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.
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
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.