteers [governance and service] are competent to deal with major emergencies.
Reviewed: May 2010
1. POLICIES ON VOLUNTEERS
1.1 Every person has a right to register with Volunteering Auckland as a volunteer.
1.2 Registration with Volunteering Auckland does not carry an automatic right to placement. Failure to be placed as a volunteer may be the result of lack of appropriate positions, client agency criteria, or failure to provide essential information for referral.
1.3 Volunteering Auckland reserves the right to limit volunteer referrals to conform to the criteria of client agencies.
1.4 All referrals shall be followed up within a maximum of four weeks of referral to an agency.
1.5 Volunteers will be asked to supply personal details relevant to placement. Volunteering Auckland will comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1993 in collecting such information:
Access to personal details of Volunteering Auckland’s clients shall be limited to authorised staff and shall not be revealed either inside or outside Volunteering Auckland without permission.
Personal information shall not be disclosed to client agencies without consent.
Statistical records shall be kept to monitor the performance of the agency and any such information released publicly shall not identify individual volunteers.
2. POLICIES ON CLIENT [MEMBER] ORGANISATIONS
2.1 Volunteering Auckland shall register for volunteer referral any non-profit or charitable organisations or groups, but not individuals, offering volunteer placement on the condition that they:
Comply with relevant legislation;
Have in place reasonable volunteer engagement policies and documentation, including volunteer job descriptions, training, supervision and support, as appropriate.
2.2 Client agencies shall be required to provide a referral contact and relevant information for volunteer referral.
2.3 Volunteering Auckland may impose charges [fees] to client organisations for services. Such charges [fees] shall be determined by the Board from time to time.
2.5 Volunteers shall be referred to client organisations to supplement, extend or reinforce services and shall not take the place of paid staff or fill positions for which funding is available.
2.6 Client organisations are responsible for any risk and liability arising out of their engagement of volunteers and for obtaining any insurance against this, including in relation to volunteer health and safety. Volunteering Auckland will not accept any responsibility in this area.
2.7 Volunteer placement is ultimately the client organisations’ decision.
3. POLICIES ON TRAINING
3.1 Volunteering Auckland will offer an annual training program of courses to client organisations, with the objective of enhancing volunteer experiences.
3.3 As an organisation providing leadership in volunteer experience Volunteering Auckland’s courses should be both pro-active and reactive to the market place.
3.4 The annual program of training courses is expected to be at least self-funding and should be income generating. This policy will allow for an overall program where some training can be offered free of charge where appropriate.
3.5 Monitoring and evaluation of courses, course content and course effectiveness shall be carried out each year.
3.6 Volunteering Auckland shall produce resource material to assist organisations in providing their own in-house volunteer training programs.
3.7 Volunteering Auckland shall regularly assess the need for and provide community education programs for volunteers as appropriate.
4. POLICIES ON GIFTS AND FUNDRAISING
4.1 Volunteering Auckland shall not exclude any person or group from the opportunity to support its aims and objectives through a financial or other gift.
4.2 Volunteering Auckland has a responsibility to operate within its own defined values, philosophies and aims and in seeking funding shall not approach funding sources that are known to be socially incompatible or commercially competitive at the time of application or during the current financial year.
4.3 The wishes of donors shall be protected by a policy of transparency and where donations or grants for specific items are already sponsored, such donors shall be notified and offered the option to nominate an alternative or withdraw, as desired.
4.4 All donations, grants and gifts to be acknowledged to the donor and gifts, donations or grants to the value of $500 or more to be acknowledged publicly as appropriate, such as listing in Volunteering Auckland’s Annual report.
4.5 Volunteering Auckland shall not permit naming rights as a condition for a gift, grant or donation but shall consider naming rights on a case by case basis.
4.6 Volunteering Auckland has a responsibility to ensure that any gift, donation or grant received assists it to achieve its primary aims and objectives. Where it is felt that conditional gifts, donations or grants detract from these primary aims and objectives, it has the responsibility to negotiate or refuse such a gift, grant or donation.
5. POLICIES ON FINANCE
ACCOUNTABILITY
1.1. The Board is responsible for the financial viability and management of Volunteering Auckland.
1.2. The Board shall ensure that audited accounts for the previous financial year-currently 1 July to 30 June are published in the Annual Report and presented at the Annual General Meeting for approval.
1.3. The Board shall ensure that a Revenue and Expenses Budget for the current financial year is published in the Annual Report and presented at the Annual General meeting for approval.
1.4. The Board shall make a recommendation to the Annual General Meeting in respect of the appointment of an auditor for the ensuing year.
ANNUAL ACCOUNTS
2.1 The Annual Accounts shall be prepared on an accrual basis and will comply with the current standards of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand
2.2 The Accounts shall be audited by a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand authorised to undertake an audit role.
