Volunteer Mentor Handbook

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I would like to personally welcome you as a volunteer to The Poppy Factory Team.

We are working towards a vision in which every disabled ex-Service person is enabled to return to paid and meaningful civilian employment. Your support and expertise will be invaluable in helping to make this happen for them.

Ex-Service men and women have a fantastic work ethic, are disciplined, trustworthy and used to performing within a team. Many have qualifications that are invaluable for companies today. However, an injury or delayed illness can shatter their lives. We want to help them regain their self-respect and confidence in order to earn a living, so that they can feel a valuable member of society again.

As one of our invaluable team of volunteers, I wish you every success in helping our clients find their new horizons.

Melanie WatersChief Executive

Welcome

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1 Our History 4–5

2 Getting You Back to Work 6–9

3 Volunteer Mentors 10–15

4 Mentoring Journey 16–17

5 FAQs 18–23

6 Useful Information 24–25

7 Volunteer Agreement 26–27

8 Volunteer Policy 28–31

Contents

Volunteer Mentor Handbook

Sections Pages

The purpose of this handbook is to complement your induction and to provide you with useful information about volunteering for The Poppy Factory.

Please keep this book handy to look back over when you’re mentoring and feel free to make notes and ask questions.

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Our History

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The origins of The Poppy Factory go back to 1922 when Major George Howson MC, an engineer who served on the Western Front in the First World War, founded the Disabled Society to help disabled ex-Service men and women.

Howson suggested to the British Legion that the Society should make poppies, and the artificial flowers were designed so that someone who had lost the use of a hand could assemble them. With a grant of £2,000, he set up a small factory off the Old Kent Road with five ex-Service men. It was here that the first British poppies were made.

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Getting You Back To Work

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Over 90 years later, we still focus on employment by providing work within the factory but we also have a small team of employability consultants who work individually with clients to help source employment opportunities and help them sustain careers throughout the public, private and third sectors around the UK. This would enable them to support themselves and their families and enjoy the next phase of their lives. Having valiantly served their country, we think they deserve it.

In June 2011, The Poppy Factory announced its plans to help 500 wounded, injured or sick ex-Service men and women into mainstream employment over the next 5 years.

Who Do We Support?

Ex-Service personnel with a medical barrier to employment

•PostTraumaticStressDisorder•HearingImpairments•Musculoskeletaldisorders•Lossoflimbs•Blindness•MS

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“I wish I had heard about The Poppy Factory’s work before. Just knowing about it would have lessened the huge amount of stress. It’s not about the money, it’s about getting off my backside and having something useful to do.”

John, Client

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Volunteer Mentor Handbook

“The Mentor support has offered great value to our clients in careers advice and direction,CV reviews, job search, industry expertise interview skills and confidence. They have provided our clients with great insight and knowledge sharing in the recruitment process, the sector and most importantly how to be successful. For me as an EC it is such a valuable resource to be able to call upon. As soon as I have my first client meeting I am on the phone to our Volunteer Co-ordinator to see who can help. Long may this continue!”

Jane, Employability Consultant, Midlands

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Volunteer Mentors

3The purpose of a Volunteer Mentor is to directly support a client on a one to one basis alongside the Employability Consultant through the process of securing meaningful paid employment.

Volunteers are essential to:

•Guide and motivate •Help gain confidence •Set realistic targets• Identify transferable skills•Create a current CV•Build and improve interview skills•Help with the application process•ENCOURAGE and EMPOWER

Volunteer Mentor Handbook

“When the opportunity to volunteer came up, I thought “What a fantastic idea!”. Being an ex-Serviceman myself, and having been through this process some years ago, I thought maybe my experiences could help someone else – even if it’s only to help avoid making the same mistakes that I did.”

David, Volunteer Mentor

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LISTEN confidentially to the issues and challenges that are worrying the client – be responsive to their circumstances.

DEVELOP trust and mutual respect – provide a professional friendship.

HELP by sharing your knowledge and experience with a client.

GIVE friendly unbiased support and guidance.

PROVIDE honest and constructive feedback – encourage and motivate.

BE a sounding board for new ideas and approaches – help set a positive agenda.

INSPIRE the client to realise their potential.

HIGHLIGHT any ethical issues that may arise.

COMMUNICATE progress and issues back to us on a regular basis.

FORCE the client to take the first job that comes along.

PROVIDE an independent counselling service.

SUPPLY an independent training service.

TAKE responsibility for success away from the client.

INTRUDE into areas that the client wishes to keep private.

CREATE dependency on the mentor for all decisions or actions.

DISCIPLINE the client.

APPRAISE their work, behaviour, actions or lifestyle.

CREATE a personal friendship with the client.

Do Don’tVolunteer Mentor Handbook

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“Clare has been my mentor for about one year. During this time, she has become a close confidante. She is very understanding of my circumstances and has been willing to provide support and guidance in an understanding and non-intrusive manner. She tries, at all times, to challenge my negative thoughts and lend a different perspective to allow me to gain an alternate view. She has now become a very belovedand trusted mentor whose opinionI always listen to. Thank you for allocating her to me.”

