CAMTAD

Cambridge Campaign for Tackling Acquired Deafness

Volunteer Policy

Introduction

Cambridge CAMTAD is a registered charity with two aims: to assist those with acquired deafness by practical help and encouragement on a one to one basis, and to create greater awareness and understanding of acquired deafness amongst the general public. The first aim is largely achieved through our volunteers, and the second through our few paid staff.

We use volunteers because they can help many more people than paid staff alone can, and because they bring a wide range of qualities, talents, and experience which benefit our clients.

The principles, which guide us, are

We have a Task Description and Code of Practice, which is attached as an appendix to this policy.

1. Recruitment

We are always looking for volunteers of any age, ethnic background, male and female. It is important that they have a positive attitude to hearing loss, the ability to communicate well and a large portion of patience!

We recruit mainly through our annual training course for new volunteers, which is advertised in the local media, including parish magazines and through our newsletter, but also through personal contact at exhibitions and similar events and the talks we give. Volunteers need good eyesight (with spectacles if worn) and reasonable dexterity in order to cope with re-tubing hearing aids.

In order to protect our clients, who are sometimes very vulnerable, we assess potential volunteers during the course for suitability, followed by an interview with a Trustee and the course leader at the end. We take up two references and make enhanced checks with the criminal record bureau. If we felt a volunteer was not suitable for work with our clients, we would explain this sympathetically and try to guide them towards other voluntary work for which they might be more suited.

2. Training

Our initial training course contains six weekly sessions and covers every aspect of acquired deafness, the physical, the psychological and the practical. Volunteers learn about the ear, hearing aids and other equipment available to help hard of hearing people. They also learn about the role played by the statutory agencies. Regular refresher courses are organised and any updates on procedures etc. are also given in our volunteer newsletter, which comes out six times a year. All our volunteer training is free.

3. Support

Most volunteers are introduced into one of our Hearing Help Sessions when they complete their training. There they work with one or two experienced volunteers under the supervision of our paid co-ordinator. They are helped to master the practical tasks of checking, cleaning and re-tubing a variety of hearing aids and changing batteries and gain advice and experience in helping with client�s problems such as adjusting to wearing a hearing aid etc. The CAMTAD Organiser is responsible for ensuring that each volunteer is settled and satisfied with their work. Volunteers are encouraged to ask the Hearing Help Session Co-ordinator to help with any problems they cannot deal with. Once a volunteer is experienced enough to work on their own they may be asked to visit a deaf person at their home or in a residential home. Again, if they encounter a problem they are not sure they can solve, they are encouraged to contact the CAMTAD office for advice.

4. Expenses

We are keen to reimburse our volunteers� expenses, so that no one is deterred from volunteering. Volunteers are given a claim form each quarter and travel and other out of pocket expenses are reimbursed.

5. Insurance

All volunteers are insured against personal accident or injury and we have public liability insurance.

6. Confidentiality

We insist that any information a volunteer gains during the course of their work is kept completely confidential and only discussed with another person with the consent of the client.

7. The Health & Safety of our volunteers

We are committed to ensuring that the working conditions for our volunteers, and the equipment and materials they handle, are safe. We include health and safety in our training and we have a written Health & Safety Policy copies of which are given to all new volunteers and may be requested from the office at any time.

8. Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures

If a volunteer has a grievance about the way they have been treated, or if CAMTAD has any criticism of a volunteer�s work, this should be a matter for discussion between the volunteer and CAMTAD�s Organiser. If this does not resolve the matter it will be dealt with by the Chairman, assisted where appropriate by two members of the committee.

APPENDIX TO VOLUNTEER POLICY

Volunteer Task Description and Code of Practice

1. Make a simple check to ascertain that the hearing-aid is functioning.
2. Check that batteries and chords are functioning, replacing where necessary and instructing clients at the same time.
3. Check that clients are familiar with the controls of the hearing aid.
4. Check that clients know how to fit their ear-mould, giving further instruction where necessary.
5. If there are any further difficulties with the hearing aid refer the client to the Hearing Help Session Co-ordinator or the CAMTAD Organiser who will decide on the appropriate course of action.
6. Clean and re-tube the ear-mould where necessary.
7. Ensure that clients are aware of the best possible listening conditions when using a hearing aid.
8. Reinforce instructions given at the time of the hearing-aid fitting and encourage clients in the use of their hearing aid, pointing out the benefits as well as the limitations of hearing aids.
9. Inform clients of the availability of environmental equipment and other support services (lip-reading classes, hard of hearing clubs, other voluntary organisations etc.) referring to the Co-ordinator or office for details.
10. Where appropriate and with the client�s consent, involve their family or carers in the understanding, use, and care of the hearing aid and other equipment.
11. Keep records of contacts as requested.
12. Attend training/support sessions as requested by the Co-ordinator or the Organiser.
13. Keep confidential any information gained from contact with a client, and only disclose this to someone else with the client�s consent.
14. Hearing-aids purchased directly by clients should not be dealt with without the approval of the Co-ordinator or the Organiser.
15. No other hearing aids should be demonstrated to clients and no attempt should be made to alter the pre-set controls on hearing aids.
16. Do nothing to undermine the client�s confidence in any medical/other professional advice they may have received. Any concerns you may have about such advice should be discussed first with the Co-ordinator or the Organiser.
17. No gifts of any kind should be accepted from clients.
18. When visiting, clients should be notified in advance of the intended visit, the source of their referral should be identified if they have not referred themselves and the visit should be conducted in private if at all possible. The official identification of the volunteer should be presented on the first visit and subsequently if requested. Volunteers should leave a note of CAMTAD�s contact telephone number and address, but not their own telephone number and address.
19. Any problem, which a volunteer cannot solve, should be referred to the CAMTAD office who will advise.