SOVA's Philosophy

SOVA's Philosophy on the Role of Volunteers

SOVA's primary aim is to increase the involvement of volunteers in local communities working in community safety, crime reduction and offender rehabilitation.

 

It is SOVA's vision that the people of those communities will actively seek to provide access to resources that disadvantaged and socially excluded people may use in developing their own potential in society. SOVA also seeks to provide volunteer support to other people excluded from the main stream of society.

 

SOVA believes that local communities have an essential role to play in tackling disadvantage and social exclusion; that successful rehabilitation and diversion requires support through the involvement of local people; and that public participation can reduce the fear of crime, challenge stereotypes and prejudice and promote concern and understanding.

 

 

• we endeavour to make the experience of volunteering mutually beneficial to volunteer and participant
• we support and involvement of local volunteers can assist rehabilitation and diversion
• Services for disadvantage and socially excluded groups can be improved when statutory and voluntary organizations co-operate more closely
• Public participation in the care and integration of offenders, those at risk of offending and other disadvantaged groups reduces fear of crime, challenges stereotypes and prejudice and increases community awareness and understanding

 

About SOVA volunteers…

• Bring skills, personal qualities and experience which complement those of professional staff
• Give support and assistance (within boundaries defined and under supervision) in ways that are different to paid workers
• Provide a link with local facilities which can meet the needs of disadvantaged and socially excluded groups

 

Principles of Good Practice…

 

Involvement of the community in roles with disadvantaged and socially excluded groups including offenders needs to be properly structured and managed, and should be based on the following principles of good practice:

• In the context of a partnership with statutory agencies volunteers must only undertake appropriate tasks (i.e. not undertake tasks usually carried out by paid workers)
• Volunteers provide practical and social support but must not undertake tasks for which professional training is required (e.g. counseling and legal advice)
• All members of the community must be offered an equal opportunity to volunteer regardless of creed, race, gender, ethnic background, sexuality, record of convictions*, HIV status, caring responsibilities, disability, social background or age
• All prospective volunteers must be subject to appropriate selection procedures and be selected according to the Person Spec and task list
• All prospective volunteers must be given appropriate accredited training to prepare them for the tasks they will undertake
• All volunteers must receive regular supervision with paid staff
• All volunteers must have access to structured support services (e.g. expenses, complaints procedure, advanced training, peer group support and so on)
• Staff responsible for involving and supervising volunteers must receive training, induction and support from SOVA in order to manage those volunteers effectively
• The involvement of a volunteer should empower both the volunteer and the service user and enable him/her to make decisions and changes - it should therefore be time limited and focused

 

(*Certain convictions are necessarily excluded, and in some circumstances a suitable period of time must have elapsed)

A Company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Company no: 3645143. Charity no.: 1073877 Registered office: Chichester House, 37 Brixton Road, London SW9 6DZ
April 2003 (updated March 2006)