Michael, Client

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The Mentoring Journey

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Volunteer Mentor Handbook

“Working with mentors allows me to offer our clients insights into relevant businesses which helps them to become stronger applicants for roles.”

Tom, Employability Consultant, South West

NewRelationshipMentor is assigned a client and given details

Initial ContactMentor contacts client within 24 hours to meet within 7 days

Maintain ContactContact with client and Employability Consultant continues (2-3 times per month)

Mentor ReportSend Mentor Report to Volunteer Co-ordinator at the end of each month

End of RelationshipClient in to work or support completed

Volunteer Again?Successful outcomes often inspire mentors to volunteer again

Volunteering is mutually beneficial for both mentor and client

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Frequently Asked Questions

51. Will I be reimbursed for my expenses?

You can claim for out of pocket expenses by providing a VAT receipt with your Expenses Form to cover travel and hot beverages purchased while actively mentoring. Mileage rates are at 45p per mile and you should include postcodes. Expenses policy and forms can be obtained from the Volunteer Co-ordinator.

2. Who is my point of contact once I have a client?

It is advisable to regularly keep in touch with your client’s Employability Consultant regarding any client related questions, concerns and progress. For further training, expenses, Mentor Reports and changes in circumstances, please contact the Volunteer Co-ordinator.

3. Who decides when the relationship comes to an end?

Your Employability Consultant will make this decision when the client is in employment or if the client feels they want to put their job searching on hold.

4. What happens when the mentoring relationship has ended?

Once formally closed you are then available to take on a new client. You may wish to stay in touch with your client while they start their new job but this will be an informal arrangement outside of The Poppy Factory Mentoring programme and is at your own discretion.

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5. How much time commitment is expected from me?

Every client is unique and may need different levels of contact and support so there is no set standard. As a general rule, two or three main meetings a month is usually required to maintain a good level of progress which you can show in your monthly Mentor Report.

6. What do I do if the client needs support outside of job searching?

Mentors offer employability support and not a befriending service. If you feel that the boundaries of your relationship are expanding into welfare issues it is important to raise this with the Employability Consultant who may be able to offer the client further support or signposting.

7. Where should I meet my client?

For Health and Safety reasons we do not permit meetings to take place in the Client or Volunteer Mentor’s home, and ask instead that you use public places such as coffee shops and libraries, depending on what your client is comfortable with. It may be useful to ask your client in your initial introductory call where they would suggest as a meeting location.

8. What should I do in our first meeting?

The initial meeting is important to build trust and get to know each other. It is a good idea to discuss boundaries and manage expectations. What help are you able to offer? What can you not offer? When is it a good time or bad time to call you? How often do you want to be in touch?

9. How can I still volunteer if I am not able to meet the client face to face?

E-mentoring (emailing, calling and Skyping) can still be a very effective way of mentoring especially if you have a very busy lifestyle or if distance is an issue. These factors will be carefully considered when matching a client and Mentor to ensure that the support you can offer is suitable and appropriate for the client’s needs. A good example of this is when Mentors provide specific CV help which does not necessarily require face to face meetings.

Volunteer Mentor Handbook

“Your self-esteem is low when recovering from an injury. Getting this job certainly stopped me from sinking further into a very low patch in my life. I feel good now… I am a valued member of a team, which is important.”

Caroline, Client

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10. Why do I need a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check?

As our clients are considered as vulnerable adults, all Volunteer Mentors who are undertaking in Regulated activity are provided with a DBS check prior to actively mentoring. This is done online and will not cost you.

11. Are Volunteers covered by insurance?

Our Public Liability insurance covers any authorised activity that you take part in but does not include the use of your vehicle.

12. I haven’t had a client for a while. Have I been forgotten?

Not at all. We really value your support and commitment to mentoring; however, we aim to find the best possible mentor/client match so it might be that there isn’t a suitable client in your area at that precise time.

13. I’m unable to take on a new client at the moment but will have more time in the near future. What do I do?

We understand that for many personal reasons it isn’t always the best time to take on a new client. If you wish to press pause on mentoring please let the Volunteer Co-ordinator know you wish to be put on hold to ensure we know you are not available. Once you are ready to mentor again, let us know!

14. Is there any way I can still help out when I don’t have a client?

There will be opportunities to represent The Poppy Factory at Employment Fairs, Vocational Days and other events around the country. Also, you can help on researching projects on industry knowledge and job searches with our Business Development Team. The Volunteer Co-ordinator will keep you updated of when these opportunities come up.

15. What is a Mentor Report?

At the end of each month we ask all active mentors to fill in a simple Mentor Report and send to the Volunteer Co-ordinator. This allows us to monitor the progress you and the client are making with every meeting. All you need to complete is a summary of the activity, actions for the next meeting and mention any concerns. We also ask that you keep a record of how many hours you volunteered in that month.

Volunteer Mentor Handbook

“The best bit of the role is making the light bulbs go off in people’s heads as they realise that they are very saleable to business. It’s very rewarding.”

