Volunteer Application Pack
Please read the information in this pack carefully and complete the forms in full. Return the
completed pack to Voluntary Services Manager by email [email protected] or by post to
Eve Edwards, Voluntary Services Manager, Angles Way, Hellesdon Hospital, Drayton High Road,
Norwich, NR6 5BE
We uphold the values of equal opportunities when recruiting volunteers, and welcome applications
from all backgrounds. All information you supply in this form will be treated in confidence.
If you need guidance or support in completing this form, please contact Eve Edwards using the
contact details above, or telephone 01603 421348.
Contents
Section
Page
Essential Information
2-3
Personal details
4
Emergency contact details
4
Health
4
Availability
5
References
5
About you
6
Other required information
7
Equal opportunities monitoring
8-9
1
Essential Information
about the volunteering application process
What does the application process involve?
Below is an overview of the steps involved in becoming a volunteer. Successful
completion of each step is essential before starting any voluntary activities. It’s
important to note that in all steps prior to signing the Volunteer Agreement, you will
be considered an applicant, and it is only after signing the Agreement that you
become a registered volunteer.
Complete and return
application pack
Invitation to an
informal interview
Checks – DBS,
Occupational Health
and references
Start volunteering!
Sign Volunteer
Agreement
Attend Induction
Training
How long does the application process take?
This can vary depending on how quickly the Checks stage takes, and on the volume
of applications we are working with. On average, it can take between 6-12 weeks.
What will the interview involve?
We aim to make the interview as relaxed and informal as possible. It is a chance for
us to get to know you better, and assess whether volunteering would be appropriate
for you. Equally, it is a chance for you to learn more about volunteering and the
Trust, so that you can assess whether volunteering is right for you. The interview will
involve a chat and some questions, with the opportunity for you to ask questions too.
It will be held in a Trust building in your local area.
I have recently completed a DBS for a different organisation, do I have to do
another one for this role?
If you are signed up to the DBS update service, you will not have to complete
another check from scratch if you are able to provide us with your reference number.
If you are not signed up to the update service you will need to complete a new check
What does the Occupational Health check involve?
This involves completing a confidential online form about your health. It is an
opportunity for you to tell us about any conditions you may have so that we are best
prepared to support you during your time as a volunteer. Your completed form is
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received by the Occupational Health team, who are able to assess whether
volunteering would be safe for you and suggest recommendations as appropriate.
They will enquire about your vaccination history, and should this be out of date will
invite you for an update. Occupational Health checks are compulsory for everyone
applying to volunteer in roles where they will have contact with service users. Purely
office based roles are exempt from Occupational Health checks.
What does Induction Training involve?
The Induction Training provides an introduction to the Trust, so you can better
understand the organisation you will be volunteering for. It also includes training on
safeguarding and confidentiality, as well as topics specific to volunteering such as
how to claim for expenses. Induction Training is usually delivered in groups but can
be delivered on a 1-1 basis if there are no sessions planned near you in the near
future. Induction training will usually be held in a Trust building in your local area.
What is the Volunteer Agreement?
This is a document that outlines what you can expect from the Trust during your time
as a volunteer, and what the Trust expects from volunteers in terms of behaviour and
commitment. It is signed by the volunteer and members of staff responsible for
supporting you. After you have signed this you become a registered volunteer with
the Trust and are able to start volunteering.
I will only be available to volunteer for a few months, can I still apply?
Due to the amount of time and resources involved in recruiting volunteers, we ask
that each person is available to volunteer for at least 9 months after applying.
Therefore unfortunately we cannot accept applications from people available for
shorter periods of time.
Will my travel expenses be reimbursed for attending the Interview and
Training?
Unfortunately we are not able to reimburse travel expenses for attending the
Interview or Training. With this in mind we endeavour to deliver both these events in
your local area so as to minimise travel for you. When you become a registered
volunteer you will be able to reclaim travel expenses to and from your place of
volunteering.
I have questions about the recruitment process and/or volunteering, who can I
contact?
You can contact Eve Edwards, Voluntary Services Manager by telephone on 01603
421348, by email at [email protected] or by post at Angles Way, Hellesdon
Hospital, Drayton High Road, Norwich, NR6 5BE
3
Personal Details
Title
Address
Forenames
Surname
Post code
Home telephone
Email
Mobile number
Date of birth
Emergency Contact Details
Name
Relationship to you
Mobile number
Health
Do you consider yourself to have a disability? If yes, please give further details below
Please provide details of any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you during the
recruitment process
If you would like to make us aware of a health condition you have which may affect your
volunteering, please provide details here
4
Availability
Please confirm you are available for at least 9
months after date of application
Please state your preferred number of hours to
volunteer per month
Yes
☐
No
☐
Preferred location of volunteering
Please tick the times below when you are available to regularly volunteer
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Monday
☐
☐
☐
Tuesday
☐
☐
☐
Wednesday
☐
☐
☐
Thursday
☐
☐
☐
Friday
☐
☐
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Saturday
☐
☐
☐
Sunday
☐
☐
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References
Please give details of two people (not a relative) who we may approach for a reference. For example,
an employer, voluntary organisation manager, college tutor or someone who has known you for at
least three years.
