Challenge your perspective; Change your world!
Guidelines for Referrers
The Supported Volunteering programme offers additional support to volunteers in mental health recovery within the frame-work of Volunteering Otago's core services linking people
seeking volunteering opportunities with organisations seeking volunteers. Supported
Volunteering does not search for opportunities for volunteers. Acceptance of volunteers within a chosen organisation cannot be guaranteed.
For some individuals voluntary work can be considered a potentially useful activity to promote and enhance overall mental health and wellbeing. Voluntary work can offer a productive and satisfying experience and provide a path to lasting recovery if a placement is well planned, with the co-operation of all those involved. The decision to volunteer remains that of the individual. The decision to accept a volunteer remains with the organisation.
Sometimes voluntary work may not be an appropriate step for a person to take at this particular time. This can result in an unsuccessful placement which can be disappointing for the referrer, upsetting for the volunteer, and a source of difficulty for the organisation.
The following guidelines should help you determine whether voluntary work is an appropriate suggestion to make to an individual, and to assist you in discussing the pros and cons with the person before referring them to Volunteering Otago’s Supported Volunteering
Programme.
Please consider carefully your reasons for promoting voluntary work to this person, giving thought to what they might gain from it and what they have to contribute.
 Is this person receiving mental health support from an identified health professional or provider? Y/ N
 Is mental health recovery an important factor in making this referral?
Y/N
 How do you think this person may benefit from voluntary work?
 Are there more appropriate ways of meeting this person's needs? Y/N
 Will they need support in order to fulfil a volunteer position? Y/N
If so, to what degree? (Volunteering Otago cannot provide 'side by side' support and it is not something organisations can provide either.)
 Are they well enough to commit to volunteering? Y/N
 Can the person cope with the level of motivation required to find suitable volunteer opportunities? Y/N Volunteering Programme? Y/N
 Would you consider their mental health to be stable? Y/ N
 Is this referral the person's choice? Y/N
 What kind of contribution can this person make to the work of an agency?
 All organisations operate some form of selection. How well would this person cope with rejection?
 By making a referral are you prepared to join with Volunteering Otago's
Supported Volunteering coordinator in the active support of this person?
Y/N
 Do you believe this referral meets with the criteria of the Supported
Volunteering Programme? Y/N
Volunteering Otago, Level 1, Dunedin Community House, 283 Moray Place, Dunedin 9016
Phone: 03-471-6206 Toll free: 0800-865-268 Email: volunteerotago@gmail.com
www.volunteeringotago.org.nz

Discuss the possibility of doing voluntary work with the person concerned to ascertain their level of understanding about volunteering.
 Do they have a definite interest in volunteering? Y/N
(If they do not it is unlikely that they will maintain any level of commitment.)
 Do they understand the nature of volunteering, that it is unpaid, that acceptance is not automatic etc.? Y/N
(Successful volunteering is a balance of the desire to volunteer one’s time with the contribution that one is able to make.)
 What do they want to gain from voluntary work? In short – why are they thinking about volunteering?
 What are they interested in doing?
 What can they contribute?
 Are they capable of selecting (with support as needed) appropriate volunteer positions suited to their skills and experience? Y/N
 Are their choices/ideas realistic? Y/N
 Are they in a position to make a commitment, however limited? Y/N
 Can they be reliable? Y/N
 Do they have a criminal conviction(s) that may affect their voluntary work? Y/N
 Are they able to maintain a suitable appearance remaining clean and tidy while volunteering? Y/N
 Can they manage their own needs – medications, food, transport without assistance? Y/N
 Do they have the necessary insight to be aware of their triggers and signs that they are becoming unwell? Y/N
 Are they capable of attending their volunteer position on their own? Y/ N
 Are issues with addiction under control? Y/ N
Supported Volunteering cannot respond to ‘special requests’ or undertake to search for opportunities on behalf of volunteers however if you have specific requirements please feel free to discuss this with the Supported
Volunteering Coordinator.)
Safe practice:
Volunteering Otago and the Supported Volunteering coordinator maintain the right of refusal for any individual/organisation who is noncompliant with the guidelines and agreements within this programme. Refusal or dismissal from the programme could occur where information provided is knowingly incorrect, referred person does not have mental illness as their primary issue, the individual does not have support with their mental health recovery, no effort is made by either party to be actively involved in the process for a protracted period of time, individual/organisation employs threatening or bullying behaviours or if individual poses a serious threat to themselves or to others.
Volunteering Otago, Level 1, Dunedin Community House, 283 Moray Place, Dunedin 9016
Phone: 03-471-6206 Toll free: 0800-865-268 Email: volunteerotago@gmail.com
www.volunteeringotago.org.nz

