Agenda item

[To consider the recommendations of the scrutiny review group and the Cabinet’s response thereto]

[NOTE: The Chair of the scrutiny review group has been invited]

The Cabinet received a report on the findings and recommendations of the scrutiny review of City of Wolverhampton volunteering offer and the executive response to the report.

 

Cllr Ian Claymore, Chair of the scrutiny review group was in attendance for this item.  He briefly highlighted some of the areas that the review had focused on and some of its recommendations.  He thanked colleagues, witnesses who gave evidence and employees who contributed to the review and the production of the final review report and in particular Sheila Collette, Head of Economic Inclusion who was the lead officer for the review.

 

Cllr John Reynolds thanked Cllr Claymore and the review group for their report.  He reported that Cabinet supported the recommendations and referred to the detailed executive action plan attached to the report.

 

Resolved:

1. That the report of the review group and the following recommendations be received:

 

          Volunteering policy

1.     That the Heads of Service (HoS) Group develop the draft volunteering policy and the offer, taking into account  the comments and recommendations arising from the review of the City of Wolverhampton Volunteering offer.

 

2.     That the HoS group ascertain, through consultation, the current volunteers perception of the draft volunteering offer.

 

3.     That definition of volunteering and work experience is included in the council volunteering policy and guidelines.

 

4.     That where applicable any person volunteering within the Council will have the required DBS checks as specified by the receiving service area.

 

5.     That the HoS group develop a process for volunteers entering the workplace and volunteer role descriptions.

 

6.     That ‘Investing in Volunteers’ (IiV) standards be included in the policy appendices, and HoS to explore accreditation for the Council.

 

7.     That there is a 12 month review of the final policy.

 

          Skills and pathways

8.     That all volunteers are referred to the Volunteer Service at Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council (WVSC) in the first instance to determine the best pathway for the individual.

 

9.  That the volunteer pathway should include the following:

a.   A volunteer role description for each service area detailing how the role will support existing service delivery.

 

b.   The agreement with a volunteer will detail mandatory and job specific training and support for the role.

 

c.   Initiating a DBS check where applicable for all volunteers in Council services.

 

d.   Ensuring robust equality monitoring processes are in place identifying and following up gaps in current practice and other relevant polices.   In exploring this officers have identified and raised the need to review the Equality and Diversity Policy Statement with H.R. 

 

e.   All volunteers are registered on the Agresso system and records of DBS, training and equality are monitored.

 

f.    All service groups should monitor volunteers to check progress and development needs in line with the volunteer offer.

 

10.That a sensible review period is built into each volunteering role for the protection of the service, the benefit of the volunteer and to ensure the role has not changed substantially over a set period of time.

 

11.That volunteers are provided access to the Council Learning Hub to develop skills for mandatory and role specific training.

 

12.That the HoS group and Volunteer Service develop a package of training for managers, volunteers and volunteer supervisors to be delivered via the Council learning hub.

 

        Additionality

13.That the volunteer role description should be service specific and include the following:

a.   The volunteering hours required (determined by the task).

 

b.   The days and duration of the volunteering opportunity (determined by the task).

 

c.   The training available – what skills they need, the support role and skill development.

 

d.   How the role will support existing service delivery.

 

e.   An agreed and appropriate review period for the protection of the service and the volunteer.

 

f.    DBS checks to be arranged if applicable.

 

g.   Volunteering code of conduct.

 

h.   Advertising opportunities to access volunteering with WVSC and partner organisations.

 

14.That specific text should be included in the policy taken from the TUC guidance to ensure that volunteering provides additionality to rather than replacement of existing staffing resources.

 

15.That as part of the development of the wider partnership Volunteering Strategy, a discussion with the Inclusion Board and Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council (WVSC) to explore arrangements for DBS checks should take place.  Where feasible a process for ensuring that DBS checks are in place should be incorporated as part of the contractual arrangements for the agency providing volunteering services.

 

16.That there is a review of the volunteering policy once the Combined Authority is functioning to ensure synergy with the wider region.

 

          Resource

17   a.   That an investigation or assessment of the types of costs associated with volunteering is undertaken by HoS as part of the policy refinement and incorporated within the guidance to service areas.

 

b.   That the HoS group identifies resource implications of training, DBS checks and supervising volunteers for each service area.

 

c.   That the HoS group explore and identify funding opportunities with funders, partners and businesses, internally and externally.

 

2. That the executive response to the review recommendations be approved.

 

3. That the Cabinet response be referred to Scrutiny Board for it to track and monitor the implementation of the agreed recommendations.