Volunteer Policy for the UK Living Kidney Donation Buddy Support Service on behalf of the Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation
This policy is operational as from 1st November 2024.
This policy has been approved by the Executive director of income generation and communications at Kidney Research UK.
The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation is a partnership delivered by charities, Kidney Research UK and Give a Kidney; however, the policy is held by Kidney Research UK.
The policy owner is the Programme Lead.
This policy will be reviewed annually by the Programme Lead or as legislative changes require.
The Programme Lead is responsible for regularly monitoring compliance to this policy.
For the purpose of this policy, the term volunteer constitutes any volunteer that has accepted an agreed role within the Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation.
We recognise volunteers as an integral part of the Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation as they provide a vital contribution in achieving its mission and vision. We aim to encourage and support volunteer involvement to ensure that volunteering benefits the partnership and the volunteers themselves.
Appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that paid staff are clear about the role of volunteers, and to foster good working relationships between paid staff and volunteers. Volunteers will not be used to replace staff.
We are committed to encouraging a diversity of people to volunteer with us. We will remain proactive in taking steps to ensure inclusion and engagement for all the people who volunteer with the partnership. This includes promoting equality and diversity for all people, but particularly for those identified in the Equality Act (2010) with the following protected characteristics:
We will seek to ensure adequate staffing resources are available for the development and support of volunteering.
We recognise that people have a right to participate in the life of their communities through volunteering and can contribute in many ways. We recognise our responsibility to organise volunteering efficiently and sensitively so that the valuable gift of the volunteer’s time is best used to the mutual advantage of all concerned.
This volunteer policy sets out the principles and practice by which we involve volunteers and is relevant to staff, volunteers, and trustees within the organisation.
It aims to create a common understanding and to clarify roles and responsibilities to ensure the highest standards are maintained in relation to the management of volunteers.
This policy applies to all Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation volunteers.
Volunteers support the partnership by giving their time and talking about their lived experience of living kidney donation as part of the UK Living Kidney Donation Buddy Support Service; the relationship is based on mutual trust and there are no contractual obligations as there are with paid employees. Volunteering must be a choice freely made by everyone.
The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation is committed to ensuring that our volunteer recruitment procedures are consistent, fair, and transparent at all stages.
The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation welcomes applications from prospective volunteers over the age of 18. There is no upper age limit to volunteering with The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation. The volunteer must be a living kidney donor or a friend or family member of a donor.
As part of the application process, the volunteer will need to give the partnership permission to ask the Transplant/Referral Unit to confirm that the donation took place (this excludes family or friends of a donor). A character reference is also required. Volunteers will be invited to a short online interview with a panel once the application form and character reference have been received. The interview is to ensure the potential volunteer understands the role and to confirm suitability in line with the partnership values and person specification.
Reasonable adjustments can be made to ensure the recruitment process is fully accessible. This information is requested in the application form.
Due to the nature of the role, and the requirement to provide one to one support online, the volunteer must undergo a basic criminal records check following a successful interview. This is known as a Disclosure and Barring Service check in England and Wales, a basic disclosure check in Scotland and an Access NI in Northern Ireland. The Robert Dangoor Partnership will pay the relevant fees for the basic check to be completed, although the application itself will be completed by the volunteer through a registered umbrella organisation. If the DBS result does not come back clear, then the volunteer application would not progress further. All applicants are informed of this requirement ahead of submitting the application.
All volunteers are required to attend an online training session before starting the role. Training materials, policies and procedures will be shared after the training has taken place. Volunteers will be introduced to staff with whom they will interact.
Volunteers will have a volunteer and a confidentiality agreement, as well as other policies and procedures that will be read and signed for as part of the onboarding process. All documents must be signed ahead of volunteering.
The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation is committed to supporting the development of all our volunteers. Training and ongoing development and support will be provided by the partnership.
Volunteers will adhere to rules of engagement including the information in section 12 which will also be covered within the training.
Volunteers should not be disadvantaged financially when volunteering for the UK Living Kidney Donation Buddy Support Service and we envisage no financial costs associated with volunteering for this service.
The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation believes all volunteers should be supported throughout their time with the partnership and is committed to ensuring appropriate support structures are in place.
We recognise volunteers will have different support needs. Therefore, we provide a flexible model of volunteer support which is tailored to the individual volunteer and their role.
All volunteers will have access to a staff member to provide support and guidance. Staff members act as contacts for volunteers and offer the opportunity to discuss their role and successes, progress and learning and development needs as well as any issues or concerns they may have.
The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all our volunteers. In turn we ask volunteers to contribute towards a safe environment.
All volunteers must:
Kidney Research UK has appropriate types of insurance in place to cover our volunteers in the Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation. These include employers’ liability insurance and public liability insurance which provide cover in the event of a volunteer being harmed due to the negligence of the charity, or a third party being injured as a result of the actions of a volunteer whilst performing duties for The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation. However, it does not cover personal belongings. If in doubt or for further information volunteers can speak to their staff contact.
The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation is committed to integrating the principles of confidentiality throughout the partnership.
Some volunteers may have access to information of a confidential nature as part of their roles. Confidential information is held on trust and should not be discussed outside the partnership or in general conversation and must not be used by volunteers for their own purposes. This will also be covered in training.
Kidney Research UK is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) and abide by the current legislation. Personal details of staff, volunteers and service users should at all times be treated in the strictest of confidence and in line with Data Protection legislation, as detailed in our data protection policy.
Where applicable, volunteers will be given clear instruction and training on data protection and handling of sensitive data within their role. The volunteer will be given the Volunteer and Confidentiality Agreement which states the key principles of the data protection policy and asked to sign to confirm they have seen, understood, and will adhere to it.
The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation is committed to ensuring that all volunteers have a positive and rewarding experience during their time with the partnership. Part of making sure that this happens is recognising that problems can occur and ensuring that when they do, there is a fair and consistent process for resolving them.
In the first instance, the partnership encourages volunteers to voice any problems or complaints to their staff contact. If the issue is not resolved or the volunteer is uncomfortable with this, then they should speak to the Programme Lead of the Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation.
The Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation has a robust Safeguarding Policy which is compliant with national good practice guidelines. Within this, you will find the procedure for Reporting Concerns. This will also be covered in training.
All volunteers for the UK Living Kidney Donation Buddy Support Service will be expected to adhere to the rules of engagement as listed below:
Topics:
Behaviour:
Communication:
Environment:
Living Kidney Donation Relationship Manager, Kidney Research UK, Stuart House, Peterborough PE1 1QF
Whether you’ve already decided to donate a kidney, or you are interested in finding out more about the process and what it involves, we’re here to answer any questions you might have.