2.3 The Accounts and Audit process shall be completed within three months of the end of the financial year.
2.4 The Board shall have the authority to determine accounting policies provided that they comply with current standards of the Institute of Chartered accountants of New Zealand. Any changes in policies shall be advised in the Annual Report.
BUDGET
3.1 The Board shall ensure that an annual operating Budget is prepared in an appropriate format and sufficient detail that ensures ongoing measurability against actual results throughout the financial year
3.2 The Budget shall include the following as a minimum
3.2.1 Income projections and anticipated sources of Grants and Donations
3.2.2 Expenditure by Department
3.2.3 Projected cash flows for the financial year
3.2.4 A projected Statement of Financial Position at the end of the Budget Year
3.3 The responsibility for the preparation of the Budget is that of the Treasurer in accordance with the Role Description for this position.
3.4 The Budget shall in the first instance be approved by the Board, but is ultimately subject to AGM approval as set out in 1.3 above.
3.5 The Annual Budget shall be the basis for the monitoring of financial performance and for this purpose shall be broken down into individual months and incorporated into periodic accounting statements prepared during the year
TREASURER
4.1 The Board shall appoint from its members a Treasurer, who will provide financial leadership and advice to the organisation and support to the General Manager in financial affairs.
4.2 The Treasurer’s role will be the subject of a separate Role Description which is to be incorporated in the Policy Manual.
PERIODIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
5.1 At the end of each month Statements of Financial Performance for the year to date and a Statement of Financial Position at the end of the month shall be prepared as quickly as possible and submitted to the Board at its next meeting.
5.2 The monthly accounting statements shall be in a format prescribed by the Board from time to time. The current format includes actual results, budget, and variances between the two; year-to-date, when compared to last-year-to-date; and a schedule of tagged and untagged funds available.
5.3 The monthly financial accounts shall be prepared as prescribed by the Board, and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
5.4 The Treasurer will review the Accounts prior to each Board meeting and present a Report summarising the position and explaining major variances from Budget.
5.5 A monthly schedule of payments made during each month shall be prepared for authorisation by the Board at its next meeting.
FUNDING
6.1 The Board and Management recognise the prime importance of funding by way of Grants and Donations to the financial sustainability of the organisation.
6.2 During the year, the Board will receive monthly reports and regularly monitor income and sources of funding both current and future, and may provide regular and ongoing assistance to management in this area if requested.
BANKING ARRANGEMENTS
7.1 The Board shall determine the Bankers for the organisation.
7.2 The Board shall authorise the number and type of accounts to be opened and operated at the nominated Bank(s).
7.3 Payments of accounts shall normally be made electronically, or Automatic Payment with the exception of Petty Cash disbursements.
7.4 Cheque signatories shall be authorised by the Board, there being two signatures required on each cheque and automatic payment authority. One cheque signatory shall usually be the General Manager and the other a Board member. No single expenditure over $1,000, separate and apart from normal monthly operating expenses shall be made without board approval.
7.5 All income received by the organisation will be banked.
7.6 A Bank Reconciliation shall be prepared by Management at the end of each month and made available to the Treasurer.
PAYMENTS
8.1 The Board shall establish and authorise expenditure limitations of the General Manager.
8.2 Payments shall be within Budget categories and projected outlays and any expenditure that falls outside of either of these criteria are to be submitted to the Board for prior approval.
8.3 All payments shall be supported by invoices, vouchers, wage records or other appropriate documentation.
8.4 Volunteering Auckland shall at all times preserve its reputation with suppliers of goods and services and pay accounts on due date subject only to a lack of funds available or a dispute.
8.5 A Petty Cash float at the amount authorised by the Board shall be maintained by the General Manager. This float shall be reimbursed as required by cash cheque payment.
PURCHASES
9.1 Purchase orders will normally apply to all purchases but must be where an individual purchase is in excess of $1,000, such amount to be determined by the Board from time to time.
9.2 Purchase Orders will be signed by the General Manager.
6. POLICIES ON RESERVES
The Board of Volunteering Auckland Trust believe that a Reserves Fund Policy is necessary to cover the great uncertainty of future revenue streams and that reserves should be sufficient to avoid situations where staff have to be made redundant or have their hours reduced when anticipated funds are not received.
The Trust Board therefore has determined [as per Section 7 (d) of the Trust Deed [see below] that it should establish a Reserves Fund greater than six months budgeted operational expenditure and less than twelve months budgeted operational expenditure.
7 (d) The investment of funds and keeping of bank accounts, in the name of the Board of Trustees or under their legal control, provided that all income therefrom shall be applied to the purposes of the Trust.
Such expenditure shall include the following:
A] Personnel costs including salaries, associated costs e.g. ACC, KiwiSaver, Travel reimbursements
B] Committed essential operating costs as per budget including but not limited exclusively to premises lease, communications, etc. These will be determined by the Board of VA in consultation with the General Manager.
