Volunteer Management and Engagement Webinar

The Volunteer management and engagement webinar took place on Wednesday 30^th of May. During the webinar we heard from three established health partnerships and THET on their volunteer management and engagement practices and processes. In addition to that an RCPCH volunteer shared her experience on what it’s like to volunteer in a low resource setting through a health partnership. Unfortunately due to technical issues the webinar did not record, however please find below all the presentations from the speakers and some volunteer resources that THET have put together.

 THETs safeguarding expectations

During the webinar THET shared its safeguarding expectations for all Health Partnership Scheme and Africa Grants Programme grant holders, that the following must be carried out/ put in place:

• The institutions have a zero tolerance policy for sexual abuse and physical or mental harm deliberately caused to a person, which applies to staff and volunteers engaged in health partnership activity, both in the UK and overseas
• The institutions have conducted recruitment and selection processes that include risk assessment of the post for issues and risks as well as appropriate background checks (e.g. Disclosure of Barring Service checks in the UK) for staff and volunteers involved in health partnership activity
• The institutions have reiterated to their project staff and volunteers that every person must value and respect the physical, material and psychological well-being of vulnerable adults and children. If communications have not already been sent to all staff and volunteers in the last year, please ensure that this is done
• The institutions are able to recognise and manage risks and situations and will take stringent measures if abuse is committed, which will be covered by the institutional policy or a separate partnership policy document

We will be following up with current HPS and AGP partners shortly to ensure that all of these have been carried out or been put in place.

For anyone concerned about safeguarding within THET-funded/ managed health partnership projects (UK or overseas) or they would like to raise a safeguarding issue, they are encouraged to contact our HR team at safeguarding@thet.org where their concerns will be treated in confidence.

Resources:

Webinar Presentations

Volunteer Resources