Volunteer Agreement
1. You are a volunteer
The position of Tool Librarian at Inner West Tool Library 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, para 9).
Neither the Inner West Tool Library nor you intend any employment or contractual relationship to be created by this agreement (ie. you are not an employee, independent contractor or consultant at Inner West Tool Library). 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.
2. What you can expect when volunteering at the Inner West Tool Library
The Inner West Tool Library values its volunteers and we will endeavour to provide you with:
- a written position description so you understand your role and the tasks you are authorised to perform
- a full induction, orientation and any training necessary for the volunteer role
- a safe environment in which to perform your role
- respect for your privacy, including keeping your private information confidential
- a supervisor, so that you have the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback (see para. 4 below)
- 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 (see para. 6 below).
3. What the Inner West Tool Library asks of its volunteers:
We ask that you:
- support the Inner West Tool Library aims and objectives
- participate in all relevant induction and training programs
- only undertake duties you are authorised to perform and always operate under the direction and supervision of a nominated team member and obey reasonable directions and instructions
- understand and comply with the organisation’s policies and procedures including (Code of Conduct, clothing requirements, and IT, Internet, Email and Social Media policies)
- notify your supervisor or another team member of any health and safety issues or potentially hazardous situations that may pose a risk to you or others and report any accidents or incidents relating to staff, volunteers, or the workplace
- behave appropriately and courteously to all volunteers, members, and the public in the course of your role
- use any property or equipment given to you in your role safely and only for the 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 (e.g. hours, role) to the Inner West Tool Library at any time
- comply with the law at all times, and
- 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 the Inner West Tool Library will be the Volunteer Coordinator
(iwtlvolunteer@gmail.com). 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 the Volunteer Coordinator as soon as possible.
5. Role description and details
See Role description
Volunteers are needed to cover shifts on Saturdays 8.30am-12.30pm (Tool Library open 9am-12pm).
Shifts are about four hours long, and there is always another volunteer to help make the time fly by quickly. Many of our volunteers sign up for one shift a month, which helps share the work and keep the tool library open.
Promotion to “Tool Ninja” requires an assessment from a current Tool Ninja.
6. Insurance and liability
In New South Wales there are laws that protect volunteers in community organisations from civil liability (i.e. legal action like a negligence claim) in specific circumstances. To ensure you are protected under these laws it is important that you:
- only perform the tasks in your role description
- only perform tasks as approved and authorised by tool library team members
- report an incident as soon as it occurs
- do not engage in reckless or dishonest activities and 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 to your contact person.
7. Health and Safety
At the Inner West Tool Library volunteer safety, and the safety of everyone who is involved in our organisation, is a priority.
In New South Wales, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) (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.
The Inner West Tool Library has a duty of care to minimise risks to everyone affected by its conduct (including volunteers). It also means that as a volunteer, you 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 of the Inner West Tool Library
- to let the Inner West Tool Library know of any concerns you may have about safety and/or fitness in undertaking your role, and
- to cooperate with any reasonable policies and procedures of the Inner West Tool Library.
We will provide you with a full induction and training when you commence as a volunteer with our organisation. However, please do not hesitate to talk to the Volunteer Coordinator at any time if you have any health and safety concerns.
7.1 Maintaining a safe work area
Due to the types of equipment and nature of the work area, it is important that all benches and library areas remain clean and tidy, free of boxes, loose tools and other items. All tools and equipment have allocated spaces and should be kept in those spaces unless being tested or required for another purpose.
7.2 Personal belongings
You should make sure that your personal belongings and valuables are secure. Personal property is not covered by organisational insurance.
8. Induction and training required before you start in the volunteer role
The Inner West Tool Library 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 the Inner West Tool Library prior to commencing their volunteer position.
9. Reimbursement of Expenses
The Inner West Tool Library does not allow for volunteers to make purchases on behalf of the organisation. There should be no need for any volunteer to require any reimbursement. On the off chance this does occur, a receipt must be provided and approved by a Committee Member.
10. Intellectual Property
All intellectual property developed by volunteers during their employment with the Inner West Tool Library, including programs developed in the performance of their duties related in any way to the organisation of the Inner West Tool Library, will remain the property of the Inner West Tool Library.
Volunteers may be given access to confidential information, data, organisation property, or any other organisational related property/information in the performance of their duties. This must be protected and used only in the interests of the Inner West Tool Library.