Referee One
Referee Two
Name
Name
Relationship to
you
Relationship to
you
Address
Address
Email (preferred)
Email (preferred)
Telephone
Telephone
5
About you
Which role are you applying for?
Do you have any experience of volunteering? If so, please provide details below
Please provide details of any qualifications or training achievements you would like to share with us
Please use the space below to tell us why you wish to volunteer, what skills you possess and detail
any particular interests or hobbies you have. If you are applying for a specific role, please specify this
in your statement below.
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Other required information
Convictions disclosure
Please give details of any criminal convictions (with dates) in the space below or write ‘none’ if you
have no convictions.
Because of the nature of the placement for which you are applying, this placement is exempt from
the provisions of section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants are therefore not
entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the
provisions of the Act. In the event of obtaining a placement, failure to disclose relevant convictions
could result in termination of that placement by the Trust.
Any information given will be treated on a strictly confidential basis. Having a criminal conviction will
not be an automatic barrier to volunteering, as the Trust has a positive view of individuals who have
demonstrated the ability to change their lifestyles. The Trust views each situation individually and by
its merits. Therefore it is vital that any conviction is disclosed within this application.
Declarations
Should your application to volunteer be successful, the Trust will need to hold and process personal
information about you. This includes information given for equal opportunities monitoring purposes.
Please read the following statements and tick the checkbox to confirm your acceptance
I give my consent for NSFT to hold and process personal information about
me, in accordance with the above requirements.
I confirm that the information I have supplied in this application is true and
correct, and understand that any misrepresentation will invalidate my
application.
I understand that most roles require an Occupational Health check and I am
prepared to attend a medical appointment if requested.
Signature (insert an ‘X’
for electronic
Date
applications)
☐
☐
☐
Entitlement to volunteer in the UK
If you are selected for interview, you must bring with you a British passport or National Insurance
Card in order to prove your entitlement to volunteer in the UK.
7
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
NSFT is committed to promoting equal opportunities throughout the Trust. By completing this form you can
help us assess the effectiveness of our Equal Opportunities Policy, and help enable us to identify
improvements for a fairer recruitment process.
The information you provide here will be kept strictly confidential and will be processed in accordance with the
Data Protection Act 1998.
1. What is your gender?
☐
Female
Male
☐
Prefer not to say
☐
☐
☐
Other (please specify)
2. What is your age group?
16-18
☐
19-25
☐
26-35
51-64
☐
65+
☐
Prefer not to say
36-50
3. Do you consider yourself to have a disability?
No
☐
Learning disability
☐
Physical disability
☐
Mental ill health
☐
Sensory impairment
☐
Prefer not to say
☐
Other (please specify)
4. How would you describe your sexual orientation?
Bisexual
☐
Gay man
☐
Heterosexual
Lesbian woman
☐
Prefer not to say
☐
Other (please
specify)
☐
5. Do you have a faith or belief system?
Agnostic
☐
Christian - Catholic
☐
Jewish
☐
Atheist
☐
Christian – Protestant
☐
Muslim
☐
Baha’i
☐
Christian - Other
☐
Sikh
☐
Buddhist
☐
Hindu
☐
Prefer not to say
☐
Other (please specify)
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6. What is your ethnic origin?
Asian/Asian British
☐
– Indian
Mixed background
☐
– White and Black
Caribbean
Black or Black British –
Caribbean
Asian/Asian British
Asian/Asian British
☐
– Pakistani
– Bangladeshi
Mixed background
Mixed background
☐
– White and Black
– White and Asian
African
Black or Black British –
☐
☐
African
White British
☐
☐
Chinese
☐
White Irish
Prefer not to say
☐
☐
Asian/Asian British
- Other
☐
☐
Any other mixed
background
☐
Black or Black British Other
☐
White - Other
☐
Other (please
specify)
7. Declaration
I consent to the processing of this information in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and
for the purpose of monitoring and implementing the Trust’s Equal Opportunities Policy only.
Signature (insert an ‘X’
Date
for electronic forms)
Thank you for completing the application pack!
We look forward to hearing from you.
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