7. POLICIES ON MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
7.1 The Board of Volunteering Auckland is a governance body that is responsible for the conduct of Volunteering Auckland’s affairs.
7.2 The aims, objectives and responsibilities of the Board, paid employees and service volunteers shall be clearly defined in writing and shall be set out in the Governance / Delegation of Duties Manual of Volunteering Auckland Trust.
7.3 Volunteering Auckland shall make copies of policy documentation available to the Board and all paid employees and service volunteers.
7.4 Service volunteers shall be included in staff meetings relevant to their job responsibilities and paid employees shall have a mechanism for input into volunteer program goals and objectives.
8 POLICIES ON EMPLOYMENT
General Policies :
8.1 Volunteering Auckland acknowledges that its employees and volunteers [governance and service] are its most valuable resource. Its policies and procedures will demonstrate this belief.
8.2 Volunteering Auckland acknowledges the Treaty of Waitangi as New Zealand’s founding document.
8.3 Volunteering Auckland supports New Zealand’s human rights legislation and will ensure that its policies and actions fulfil the spirit and requirements of that legislation.
8.4 Volunteering Auckland is an equal employment opportunities organisation.
Employment Practices :
8.5 Volunteering Auckland shall comply with employment rights legislation in engaging employees.
8.6 Volunteering Auckland recognises the importance of training and education and is committed to encouraging and supporting employees and volunteers [governance and service] to undertake suitable training and education opportunities as identified and by agreement.
8.7 Volunteering Auckland will set aside an amount in its annual budget to support training of its employees and volunteers [governance and service].
8.8 Volunteering Auckland recognises the importance of supervision and support in the management of employees and volunteers [governance and service] and is committed to ensuring that suitable procedures, both formal and informal, are in place. This will include position descriptions, amended from time to time.
8.9 Volunteering Auckland shall provide a performance appraisal system, which shall include such factors as performance, effectiveness, training needs, goal setting and career and personal development. Employees and volunteers [governance and service] shall participate in the performance appraisal process as appropriate
8.10 Volunteering Auckland acknowledges the importance of positive and regular recognition of employee and volunteer [governance and service] performance and shall ensure that suitable procedures, both formal and informal, are in place.
8.11 Volunteers [governance and service] shall not displace paid employees in positions for which funding is available. This does not preclude volunteers [governance and service] from applying for paid positions.
8.12 All employees and volunteers [governance and service] shall receive an exit interview where practicable.
8.13 It is the ultimate responsibility of Volunteering Auckland’s General Manager to select and appoint all employees, but the Board or its representatives must approve new positions and be consulted in the selection of staff for the senior appointments.
8.14 Records of employment details and service shall be kept and supplied to employees when required. Records shall comply with the requirements of legislation and accounting and audit procedures.
8.15 Employees and volunteers [governance and service] shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their work for Volunteering Auckland provided that these expenses are authorised in advance by Volunteering Auckland. Items to qualify for reimbursement, and the rate that apply, shall be reviewed at least annually. An amount to cover out-of-pocket expenses shall be included in Volunteering Auckland’s budget.
Media and Publicity:
8.16 Employees and volunteers [governance and service] may only make public or media comment with Volunteering Auckland’s express approval. Comment on all matters concerning government policy or voluntary sector performance may only be made by the Chairperson or their delegate.
9. POLICIES ON HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Volunteering Auckland Trust Health and Safety Management System (HSMS) applies to all land based Volunteering Auckland Trust operations and personnel. Contractors and preferred suppliers shall also abide by this HSMS system, unless otherwise specified by the Trust Board and/or General Manager.
9.1 Leadership and Commitment
Volunteering Auckland Trust is committed to the achievement of a safe and healthy environment for its employees, volunteers [governance and service], contractors and the public.
9.2 Planning and Policy
Volunteering Auckland Trust has set the overall objective of zero harm to anyone, at any time. Health and safety considerations shall be incorporated into Volunteering Auckland Trust’s operating plans to ensure achievement of this objective.
The implementation of the H&S system will be monitored through the General Manager’s regular reports to the Board. These reports shall include:
- Close calls and Incident/s reported.
- H&S activities/initiatives undertaken to eliminate, isolate and minimize hazards.
9.3 Health and Safety Policy
Volunteering Auckland Trust is committed to the provision of a safe and healthy working environment. To meet this policy objective Volunteering Auckland Trust will:
Implement a health and safety programme based on compliance with occupational health and safety legislation and sound hazard identification and risk management practices.
Ensure that employees and volunteers [governance and service] are suitably trained in the use of their equipment and perform in keeping with accepted safety procedures.
Encourage contributions by all employees and volunteers [governance and service] to promote sound personal health and safety practices.
Ensure plans are in place and employees and volunteers [governance and service] are competent to deal with major emergencies.
Reviewed: May 2010
