Volunteer Working – Insurance & Supervision
Volunteer working in Brighton & Hove’s Green Spaces – Insurance & Supervision.
The following statement has been supplied by Brighton & Hove CityParks and is aimed at clarifying insurance arrangements and the level of supervision required for volunteer working. This in support of the Council’s Volunteering Policy ‘aim to create a consistent approach to volunteering’ and its 2017 Open Spaces Strategy (section 3.7 – Volunteering).
‘Volunteers will be insured to work on council land if an appropriate council officer, or a suitably trained volunteer is in charge of the task. A first aider should be present and the work has to be agreed with the appropriate council officer. This is to ensure that appropriate risk assessments have been done and any control measures identified in them are in place. In the case where volunteers are working individually and not in a group (such as the Tidy up Team or path wardens) they will be covered if they have had suitable training and are following that training’.
Most green space volunteer groups will already meet the above requirements, with the work they are doing agreed by an appropriate council officer (eg CityParks Gardener). Many groups also now have a member who has completed the CityParks run ‘Green Space Volunteer Leadership’ training course and enjoy being able to work independently.
Groups with any questions about the statement, or who have individuals wishing to attend Volunteer Leadership training, can contact CityParks or the Green Spaces Forum.
Green spaces volunteers working with CityParks Gardener George Harris.