Terms and conditions / Code of conduct – Age UK Telephone Friendship Service volunteers

The following is a description of the arrangement between Age UK, and you, the volunteer, in relation to your voluntary work as a telephone befriender. We may update these Volunteer Terms and Conditions. We will provide you with prior written notice of any material updates at least thirty days in advance of the effective date.

Age UK will commit to the following Terms and Conditions:

• Provide you with training and any ongoing support and advice you might need to help develop your telephone friendship.
• Ensure you are treated fairly in an environment which does not accept discrimination, and which is sensitive to your needs.
• Resolve any problems in a fair and just manner.
• Allow you to express your feedback and feel confident that this will be acted on appropriately. Provide adequate insurance cover for you whilst undertaking voluntary work approved and authorised by us.

In return we require you to commit to the following Volunteer Terms and Conditions:

• I agree to abide by the below Terms and Conditions in full. I understand if I break any of these conditions, Age UK reserves the right to immediately end my volunteering and my calls with my friend or group.
• I will commit to volunteering for at least one year.
• I will make a weekly call to my telephone friend or group and will let you know in advance if I cannot make a call.
• I will make time to make my call to my telephone friend or group. I will make the calls free from distraction and understand I cannot make my calls while I am driving, even if I am using a hands-free system.
• I understand that if I regularly do not make or frequently cancel calls, you may end my volunteering with Age UK.
• I will let you know if my telephone friend(s) need any additional advice or support, or if I have any concerns about them. I will not contact any other organisations on behalf of my friend(s) under any circumstances.
• I will respect the confidentiality of my telephone friend(s) by not discussing them with my friends, family, or sharing any information about them on social media. I will not allow anyone else to speak with my telephone friend(s) or make my calls under any circumstances.
• I will ensure my Age UK PIN code is kept secret and stored securely. I will not share my PIN code with anyone.
• I will not give or accept gifts, gratuities or bequests from my telephone friend or their friends and family.
• I will not visit my telephone friend or exchange any personal details with them including my surname, telephone number, home or work address or email address.
• I will not contact my telephone friend through any method of communication other than the telephone calls made through Age UK. This includes connecting with them or their friends, family, or carers on social media.
• I will make you aware if my telephone friend tries to give me any of their personal details or contact me outside of the calls in any way.
• I understand I cannot have any contact with my telephone friend(s) family, friends, or carers. This applies even if my friend is no longer able to take calls.
• I will not use the calling time to provide any commercial or business products advice. I will not provide my friend with details for other organisations under any circumstances, unless this is a signpost which has been pre-approved by Age UK.
• I will show respect to my telephone friend and will not use inappropriate language or behaviour including discrimination.
• I understand when volunteering I am a representative of Age UK, and during my calls I will always abide by Age UK’s policy on diversity and inclusion. I will not use profane language or express any offensive or discriminatory views. If my telephone friend(s) express any views of this kind, I will report it to Age UK.
• I will be respectful to my telephone friend and the Age UK team and not behave inappropriately in any way on calls with my friend(s) or with the team.
• I understand that my calls are recorded and may be listened to for training, quality, and safeguarding purposes. I understand that calls may be run through a transcription tool and analysed, and an electronic copy of this will be stored securely with the call. I understand that the Telephone Friendship team may give me feedback on my calls.
• If you are volunteering through your workplace as a corporate volunteer, the following condition also applies: I will make you aware if I give notice to leave my employer or take an extended break from work. I understand that if I leave my employer, unless I choose to become a Public Volunteer with Age UK, I cannot have any further contact with my telephone friend and cannot exchange any personal details with them.