Penwith Volunteer Bureau is a registered charity which exists to:
Promote volunteering of all types at a local level.
Support & help develop the vast range of volunteering activity happening locally.
Promote links between agencies & organisations that provide services & support members of the local community.

We aim to.
Identify & alleviate need.
Provide practical help & support.
Initiate & support community projects.
Promote volunteering opportunities to all sections of the community.

 

Penwith Volunteer Bureau (PVB) is a local volunteer development agency which is independent non-profit making & a registered charity.

Penwith Volunteer Bureau works throughout Penwith in a number of ways:
We enable people to do voluntary work.
We contact local organisations who involve volunteers & collect information on volunteering opportunities available.
We work with organisations to develop new volunteering opportunities.
We offer advice & support to organisations seeking volunteers.
We develop our own projects in response to local needs.

Penwith Volunteer Bureau, The Penwith Centre, Parade Street, Penzance TR18 4BU.
We are managed by PCDT that also manage many other projects that support the community of West Penwith & beyond.
To see the projects that PCDT either manage or are associated with check the Links above.

PVB takes great care over the selection of volunteers & the same care over the selection of organisations that will use volunteers. The Bureau accepts its responsibility for promoting Health & safety within the organisation. The Bureau also expects volunteers to remember that their health & safety is their first priority & to act in accordance with this.

PVB sets guidelines & adheres to certain rules concerning what a volunteer can & cannot do & it expects the volunteer to work within these guidelines. Other roles are best served by those people who have been trained accordingly.

The Role of a Volunteer.

Volunteers are people who, unpaid and of their own free will, contribute their time, energy and skills to benefit people in the community. Their roles as volunteers may be various according to the types of voluntary work they undertake. Voluntary work outlines or task descriptions will be provided to volunteers to enable them to understand their roles. These will allow volunteers to see what is being asked of them during the course of their voluntary work, identify boundaries, and avoid beinf set mundane unfulfilling tasks.

A volunteer does not carry out duties concerned with personal care. The volunteer does not give advice or perform advocacy duties. Volunteers carry out voluntary work on behalf of PVB; their duties will be agreed with the PVB staff. All visits will be arranged with the volunteer co-ordinators and clients beforehand. Visits or tasks are not allowed to take place without the knowledge of the PVB staff & permission from the clients.

Training.

All volunteers will receive induction training & training for their own area of work as appropriate. Where possible, volunteers will be entitled to receive additional training on the same basis as paid staff.

Complaints Procedure.

If a volunteer has a complaint against a member of staff or another volunteer, in the first instance they should discuss the matter with their supervisor. If the supervisor is the person complained against, the matter should be referred to the PVB Manager. An appeal can be made to the Management Committee, whose decision is final.

PVB Believes that:

Volunteers should be recruited to perform tasks that match their original motivation to volunteer & not simply be referred to an agency because they want to volunteer.

Volunteers should not be used to cover work that is, or has been previously done by paid workers.

Volunteers should be referred only where staff agree to the arrangement & welcome volunteers.

Voluntary activity should be distinct from paid employment: it should compliment paid work.

Volunteers should be dealt with promptly & cheerfully.

Volunteers should be reimbursed for all out of pocket expenses.