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York Marathon 2013

Volunteering with Border Collie Rescue

Border Collie Rescue is run and staffed entirely by volunteers.

We have two categories of volunteers known as Active Members and Helpers.

The difference is that Active Members have formally enrolled as members of the charity by filling in an 'Active Membership Agreement' whereas Helpers have only contacted us and told us they are willing to help from time to time if needed.
Neither arrangement commits the volunteer to any set duties, set hours, time commitment or obligation to do any specific work at any specific time. What they do and when they do it is entirely voluntary.

Being a helper is a more casual relationship but restrictive insomuch that Helpers cannot carry out any duties alone.
They must work under the supervision of an Active Member and consequently there are certain jobs a helper cannot do.
They cannot be privy to any personal data of any of our clients and they cannot hold or use any of the charities assets other than when working as a volunteer.

The Active Membership Agreement.

The form an Active Member signs is a contractual arrangement between themselves and the charity that defines their relationship as that of a volunteer.
By signing they agree that they support the charities objects, will perform their duties in a way that will not bring the charity into disrepute and will work within the guidelines, rules and bye-laws of the charity.

They agree that anything issued to them by the charity remains the property of the charity and will be returned to the charity on demand and anything given to them, intended for the charity, will be promptly passed on by them, to the charity.
In addition they agree that any work they do for the charity and any intellectual rights or materials arising from such work is vested in the charity unless otherwise agreed.

The agreement binds them to all current data protection laws and prohibits them from sharing any information about the charity, it's clients, it's dogs or any other information held by the charity without prior consent of the charity.

It specifies a 14 day notice period if they wish to leave (28 days if an officer), the return of all of the charities property when they leave and ends with a declaration that they have not been convicted of offences relating to animal cruelty, etc.

It does not bind volunteers to do any work or to any specific tasks or areas of work or number of hours.
Being a volunteer means you are in control of what you are willing to do and when you are willing to do it.
There are no penalties for saying no, not available, too busy or 'I don't want to do it'.

Border Collie Rescue is fully insured with public and employees liability policies that extend to cover the activities of all our volunteers throughout the UK. Active members fall within all our insurance coverage.
Helpers are only covered by our public liability insurance.
Active members are also covered to drive any vehicle owned by the charity under our vehicle insurance if over 25 and with a relatively clean license!

There are no complications or restrictions with becoming an active member other than those reasonably required by law to enable the sharing of restricted data, property with our active members to enable them to carry out their voluntary work.

Quink and Pearl

Working From Home

There are many jobs volunteers can do from their own home in any part of the UK.
Most of these would not involve working directly with the dogs unless the volunteer was involved in transportation or fostering.

Home visiting, Promotion, certain Admin tasks and Fundraising are all jobs people can do from home. Computers make communication easier so information can be passed back and forth quickly and cheaply.

Fostering is specialised and these days all our foster carers have to spend a weekend residential training before they take on any dogs.
Transportation also requires some training in handling and caring for dogs

York Marathon 2013

Helping at Events

Border Collie Rescue gets involved with events around the country.
Sometimes these are fundraiser, sometimes promotional.

Volunteers are needs to staff these events as well as help organise and run them.
These may include stalls at agricultural shows or dog shows, street collections or promotional events, giving out leaflets.

Teams are needed to support runners raising sponsorship at Marathons or similar.
Many opportunities exist.

Border Collie Rescue makes films about its own work, dogs and for others.
People are needed to help on these occasions.
Experience is often not necessary, and soon gained!

Please get in touch if you want to get involved with Border Collie Rescue.
0845 6044941 2 pm to 5 pm. Tuesdays to Thursdays

For information on some of the entitlements associated with volunteering, click here.

Volunteers entitlements

There are certain entitlements associated with volunteering that are provided to volunteers, depending on the circumstances and the number of consecutive hours spent working.
This is a guide to some of these.

Volunteers give their time free of charge but are not expected to be out of pocket when doing so.
Wherever volunteers are working, if they spend more than five consecutive hours, which overlap a meal break time by at least 1 hour, they are entitled to have a meal provided or to claim back the reasonable costs of food while travelling or working.
For the sake of guidance, meal break times are defined as follows. Breakfast 8 am. Lunch 1 pm. Dinner 6 pm.
Volunteers working more than three consecutive hours are entitled to a beverage (Tea/Coffee/Soft drink, Etc.) and snack (Bun, Cake, Biscuits/Crisps, Etc.).

If working at the centre or on some organised events, food and beverages will be provided (although a volunteer may need to prepare their own meal or beverage). If working outside the centre or traveling, the cost of a meal or snack can be reclaimed upon production of a receipt or filling in a claims form.
As the costs of meals vary so much in different areas, the guideline on how much can be reclaimed on a meal is currently defined as the cost of a takeaway portion of Fish, Chips and Mushy peas, together with a cup of tea or soft drink, in the area the meal is taken.
This amount can be spent on any form of meal, eat in/takeaway/ready meal from a shop - the Fish and Chip definition is there for cost guidance.

Volunteers are entitled to re-claim legitimate out of pocket expenses incurred when doing their duties. Normally such expenses are predictable and agreed in advance.

Volunteers are entitled to reclaim the costs of fuel, fares and parking fees incurred when their duties for BCR involve travel.

Should a volunteer undertake duties that require overnight accommodation, Border Collie Rescue will provide the means of accommodation or cover the cost.

It is not compulsory to re-claim expenses, this is an option to ensure that volunteers are not out of pocket.
If a volunteer wishes to re-claim expenses it is necessary to obtain and provide a receipt or receipts in order to get a simple cash or cheque refund. Without receipts there are forms to fill in.
In most cases expenses are agreed in advance of them being incurred (in other words, there is a plan and it is all organised) but allowances are made for emergencies and unforeseen circumstances.
More details are available to volunteers when they sign up with the charity.

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