Limitations on our responsibility
Volunteer Centre West Berkshire offers and describes a range of services through this website. While we strive to ensure that these services are of a high standard, it should be remembered that there are limitations:
- Volunteer Centre West Berkshire undertakes preliminary discussions and interviews with potential volunteers, but does not carry out Criminal Record Bureau checks. Organisations should make their own enquiries as to the suitability of individuals that they may engage, and offer them appropriate support thereafter.
- Volunteer Centre West Berkshire holds information about organisations who require volunteers, but does not screen them. It is up to the potential volunteer to decide if they are comfortable with the policies and practices of the organisation prior to undertaking voluntary work. A few examples of questions to ask organisations are listed here.
- We may be in a position to offer more information on agencies well known to us. If you have doubts about an agency with which you are interested in volunteering, contact us for advice. Telephone us on 01635 49004, or email us at info@vcwb.org.uk
- Information on this site is not offered by qualified legal professionals. If you are thinking of taking a course of action where your legal position is crucial, we would recommend seeing a lawyer.
Finally, if you see any information on this site of poor quality, or which is offensive, inaccurate or downright slanderous, we will correct it immediately. Please contact us to make us aware of the problem. Telephone us on 01635 49004, or email us at info@vcwb.org.uk
Questions to ask
Going through some of these questions may help ensure that the voluntary work you choose is right for you.
Ask yourself:
- What skills, qualities and interests do I have to offer?
- Am I able to take on a commitment to voluntary work?
- What would I like to get out of it for myself? Could this be achieved by doing voluntary work?
- Is there anything that would influence or restrict my choice of voluntary work?
- Would I need support? If so, how much and from whom?
- How much information about myself would I want to share with an organisation?
Ask the organisation:
- Ask for a clear description of the work you will be expected to do.
- Who will show you what to do and supervise and support you in your work? Will you get supervision sessions or will it be less formal than that?
- What about expenses? Volunteers should not be out of pocket for the work they do. Ideally, though it won’t always be possible, an organisation should cover expenses such as travel, lunch and childcare.
- What about insurance? For example, if you are doing driving, do you need tell your car insurance company?
- How often will you be expected to do voluntary work and for how many hours each time?
- How long is the volunteering likely to last?
- Who do you tell if you can’t make it that week?