1. Policy Statement
Welcome to Family Promise of Puget Sound (FPOPS)! We’re thrilled to have you join our dedicated team of volunteers. Your commitment is invaluable as we work to empower families experiencing homelessness and build a stronger, more compassionate community. This Volunteer Handbook is a key resource, outlining the policies, procedures, and expectations that guide our volunteer environment. It’s designed to provide you with essential information about your role, our shared values, and our commitment to delivering compassionate services.
2. Purpose
The purpose of this handbook is to:
* Serve as a comprehensive guide to FPOPS’s policies, procedures, and volunteer expectations.
* Provide clear and consistent information to all volunteers regarding their roles and responsibilities.
* Foster a positive, respectful, and productive environment for everyone involved with FPOPS.
* Clarify FPOPS’s commitment to ethical conduct and best practices in volunteer engagement.
* Ensure a shared understanding of our mission, values, and operational standards.
3. Scope
This handbook applies to all volunteers of Family Promise of Puget Sound, regardless of their specific role or time commitment. The general principles and guidelines contained herein apply universally to everyone contributing their time and talents to FPOPS.
4. Guiding Principles
* Clarity and Accessibility: Provide information in a clear, concise, and accessible format.
* Fairness and Consistency: Ensure that policies are applied equitably across all volunteer activities.
* Compliance: Uphold all legal requirements and ethical standards in our volunteer practices.
* Mutual Respect: Promote an environment of mutual understanding, respect, and professional conduct.
* Dynamic Resource: Acknowledge that this handbook is a living document, subject to periodic review and updates to reflect our evolving organization and the needs of those we serve.
5. Key Information: Guidelines, Not a Contract
This Volunteer Handbook is intended solely as an informational guide and is not, nor should it be construed as, a contract between Family Promise of Puget Sound and any volunteer. The policies and procedures described herein are subject to change, modification, or revocation at the sole discretion of FPOPS, with or without notice, at any time.
* Volunteer Relationship: Your relationship with Family Promise of Puget Sound is that of a volunteer. This means that either you or FPOPS may end the volunteer relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, for any lawful reason.
* Policy Updates: FPOPS reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate any policy, practice, or guideline described in this handbook at any time, with or without notice, consistent with legal requirements. Volunteers will be notified of significant changes to policies.
* Supersedes Previous Policies: This handbook supersedes all previous volunteer handbooks, manuals, and verbal or written policies that are inconsistent with its provisions.
6. Responsibilities
* Volunteers: All volunteers are responsible for reading, understanding, and adhering to the policies and procedures outlined in this handbook. If you have any questions, you are encouraged to seek clarification from your volunteer coordinator or the CEO.
* Volunteer Coordinators/Supervisors: Volunteer coordinators and supervisors are responsible for understanding and consistently applying the policies outlined in this handbook and for providing guidance to the volunteers they oversee.
* CEO/Leadership: The CEO and leadership team are responsible for the overall development, implementation, and oversight of the policies contained within this handbook, ensuring they align with FPOPS’s mission, values, and legal obligations.
7. Policy Review and Revision
This handbook and its individual policies will be reviewed annually by the CEO and Board of Directors, or more frequently as needed, to ensure they remain current, effective, and in compliance with all applicable laws and organizational practices.