Rupert, Volunteer Mentor

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Useful Information

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Employment and Employability Training

Career Transition Partnership: UK www.ctp.org.uk

Civvy Street: UK www.civvystreet.org

JCP www.dwp.gov.uk

The Officers Association (OA): UK www.officersassociation.org.uk

Pathfinder www.pathfinderinternational.co.uk

Quest Online www.questonline.co.uk/

Regular Forces Employment Association (RFEA): UK www.rfea.org.uk

RBLI: South (Some North) www.rbli.co.uk

Mental Health / Confidence

Big White Wall: UK www.bigwhitewall.com

Combat Stress: UK www.combatstress.org.uk

Remount: UK www.theremountcharity.net

The Warrior Programme: UK www.warriorprogramme.org.uk

Welfare

ABF The Soldiers Charity: UK www.soldierscharity.org

Citizens Advice Bureau: UK www.citizensadvice.org.uk

RAF Benevolent Fund: UK www.rafbf.org

The Royal British Legion: UK www.britishlegion.org.uk

Royal Marines Association (RMA): UK www.royalmarinesassociation.org.uk

SPVA: UK www.veterans-uk.info

SSAFA Forces Help: UK www.ssafa.org.uk

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VolunteerAgreement

7Being a volunteer with The Poppy Factory is a mutually beneficial and reciprocal arrangement between the volunteer and the organisation. This Volunteer Agreement sets out what you can expect from The Poppy Factory and what we expect from you.

As a volunteer with The Poppy Factory you can expect:

•Aninductiontotheorganisationandtrainingnecessaryfor the role.

•Anamedcontactforon-goingsupport.•Reimbursementforout-of-pocketexpenses.•Recognitionandthanks.•Adequatepublicliabilityinsurance.•Tobetreatedinlinewithourequalopportunitiespolicy.

In return we hope you will:

•Performyourvolunteeringroletothebestofyourability.•Supportouraimsandobjectivesasarepresentativeof

The Poppy Factory.•Followourproceduresandstandards,includinghealth

and safety, equal opportunities and confidentiality.•Meetmutuallyagreedtimecommitmentsorgivenoticeif

this is not possible.•Letusknowifyouwishtochangethenatureofyour

contribution.

This agreement aims to set out expectations and intentions that are only bound by honour and is not intended to be a legally binding contract of employment.

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VolunteerPolicy

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Introduction

Our single-minded ambition is to help wounded, injured or sick ex-Service men and women find paid, meaningful civilian employment. This has been realised since 1922 through the making of poppies in the factory and more recently through our nationwide employability service which in June 2011 set out to support 500 disabled ex-Service personnel into employment by 2015. In line with this, The Poppy Factory (TPF) seeks to involve volunteers to contribute to the achievement of this mission by raising awareness of our aims within the factory and directly becoming involved in our employability programme.

Principles

This Volunteering Policy is underpinned by the following principles:

•TPFwillensurethatvolunteersareproperlyintegratedintothe organisational structure.

•TPFidentifiesrolesforvolunteerswhichextendtheworkof the organisation. Volunteering roles complement (but never substitute) the work of paid staff.

• InsofarasTPFbenefitsfromtheskillsandenthusiasmofvolunteers, volunteers should be able to gain personal benefits from the experience and TPF is committed to ensuring that the needs of both parties are met.

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Recruitment

All prospective volunteers will go through a recruitment and selection process that determines suitability and is appropriate to the role offered. TPF implements a fair, effective and open system in the recruitment and selection of volunteers and treats all information collected in this process confidentially.

Induction and Training

All volunteers will receive an induction into TPF and their specific volunteering role. Further training and a Disclosure and Barring Service check will be provided as appropriate. The process is conducted to allow both parties to give and receive sufficient information to assess whether the volunteer opportunities available match the potential volunteer’s skills, qualities and interests.

Expenses

TPF reimburses volunteers’ out of pocket expenses. Further details including method of claiming can be found in the Volunteer Expenses Policy from the Volunteer Co-ordinator.

Support

All volunteers are allocated a named member of staff as their supervisor who is responsible for the overall management and support of volunteer involvement,

including overseeing the implementation of this policy and dealing with day-to-day help and guidance.

Health and Safety

TPF is committed to ensuring the health and welfare at work of all employees, volunteers and visitors to the factory. Volunteers are fully protected by TPF’s public liability insurance and will be given appropriate Health and Safety advice and training before commencing volunteering. TPF Health and Safety Policy is available from the Volunteer Co-ordinator.

Problem-solving

TPF aims to identify and solve problems at the earliest possible stage. In the first instance, volunteers should direct their concerns and problems to the Volunteer Co-ordinator who will implement a problem-solving procedure as covered in the induction.

Recognition and Appreciation

TPF recognises the importance of seeking volunteers’ ideas and opinions through regular contact and welcomes any feedback. Further training opportunities may be offered when suitable to develop the skills of volunteers.

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Notes Notes

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The Poppy Factory 20 Petersham Road Richmond Surrey TW10 6UR www.poppyfactory.org

The Royal British Legion Poppy Factory Ltd Registered Charity no. 225348 Company registered in England no. 204405

“Thank you to all of our volunteers and mentors, without whom we could not provide such a bespoke and life-changing employment service to hundreds of veterans with health challenges.”