Policies & Procedures

Equal Opportunities

At the heart of or work is a commitment to voluntary/community action based on the belief that this activity and involvement are a vital part of any civilized society, allowing people to participate in and affect the workings of that society. Within that commitment, we are clear that we wish to target resources at combating disadvantage as well as encouraging voluntary/community action and volunteering generally.

We are also mindful that the voluntary sector itself is not a level playing field and that there is a need for equality issues to be addressed within our own sector and organizations as well as the statutory and private sector agencies we work with. This in turn impacts strongly on capacity building issues and the development needs of, for example, smaller Black and Minority Ethnic, Disability, Women’s and Youth groups and interests.

Finally, equality is written into HCVS’s constitution and our Charity’s objects include:

“…to promote equality of opportunity and oppose discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, culture, mental health status or disability”

As a result, all our policies, procedures and practices are a reflection of our central institutional commitment and vision.

Mission and core values

Our mission is to promote and support the development of the voluntary/community sector in Hackney and to ensure that it retains its central role in the quality of life of the Borough and contributes to its regeneration and renewal.

The White Paper, Modernizing Local Government¹ is central to the Government's programme of renewal and reform and importantly places citizens at the heart of local democracy stressing that voluntary and community organizations should be more involved in the regeneration of their areas. Equally, Preparing Community Strategies² , the government’s guidance to local authorities aims to ‘ensure that community and voluntary organizations are in a position to play a full and equal part in multi-agency partnerships on the same basis as statutory authorities and other better resourced partners’.

As well as a commitment to community action, other prime core values, which underpin our work, are:

Delivering high quality services which foster independence, self-help and empowerment.
Aiming for high standards and excellence in all our services.
Being an open, transparent and accountable CVS.
Combating disadvantage, discrimination and promoting social inclusion.
Being a listening, learning and flexible organization.
Being prepared to take risks and make mistakes.
Valuing everyone’s contribution, however small.
Ensuring that our contribution, and that of the sector as a whole, is recognized acknowledged and appropriately resourced.
A commitment to joint working and partnership wherever possible.

¹ Modern Local Government in Touch with the People (1999) White Paper. Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

² Preparing Community Strategies: guidance to local authorities (2000) Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Governance

HCVS is established as a limited company and a registered charity. It is managed by an Executive Committee, which is made up of voluntary members who are mostly directors of local organizations. The Committee has a chair and vice chair, a treasurer and a company secretary. The Executive has several sub-committees, a Finance Committee, a Personnel Committee and a Policies Committee.

As stated earlier, HCVS is a relatively young organization, its inauguration was just eight years ago and the first staff were recruited from June 1996 onwards. The Director, who reports directly to the Executive Committee, manages the organization on a day-to-day basis and is line managed by the Chair. Presently, the Director line manages all of the staff team.

Policies and procedures

HCVS has a range of policies in place which ensures that we provide a professional service to users and its staff. They are as follows:

Employment Policies and Procedures

Contract of employment
Contract for Services
Induction
Training Policy
Appraisals
Travel & Subsistence Expenses
Sick Leave
Holiday Leave
Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave
Special Leave
Disciplinary Procedure
Grievance Procedure
Redundancy Procedure

Health & Safety Policy
Personal Safety Policy
Quality Policy
Complaints Procedure
Volunteer Policy
Environmental Policy