About Volunteering

Rights

As a volunteer you have the right:

• to be treated as an equal and as a valued member of “the team”
• to sufficient, ongoing training to fully prepare you for your role
• to be given sound guidance and support and access to your Coordinator to voice any concerns you may have
• to be given an assignment suited to your temperament, abilities and employment background with consideration for personal preference
• to reimbursement for certain expenses in relation to your volunteering
• to be covered by Council’s Current Insurance Policy

Responsibilities

As a volunteer you should agree to:

• consider volunteering a serious commitment
• be supportive of the organisation you are part of
• maintain confidentiality in all issues pertaining to clients
• participate in appropriate training sessions
• be reliable and give adequate notice before terminating your role. (We appreciate your honesty about the reasons for leaving)

The local Government Act 1993 requires every council to adopt a Code of conduct. These standards are based on the standards in Mosman Council’s Code of Conduct, which applies to all staff and councillors.

Mosman Council relies on and values the significant contribution made to our community by our many wonderful volunteers.

Mosman Council is committed to high ethical standards and this Code of Conduct sets out the standards the Council expects of everyone who works with Council in a paid, voluntary or elected capacity. It is essential that all Council officials (staff and Councillors), and volunteers work together to maintain our excellent reputation in performing our duties with integrity, honesty and fairness.

Conduct and Behaviour

Volunteers to:

• provide the voluntary services they have committed to as long as they wish to do so and while they are fit for their specified duties
• provide feedback and advice or ideas as appropriate
• show respect to their peers, councillors, staff and others.

Councillors to:

• ensure their interaction with staff and access to information is in accordance with the relevant policy
• show respect to their peers, staff and volunteers
• not attempt to influence staff decisions or recommendations

Staff to:

• Advise Councillors and volunteers without fear or favour
• give full attention to their work and do their work efficiently, economically and effectively with transparency
• carry out lawful instructions given by any person having authority to give such directions, whether or not they agree with them
• give effect to lawful policies, decisions and practices of Council, whether or not the staff member agrees with or approves of them.
• Show respect to their peers, Councillors and volunteers

Responsibility of Volunteers

All volunteers are responsible for their own good conduct when providing services for the Council and the community and are expected to know and understand the standards in this Code of Conduct.

When providing services to the Council and the community we ask that everyone involved is at all times courteous towards the public, staff, Councillors and other volunteers, and does not bring the Council into disrepute. You must also obey all relevant laws.

The Council is committed to providing a culture free of harassment or discrimination and we ask that you contribute to this culture. Mosman Council has community and environmental responsibilities and we ask you to honour them when doing work with or on behalf of our Council.

Health and Safety

Safety is paramount and therefore all persons doing work with, or for our Council should protect their safety and others in the work environment and the public arena. Council is responsible for providing a safe work environment and for putting first the health, safety and welfare of Council officials and volunteers.

Conflicts of Interest

If a conflict of interest in your work with our Council exists or arises, you must disclose it to the Council. A conflict of interest arises if your own interests, or those of other people close to you, conflict with your obligations to the Council.

A conflict would exist where you have a personal interest, or your relative, company, employer or other person known to you has an interest, which could lead you to be influenced in the way you carry out your duties for the Council.

Confidential and Personal Information

As a volunteer you may have contact with confidential or personal information retained by Council. If so, you are required to maintain the security of any confidential or personal information and not access, use or remove any information, unless you are authorised to do so.

Council Resources

Council resources may only be used for Council purposes unless appropriate approval is sought. Council resources include Council staff, material, equipment, vehicles, documents, records, data and information.

Public Comment

As a Mosman Council volunteer we ask that you also not make any public comment or statement that would lead anyone to believe that you are representing Council, or expressing its views or policies. This includes comments or statements made to the media, at club meetings and the like, or when it is reasonably foreseeable that the comments, or statements, will become known to the public at large.

Alcohol and Drugs

We ask that you do not carry out your duties for the Council when under the influence of alcohol or other drugs that could impair your ability to carry out your work or cause danger to the safety of yourself or others.

Reporting Corruption and Maladministration and Wastage

When providing services to the Council, as a volunteer, you have a responsibility to report any suspected instances of corruption, maladministration or serious and substantial waste to the General Manager, Directors or Managers .
Alternatively you can report any suspected instances of corruption to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) or maladministration to the Ombudsman.

Mosman Council‘s Commitment

Mosman Council is committed to the standards in this Code of Conduct.They reflect the high standards expected by our community and you are expected to maintain these standards and principles when providing your services to the Council. Volunteers who breach these standards may be asked to resign from their voluntary work.
If you have any questions, or are unsure about any matter relating to this Code of Conduct, you can contact Council’s Public Officer on 9978 4003 or email: council@mosman.nsw.gov.au

This information is a summary of some parts of Council’s adopted Code of Conduct. Please refer to the Code of Conduct and other related policies for full details.

Volunteering in Mosman Municipal Council will require you to undergo a National Police Check (NPC). We will require 4 Identity Documents from below three categories:

• 1 Identity Document such as your current Passport or Birth Certificate
• 1 Identity Document such as your current Driver Licence or Photo ID
• 2 Identity Documents such as your Medicare Card and Bank Card

This process for NPC will be done by the Volunteers Office and all your information provided will remain confidential under the Mosman Municipal Council Privacy Management Plan.

Click here to view a whole list of Identity Documents.

Mosman Municipal Council Privacy Management Plan

Any personal details collected will be used only for the purpose of processing your application, keeping records, and establishing your identity. The supply of information by you is voluntary. If you cannot provide or do not wish to provide the information sought, the Council may not be able to process your application. Access to the information is restricted to Council officers and other authorised people. Council is to be regarded as the agency that holds the information. You may make an application for access or amendment to information held by Council.

If you have any grievances, questions or queries about your volunteer work please do not hesitate to contact us. Complaints may be made verbally or in writing and will be dealt with promptly, impartially, seriously and in confidence as far as possible.

• If you feel comfortable about it you could discuss the situation with the staff member concerned, this may lead to a quick resolution of the problem.
• If the above is not appropriate or fails to sort out the difficulty you can contact the Volunteers Coordinator on 9978 4126.
• If this proves unsatisfactory you can contact Council’s Manager Community Services on 9978 4006.

While working with Mosman Council as a volunteer, you are insured for Personal Liability, Personal Accident and Death under the Council’s current insurance policy.

Registered volunteer only is covered. Other family members and friends are not covered.

Volunteers using their own vehicle are covered by their own insurance for any damage as a result of an accident.

Council’s Personal Accident Policy covers the following:

• Bodily injury which is caused by violent, accidental external and visible means which shall solely and independently of any other cause result in the Insured person’s death or disablement within twelve calendar months from the date of the accident on which the injury is caused.
• Voluntary workers, whilst engaged in or on any voluntary work directly or indirectly connected with or on behalf of the insured including whilst traveling to and/or from such voluntary work.

Volunteers must never administer medications to clients. If requested volunteers may accompany clients to the chemist, but must not purchase medications on their behalf.

In the case of volunteers not only does the volunteer have a duty of care to the client, Mosman Council has a duty of care to the volunteer and the clients.

If clients ask the volunteer to give them their medications or to buy medications for them please refer this matter to the Volunteers Coordinator.