Volunteer and Work Experience Policy - Devon Partnership NHS Trust

1. Introduction
1.1. Devon Partnership NHS Trust is the major provider of mental health, substance misuse and
learning disability services in Devon and serves a population of approximately 862,000
people. It works in partnership with Devon County Council and Torbay Council to provide an
integrated health and social care service for:
children and young people
adults
older people
people with drug and alcohol misuse problems
people with learning disabilities
people who need forensic and secure mental health services
2. Purpose
2.1. The purpose of this policy document is to:
Confirm Devon Partnership Trusts commitment to involving volunteers and offering work
experience
Recognise the contribution volunteers make to the Trust
Provide a basis for the expansion of volunteer and work experience involvement
Provide overall support, guidance and direction to staff and volunteers
Establish the values and standards of the Trust in its involvement with volunteers / work
experience students
Ensure decisions are made fairly
Clarify volunteer rights and status
Clarify the boundaries between staff, volunteers and work experience students
Help to ensure the ongoing quality of both the volunteering / work experience
opportunities on offer and the activities carried out by volunteers.
Set out the practical considerations for the delivery of work experience and the
structures and processes required to support the delivery of the proposed opportunities.
2.2. Volunteers will supplement the service provided rather than supplant the work of employees.
They will not be asked to carry out activities of such a nature as to deprive employees of any
component of their work that would compromise their career development or job satisfaction.
2.3. The Trust believes our relationship with our volunteers is one of mutual responsibility and
commitment, within which the Trust and volunteers both have rights and responsibilities. We
hope that volunteers will enjoy their time with us and gain from it in terms of their own
personal development.
3. Aims and Objectives
3.1. The organisation is committed to providing a work experience or volunteering opportunity for
as many individuals as possible within the policy guidelines. To achieve this it is necessary to
define the programmes - work experience and volunteering.
3.2. Work Experience Annual Programme - Is aimed at school age applicants mainly years 10
and 11, aged up to age 18. This is a generic rotational programme to gain work experience
e.g. admin, IT, HR etc outside of the clinical areas such as wards etc. This will be run
annually, where possible, for up to 5 placement students for 1 week.
3.3. Work Experience – Ad-hoc requests for placements for up to 2 weeks where the manager
agrees to supervise the student at all times. Students under 18 years of age are not
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