Thank you for expressing an interest in promoting your opportunities through our service. We (the Volunteering Service) are keen to promote UK-regulated not-for-profit organisations where volunteers are well supported. We also want to be upfront about what you can expect from us and our Partnerships Team. Please read the points below and confirm that your organisation is able to comply in full to what we expect from you.
What we expect from you and your organisation:
- To accept liability for all volunteers placed with you, and to ensure that you are able to meet any liabilities through an adequate insurance policy or through other provision.
- To notify staff in the Volunteering Service about UCL students that have volunteered at your organisation, and to ensure you have the systems in place to enable you to share at least their full name and email address on request.
- To treat personal information about UCL volunteers confidentially and compliant with the key themes outlined by the General Data Protection Regulation.
- To lead and conduct a fair recruitment and selection process for all your opportunities advertised through our service.
- To be able to send through your organisation’s governing document and/or proof of current UK not-for-profit status on request.
- To properly risk assess all in-person and virtual volunteering activities and premises.
- To have health and safety and fire safety policies that comply with relevant legislation in the UK.
- To provide an induction covering all necessary aspects of health and safety (including safe use of equipment, information about risks and how to minimise risks, and emergency procedures) – and to follow up in writing to your volunteers with this when they start to ensure they understand their responsibilities and can undertake their role safely.
- To be committed to making reasonable adjustments to accommodate people with disabilities wanting to engage with your organisation, and to share with us accessibility details for each opportunity you post with us.
- If working with children and young people, to have an adequate child protection policy.
- If working with vulnerable adults, to have an adequate vulnerable adults policy.
- To notify us if any UCL student volunteer has been disciplined or dismissed.
- To have a zero tolerance stance to any kind of sexual violence and harassment.
- To have an equal opportunities statement or policy.
- To have a named person who is experienced at and responsible for the supervision and support of volunteers.
- To reimburse volunteer travel expenses, and lunch expenses (if volunteering a full day) – and to notify all volunteers of how they can do this when they start. Please note that we may be able to cover these expenses for your one-off volunteering events that we agree to promote.
- To provide the training and checks necessary for volunteers to carry out their assigned tasks.
- To promptly reply to enquiries from prospective volunteers.
- To keep your records with us up to date – for example; contact details, application deadlines, staff changes, revisions to opportunities.
- To refrain from contacting UCL departments and Students’ Union UCL clubs, societies and student networks directly and instead send us any targeted opportunities for circulation. We have an extensive network of internal contacts who regularly share opportunities.
What you can expect from the Volunteering Service:
- To promote your volunteering opportunities that we approve on our opportunities directory.
- To notify your designated main contact on our system by email when we refer prospective UCL student volunteers to your active opportunities on our directory.
- To provide support if you have any problems or questions about UCL student volunteers placed with you.
- To mediate in any dispute between you and any current UCL student volunteer(s) placed with you if requested by both you and the volunteer.
- To review changes you make to your opportunities and keep your information secure and compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation.
- To invite you to our Volunteering Fairs, partners events and our end-of-year Awards.
- To keep you and other named contacts at your organisation up to date with other news and events from the Volunteering Service, and share relevant opportunities from UCL and Students’ Union UCL.
- To circulate specific volunteering opportunities within UCL academic departments and Students’ Union UCL clubs, societies and student networks where appropriate.
You can find out more about how we work with community partners on our Supporting Partners web page.
In addition to our Partnerships Team, the Volunteering Service also supports Student-led Volunteering and the Community Research Initiative. These offer further opportunities to work with UCL students.