Agreed that Data Protection is important but a large well-managed old
people's home that I used to volunteer at wouldn't have functioned in the
way it did without a large pool of volunteers.
Where necessarily volunteers were subject to CRB checks.
It seems quite odd to me that whilst it might be OK for the volunteers to
work with these very vulnerable people, there seems to be more concern about
the data than the people.
Sticks and stone might break my bones but...
Volunteering is seen as a way of getting into the workforce and is strongly
supported by the Government eg see
http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charity_news/full_news.cfm?ID=18620 "Sector
affairs to be run from the Cabinet Office".
See guidance and training pack was commissioned by the Scottish Executive in
order to offer support to the voluntary sector in equipping themselves to
meet the requirements of the new Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003
http://www.crbs.org.uk/pocsa/ModuleSix/managingInformation.htm.
Nick Landau
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ian Welton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 4:52 PM
Subject: Re: [data-protection] Status of volunteer staff
> Policy should exist.
>
> My wording was insufficient.
>
> Any deterrent value of particular penalties emanating from a policy may
> well
> need to vary according to the status of a person carrying out the duties
> involved and the situation of those duties. i.e. dismissal for a
> volunteer
> is a less onerous penalty than dismissal for a paid member of staff in a
> similar way that stating to somebody who is in the process of committing
> suicide the legal penalty for attempting suicide is death.
>
> Hence a volunteer may require something like a different level of
> supervision as a means of ensuring organisational policies are correctly
> applied. If an organisation is unable to supervise efficiently or the
> volunteer works with information unsupervised then the deterrent
> mechanisms
> will probably require a different approach for volunteers. My experience
> has
> been that often the volunteer contract/agreement includes any necessary
> variations which then apply across all organisational policies, but local
> issues may affect the effective implementation or interpretation of
> volunteer agreements.
>
> Perhaps it would be worthwhile looking at charitable organisations to see
> how they manage volunteers who have unsupervised access sensitive personal
> data. Certainly they used to use various approaches in managing
> confidentiality.
>
> Ian
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection
>> issues [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tim Trent
>> Sent: 18 May 2006 14:33
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Status of volunteer staff
>>
>>
>> The issue, oddly, is not with ensuring that people obey the
>> policies, but that one has policies which may be enforced.
>>
>> It does not matter that firing Peter because he has broken
>> the policies simply stops Peter from coming to work free of
>> charge. What matters is that Peter can be fired, and that he
>> has been fired. He can thus not do it again.
>>
>> I do not think one should have any different policies for
>> type of staff member. The policy must simply be all
>> embracing, enforceable and enforced.
>>
>> Tim Trent - Consultant
>> Direct: +44(0)1344 392644 Mobile:+44(0)7710 126618
>> email: [log in to unmask]
>> Marketing Improvement Limited, Abbey House, Grenville Place,
>> Bracknell, United Kingdom, RG12 1BP
>> http://www.marketingimprovement.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection
>> issues [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ian Welton
>> Sent: 18 May 2006 11:35
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: [data-protection] Status of volunteer staff
>>
>> Bear in mind that the regular policy deterrents alone are
>> unlikely to be as effective with volunteers as with staff who
>> receive remuneration, as a consequence a need to consider if
>> different actions would be required in the case of any breach
>> of confidentiality or DP by volunteers exists. e.g. serious
>> breaches may lead to dismissal, but dismissal to a volunteer
>> may not be viewed as a serious matter.
>>
>> Regular organisational policy deterrents alone may therefore
>> seem unlikely to provide a level of data protection
>> sufficient to meet principle 7 requirements.
>>
>> All the vetting in the world could not necessarily identify
>> if a volunteer had volunteered with the specific objective of
>> obtaining some information for other uses.
>>
>> Ian
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
>> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of PETER SELENIC
>> > Sent: 17 May 2006 16:47
>> > To: [log in to unmask]
>> > Subject: Status of volunteer staff
>> >
>> >
>> > I am being asked increasingly to provide IT access to our volunteer
>> > staff, who maily operate from Student Support, and our
>> Governors (who
>> > also are "voluntary")
>> >
>> > If a volunteer where to pass on data or violate our AUP the college
>> > would place itself at risk and not be able to pursue this unless a
>> > clear commitment were to be obtained from the volunteer that they
>> > agree to abide by all the college policies whilst engaged
>> in official
>> > college activity.
>> >
>> > I am sure these individuals are vetted and of
>> un-impeachable character
>> > but whilst a possibility exists for a loophole then I think
>> that it is
>> > in the best interests of these volunteers that no ambiguity is
>> > present.
>> >
>> > There is a certain air of "regulation gone mad" on the part of my
>> > colleagues but I wonder how other institutions cover their
>> voluntary
>> > staff.
>> >
>> >
>> > Regards
>> >
>> > Peter Selenic
>> > DP Officer
>> > Epping Forest College
>> > **********************EFC disclaimer *********************
>> >
>> > This message is sent in confidence for the addressee only. It may
>> > contain confidential or sensitive information. The contents
>> are not to
>> > be disclosed to anyone other than the addressee. Unauthorised
>> > recipients are requested to preserve this confidentiality and to
>> > advise us of any errors in transmission. Thank you.
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