Welcome and thank you for deciding to volunteer with the Dear Dyslexic Foundation. Please read or listen to the following information and then click the link that the bottom of the page, if you agree to the outlined requirements below. We look forward to working with you and together we can empower young people and adults with dyslexia to reach their full potential.

 

1. You are a volunteer

The position of volunteer at the Dear Dyslexic Foundation is a volunteer position. This means that, if you accept the role, you perform all duties on a voluntary basis and you will not receive remuneration or payment for your work, other than reasonable reimbursement of expenses (see below at paragraph 9).

Neither the Dear Dyslexic Foundation nor you as a volunteer intend any employment or contractual relationship to be created note: you are not an employee, independent contractor or consultant at DDF.

If this changes at any time, and there is a possibility that you might undertake paid work for the organisation or be involved in vocational training, we will discuss this and document the arrangement in a formal employment contract, contract for services or other arrangement.

This document is not intended to be a legally binding contract between us and it may be cancelled at any time by either us or you.

2. What you can expect when volunteering at Dear Dyslexic Foundation.

The Dear Dyslexic Foundation values its volunteers and we will endeavour to provide you with:

• a verbal outline of the project
• a full induction, orientation and any training necessary for the volunteer role if required
• a safe environment in which to perform your role
• respect for your privacy, including keeping your private information confidential
• reimbursement for your reasonable expenses so you are not out-of-pocket as a result of volunteering for us (for further information see para. 9 below), and
• insurance to cover you for the volunteer duties you are authorised to perform

3. What Dear Dyslexic Foundation asks of its volunteers?

We ask that you to:

• support Dear Dyslexic’s aims and objectives
• participate in all relevant induction and training programs when required
• take reasonable care for your own health and safety
• take reasonable care to ensure you don’t affect the health and safety of others
• carry out your tasks in a safe way
• follow the reasonable work health and safety instructions given to you by the organisation you volunteer for only undertake duties you are authorised to perform and always operate under the direction and supervision of Shae Wissell and obey reasonable directions and instructions understand and comply with the organisation’s policies and procedures including:
  • equal opportunity, health and safety
  • privacy and confidentiality policies
  • behave appropriately and courteously to all staff, clients and the public in the course of your role
  • use any property or equipment given to you in your role safely and only for purpose of the role and return it to the organisation when you finish your volunteer role
  • let us know if you wish to change the nature of your contribution of hours to DD
  • comply with the law at all time
  • be open and honest in your dealings with us and let us know if we can improve our volunteer program and the support that you receive.

 

4. Contact person

Your contact person at DDF  will be Shae Wissell [email protected].  If you have any questions or concerns about your role, your health and safety, or if there is any assistance you need to help you undertake your role, please contact Shae [email protected] as soon as possible.

 

5. Volunteer Position Description

It is important that you only perform the tasks in this role description and that you follow the instructions of Shae Wissell [email protected].  In Australia there are laws that protect volunteers in community organisations from civil liability (i.e. legal action like a negligence claim) in specific circumstances.

It is therefore important that you only perform the tasks in the role description and as instructed by the organisation. To be covered by these laws it is also important that you are not affected by drugs or alcohol when you are volunteering. If you are unsure whether a particular task or work is authorised, please do not hesitate to talk Shae Wissell [email protected].

 

6. The health and safety of you and others

At DDF volunteer safety, and the safety of everyone who is involved in our organisation, is a priority.

DDF abides by the federal Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) applies to many volunteers because all organisations that engage workers on a paid basis can owe WHS duties to everyone in the organisation (including volunteers). Also, there may be other legal actions (such as negligence claims) that mean we always need to consider work health and safety issues.

 

Under the WHS Act and other laws, DDF has a duty of care to minimise risks to everyone affected by its conduct (including paid employees and volunteers).

It also means that as a volunteer, you may have WHS duties too. These include:

• to take reasonable care for your own health and safety
• to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others
• to comply with any reasonable instruction by DDF
• to let DDF know of any concerns you may have about safety and/or fitness in undertaking our role, and
• to cooperate with any reasonable policies and procedures of DDF.

We will provide you with a full induction, safety equipment and role training (insert other safety measures here) when you commence as a volunteer role) with our organisation. However, please do not hesitate to talk to your contact officer at any time if you have any health and safety concerns.

 

7. Your home as a workplace

As volunteer working from home DDF does not own, control or manage the place that you are working from. This means that DDF has limited ability to ensure your health and safety when at work. However, DDF still has a duty to ensure your health and safety that is reasonably practicable.

You need to:

• take reasonable care of your own health and safety, ensure that what you are doing for the organisation does not affect others, and
• follow the reasonable instructions and policies and procedures including the DDF Volunteering/Working from home safely and productively Guide and the Volunteer/Worker Working from home Checklist
• Report any incidents to Shae Wissell [email protected]

8. Induction and training required before you start in the volunteer role.

The Dear Dyslexic Foundation is committed to providing suitable training in support of our health and safety, discrimination and privacy policies. For this reason, it is our policy that all volunteers undertake induction and/or training at DDF prior to commencing their volunteer position.

Information we require before you can start in the volunteer role before you can commence the volunteer role, we need the following information:

• Copy of police check
• Copy licence checks

All background check information will be conducted in accordance with our ‘Background Check’ policy and our privacy policy.

 

9. Volunteer expenses and other benefits as a volunteer

The Dear Dyslexic Foundation will provide you with reimbursement for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses that you incur when performing authorised tasks associated with your role.

We do this to ensure that you are not financially disadvantaged as a result of your volunteer position with us. These payments are not remuneration or wages. You might need prior approval and will always need to produce receipts. We may sometimes provide you with other benefits as part of your volunteering role (examples include training, free food, accommodation, event entry, clothing or equipment). Where this occurs, it is on a gratuitous basis at the discretion of DDF and is not payment in lieu of salary.

10. Insurance

We are committed to providing adequate insurance cover for volunteers whilst carrying out their volunteering roles that have been approved and authorised by us. DDF has the following insurances:

• Volunteer insurance
• Public liability
• Indemnity insurance

We want to let you know that the following events are unlikely to be covered by our insurance:

• actions that are beyond the scope of your volunteer role, or that occur without appropriate authority or permission from us
• criminal activity (including criminal charges arising out of driving incidents)
• dishonest or reckless activities

 

11. Intellectual Property

All volunteers at the DDF agree to transfer all intellectual property rights and interests (including copyright) in any ideas or materials they create relating to their provision of voluntary services at the DDF to the DDF.

Volunteers are taken to consent to the use by DDF of such creations in a manner reasonably contemplated by the voluntary services provided under this document. As a volunteer, you also agree not to bring any claim for infringement of your moral rights in respect of that use.

Please sign to acknowledge that you have read this Volunteer Agreement and have had an opportunity to ask questions.

  

12. Confidentiality

Confidential Information means information of DDF or information disclosed to the Dear Dyslexic Foundation by a third party, which is not, at the time of its disclosure, access or development in the public domain, including without limitation, information with respect to the IP, commercial activities as well as grants, funding and operational activities of the Dear Dyslexic Foundation or a third party.

Sign Volunteer Agreement form