Frequently Asked Questions for Volunteers
What is HACC?
The acronym HACC stands for Home and Community Care.
The HACC program is a central element of the Australian government's aged care policy and provides community care services to frail aged and younger people with disabilities and their carers. The overall objective of the HACC Progam is to enhance the independence of people in these groups and to avoid their premature or inappropriate admission to long term residential care.
The aims of the program are:
- To provide a comprehensive, co-ordinated and integrated range of basic maintenance and support services for frail aged people, people with a disability and their carers
- To support these people to be more independent at home and in the community, consequently improving their quality of life and /or preventing their admission to long term residential care ( for example, nursing homes or hostels)
- To provide flexible, timely services that respond to the needs of consumers.
(source- Victorian HACC Program Manual http://www.health.vic.gov.au/hacc/prog_manual)
What is volunteering?
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The Department of Human Services describes the role of volunteers in HACC services as varying enormously between services and as depending on the type of service being provided and the particular consumer group. They also state that volunteers should have a written duty statement, which clearly outlines their role, the tasks expected of them and the HACC activity with which they work and that volunteer training should reinforce the understanding by volunteers of the boundaries of their role. (Victorian HACC Program Manual http://www.health.vic.gov.au/hacc/prog_manual)
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Why volunteer?
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To help your community
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To gain the opportunity to obtain experience in Home and Community Care, prior to possible paid work
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To learn new skills
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To meet new people
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To continue using key skills after retirement from paid work
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To work with caring or like-minded people
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To keep active
What supervision and support should I expect as a volunteer?
As a volunteer you are entitled to be treated with respect and as part of the team in the organisation you are working with. Each Community Service Organisation is managed differently, so all volunteer experiences will vary. However, support mayl include:
- Access to relevant training either at the organisation itself or elsewhere
- Access to some form of debriefing in the event of a crisis or a difficult situation
- Access to a designated member of staff or volunteer who should be accessible to you should you have any queries or need to leave any messages
- Access to a safe and comfortable working environment in the same manner as a paid staff member
- Regular contact meetings with others members of your team or one-to-one contact supervision.
What training can I expect as a volunteer?
How training is provided is the decision of the management of each individual CSO. It may consist of a general orientation to the organisation or one-on-one specific training for the role to be undertaken
Further specific details about training opportunities can be found on this website in the EVRP newsletter and also at
www.dhs.vic.gov.au/regional/eastern/org/hpc_care/hacc_regional_training.htm
What happens if I no longer wish to continue in my current role?
If you wish to change your position, the first thing you should do is to speak to your supervisor about your desire for change.
There are a few options available, including changing roles within the organisation you are working for, if there is a suitable position available.
Alternatively, you could change the organisation you are working for but remain within the HACC sector, or look outside the HACC sector to change your role completely.
All the Volunteer Resource Centres listed on this website may be contacted for assistance in finding the right volunteer job.
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What are the boundaries of my role?
Volunteer training should reinforce the understanding of volunteers of the boundaries of their role. In particular, volunteers should not:
- Carry out nursing duties, such as administering medication or changing dressings
- Accept monetary gifts, or any other gift that has anything other than a token value
- Become involved in the management of a consumer’s financial affairs or accept responsibility for his or her property
- Give medical, legal or religious advice
Volunteers should respect the confidentiality of information relating to consumers of the service. This may be particularly important in small or isolated communities.
For more detailed information, please consult the HACC manual on
www.health.vic.gov.au/hacc/prog_manual/index.htm
What are my rights as a volunteer?
As a volunteer you have certain rights within your volunteer work situation. These include
- Information about the organisation you are working for
- A clear position description
- Information about who you are accountable to
- Recognition as part of the team
- Support and supervision in your role
- A healthy, safe workplace
- Insurance cover
- The right to say ‘no’
- To be given relevant information about policies
- To be informed and consulted in matters relating to your work
- To be made aware of grievance policies
- To have access to orientation and training, as determined by the Community Service Organisation
- Privacy and confidentiality
What are my responsibilities as a volunteer?
Just as with a paid position, volunteers have certain responsibilities to both the organisation they are working with and to their clients. These include:
- Being reliable and punctual
- Respecting the confidentiality of clients and the organisation
- Carrying out duties specified in the job description
- Being accountable for actions
- Being committed to the organisation or project you are working with
- Undertaking relevant training and orientation as required
- Asking for assistance if needed
- Giving notice before leaving
- Having a non-judgemental attitude
- Carrying out tasks responsibly and ethically
What will happen when I phone an organisation where I would like to volunteer?
Most organisations will ask a potential volunteer to come in at a particular time to discuss the proposed voluntary activity. Some organisations will ask some personal details (name, address, phone number) over the phone first and/or send out an 'intake' form. Other organisations will invite the volunteer to attend a one-on-one meeting or to attend some form of group induction or training.
After the initial meeting, a volunteer is normally be assigned a mutually agreed upon task. Sometimes training is offered before commencement, at other times training may be ‘on the job.’
Can volunteering lead to paid employment?
Volunteering may in some instances lead to paid employment. All volunteers benefit from the skills gained while volunteering. Volunteers benefit from the opportunity to gain or maintain skills for work, to demonstrate motivation and dependability and to improve workplace communication.
In addition, working in an organisation allows volunteers to create a network of new contacts through which employment positions can arise and gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their professional and social skills to potential employers.
Volunteering also provides the opportunity to work as part of a team, to learn to take directions from a supervisor, to work independently and plan time efficiently and to improve communication skills –useful skills for everyone, but particularly for job seekers.
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I have been told I must attend an interview for my voluntary work and I feel nervous. Could you tell me what happens at an interview?
The purpose of an interview is to allow a Community Service Organisation (CSO) to find out enough about a prospective volunteer in order to make a selection and also to provide sufficient information to the prospective volunteer for them to decide about joining the organisation.
The interview also provides an opportunity for the prospective volunteer to ask any questions that were not covered in the Position Description. The CSO should also advise the prospective volunteer about any screening procedures that may be required, for example a police check, or the provision of personal and professional references.
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I am not happy where I am working
As in any position, paid or unpaid, situations can become uncomfortable. Normally, the first thing to do would be to let your supervisor know how you are feeling rather than just leave. It may well be possible to change your position within the organisation or work in a different part of the organisation if there is another position available.
You might find your supervisor entirely unaware that you are not happy and quite happy to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution that would enable you to remain in your position. By communicating your feelings, you may be helping future volunteers.
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Why do I have to have a Police Check and how long does it take?
It is a requirement for every volunteer and member of staff working in HACC services to have a police check before they commence their position. This is part of the organisation’s duty of care to clients and is standard practice for all organisations that use volunteers, in HACC services as well as other volunteer positions.
Police checks normally take around two to three weeks to complete so there may be some delay in starting your position. Normally the organisation you will be working with will pay for the police check and receive a certificate with your name on it when the check is completed. The certificates are non-transferable.
For further specific information about checks, contact the organisation that you will be working with
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