Sometimes volunteers need to stop supporting us permanently or temporarily for personal reasons or become inactive for any number of reasons. It is important that we seek to maintain contact with them in order to show care for them regardless of their activity and also to make ourselves aware if their circumstances change, and they may want to return to a volunteering role.
- CVMs should utilise the ‘Switch Off’ function under the volunteer’s ‘Supporter Status’ when requested. The CVM must select the appropriate reason and time period, before recording the decision in a note on the database.
- If the supporter has requested this ‘Switch Off’ to be time limited (e.g. 1 year around a new child), the DB will automatically set a reminder to the CVM to make contact at the agreed time.
- Depending on the Volunteer’s situation, the CVM may also wish to task themselves to get in touch at an agreed future date to check on the volunteer’s well-being. The CVM is to use their judgement as to the best way of doing this depending on what has happened for the volunteer. A phone call is always the preferred option as it gives greater chance to empathically provide support and clarify details and any next steps.
- The CVM must make a volunteer note on the database reflecting the contact made and, when necessary, tasking the next contact.
- If a volunteer needs to be Switched Off during a period of volunteering, a conversation needs to be had with the allocated FSM to explain the changes in circumstances and assist the FSM in this change to avoid too many calls to the volunteer.
Sometimes, volunteers can disengage with Safe Families for long periods and become ‘inactive’
(i.e. volunteers stop looking at posts and have not supported for a long period). In these instances, the CVM should actively seek to reengage the volunteer through phone calls, texts, emails and cards, as well as invitations to supporter events.
If a Volunteer reengages after 18 months of inactivity, they are to be invited to attend Module 4 to help remind them of our values and the nature of supporting a family. The Volunteer must complete this training before a family support begins.
If these attempts are ultimately unsuccessful, a decision should be made with the CVM’s line manager as to whether to Switch Off the volunteer and this communicated with the volunteer.