Volunteers policy

May 2026

Introduction

Many of the Parish Council's activities involve working in partnership with community and voluntary groups. Volunteers also work directly with the Council for a number of reasons:
To increase our contact with the local community we serve;
To help ensure our services reflect the needs of our community;
To increase skills, experience, perspectives and diversity in the workplace;
To temporarily increase our skills and capacity.
The Council will ensure that volunteers feel part of the Parish Council structure by enabling them to contribute to our ongoing development. We will have appropriate systems in place to involve volunteers in relevant briefings, communications and supervision where appropriate.
Stoke Poges Parish Council does not aim to introduce volunteers to replace paid staff. We expect that staff at all levels will work positively with any volunteers and where appropriate, will actively seek to involve them in their work.
The Council acknowledges that volunteers require meaningful and satisfying work and personal development and will seek to help volunteers meet these needs, as well as providing appropriate training to enable them to carry out their roles effectively.
Volunteers may come through community groups or direct from the community.
The following guidelines deal with the practical aspects of volunteering with the Parish Council. More information may also be found on the Council’s website and in related Council policies

All prospective volunteers will be discussed with a Council representative to establish what they would like to do, their skills, suitability and how best their potential might be realised. Informal selection may be used depending on the nature of the volunteering role.
.

Each volunteer will be provided with a volunteer agreement setting out what Stoke Poges Parish Council undertakes to provide. Volunteers will also be given a written outline of the tasks they will be undertaking. Neither document is intended to create a contract of employment, and the Council does not intend to create legal relations with volunteers.

Reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses incurred while undertaking approved voluntary work for the Parish Council will be reimbursed in accordance with Council procedures..

All volunteers will receive an induction into Stoke Poges Parish Council and their area of activity. Appropriate training will be provided where required. Where possible and relevant, volunteers may be offered access to additional training opportunities on a similar basis to staff development, subject to availability and role requirements.