PERSPECTIVES OF ORGANISATIONS’ LISTING VOLUNTEER POSITIONS
Volunteers should always be an asset to organisations.
Organisations work with Volunteering Otago to find suitable volunteers to fulfil specific roles/tasks within their organisation. Basic qualities that organisations are likely to look for in their volunteers include a friendly manner, clean and tidy appearance, honesty, reliability, punctuality, ability to make a commitment and an ability to relate to others. Organisations tend to select volunteers based on the how well they match the skills and experience the role requires. Certain roles of course require specific abilities and training may sometimes be provided as part of the recruitment/selection process.
Organisations cannot be expected to accept volunteers who do not complete the organisation’s standard recruitment and interview processes. They are not obliged to accept volunteers who do not meet with their requirements nor to bend or bypass any rules to accommodate the needs or requests of volunteers or their support people. It is not their role to provide buddy support nor can they be expected to accommodate volunteers who require buddy support or to create special roles ‘on request’. While some organisations have more flexibility in this than others it is important to understand that organisations working in partnership with Volunteering Otago are not in the business of doing favours by placing volunteers within their organisation. They require the support of volunteers to enable them to fulfil their particular objectives.
The nature of the Supported Volunteering Programme is a matter of public record, but it is not always necessary for the organisation to know that a volunteer has experienced problems with mental health. Where the information is deemed beneficial to the success of a volunteer's placement, certain information may be given by the Supported Volunteering Coordinator with the informed consent of the prospective volunteer. Organisations for their part cannot be expected to understand the nature of mental illness, nor can they be expected to provide extra support to volunteers but some organisations are more flexible than others and are more willing to accept volunteers in need of support.
Where some degree of negotiation is possible regards a specific role the
Supported Volunteering Coordinator may be able to speak with an organisation on a volunteer’s behalf.
It is therefore important to establish a balance between the respective needs of the organisation and the volunteer, as without this the placement is unlikely to be successful. Every effort will be made by the Supported Volunteering
Coordinator to assist the volunteer to select a position suited to their skills and experience and to the requirements of the organisation. Where a selection is considered not suitable, this will be discussed with the volunteer and their mental health support worker. It is not generally considered appropriate to encourage volunteers to pursue opportunities that are likely to cause distress or end with a negative result for the volunteer or the organisation.
Volunteering Otago, Level 1, Dunedin Community House, 283 Moray Place, Dunedin 9016
Phone: 03-471-6206 Toll free: 0800-865-268 Email: volunteerotago@gmail.com
www.volunteeringotago.org.nz

!
Volunteering through the Supported Volunteering Programme
CAN OFFER (  ) CANNOT OFFER (  )
 A break from the past and a new perspective
 A paid job or the promise of one
 The benefits of giving to others  The sole answer to someone’s problems
 Community involvement, social contact
– meeting new people
 Money
 Structure, a routine  Clinical therapy or counselling
 Improved self-esteem and greater confidence and enjoyment
 Awareness of others’ difficulties
 A challenge to be overcome - a sense of achievement
 Opportunities created especially for individual volunteers
 An opportunity to off load or share personal issues
 A permanent position for any volunteer
 Self-awareness – an opportunity to see oneself in a new light
 A place to relax and use organisations resources phone, heat etc.
 The opportunity to discover what works and what doesn’t work for you
 Complete flexibility of commitment or attendance
 A possible reference and work experience
 Specialised mental health support
 An opportunity to try, succeed or learn from failure
 A ‘job-searching’ service, providing opportunities for volunteers to consider
 Recognition of existing skills and acquisition of new skills
 An opportunity to begin the conversation about ‘the real world’ and it’s expectations – time keeping, reliability, presentation, rejection etc.
 Side by side or 'buddy' support
 Automatic acceptance with an organisation or a way to skip the recruitment and selection processes of an organisation
 The chance to make a commitment and take responsibility for yourself
 A positive outcome without the cooperation and commitment of the volunteer
Volunteering Otago, Level 1, Dunedin Community House, 283 Moray Place, Dunedin 9016
Phone: 03-471-6206 Toll free: 0800-865-268 Email: volunteerotago@gmail.com
www.volunteeringotago.org.nz