Terms and Conditions – Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme Volunteering
Terms in this document:
In this document, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
- “MCS” refers to Mane Chance Sanctuary which is located at Monkshatch Garden Farm, Down Lane, Compton, Surrey GU3 1DL.
- The “visitor” is the student volunteering as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award.
- “MCS staff” refers to any paid employee or contractor for MCS or any lead, experienced volunteer assisting with the delivery of the session.
Booking Procedure:
- The dates for the sessions will be agreed in advance with the community team at MCS.
- A registration form will be required to be completed prior to the start of the sessions. This form gives useful and important information to the member of MCS Staff that will be running the session, including emergency contact and health and safety information. All personal information is securely stored and will not be shared with any third party – please contact the office for a copy of our privacy policy if you would like more information.
- Further information pertaining to the sessions will be sent out prior to the sessions by MCS – this includes directions to the Sanctuary, suitable clothing and footwear requirements and specific information relevant to the type of session taking place.
Duke of Edinburgh Assessment:
- MCS will ensure that the online assessment is completed at the end of the volunteering of the visitor, provided all hours have been completed.
- It is the responsibility of the visitor to provide their ID number before the start of the sessions. Failure to do so will mean that the volunteering cannot take place.
Supply of Services:
- MCS will ensure that each session is delivered only by a pre-arranged member of MCS Staff. In the event of illness or unplanned absence, MCS will offer another member of staff for the session wherever possible but if it is not possible or it is deemed unsuitable in the best interests of the visitors concerned; the session will be postponed to a later date.
- In addition, experienced volunteers may assist the MCS staff, particularly when interaction with the horses is taking place. This involvement will be additional support with the horses to ensure that maximum safety levels are upheld at all times, and they will not act as a replacement for any member of staff in the leading of the session.
Cancelling of a session(s) by the Visitor:
- If the visitor is unable to attend for any reason, such as sickness, school trip, hospital visits, family holiday etc. then they should let MCS know as soon as possible.
- It is the responsibility of the visitor to ensure that they have attended enough of the agreed sessions to complete the hours required for their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Due to overwhelming demand for the sessions and health and safety ratios, it may not be possible to attend extra sessions if the hours have not been completed within the agreed timescale.
Cancelling of a session(s) by MCS:
- MCS reserves the right to cancel any session(s) immediately if the visitor demonstrates any aggressive or inappropriate behaviour to either a member of MCS staff, another visitor, horse or any person at the Sanctuary; or if the visitor is not able to behave in a safe manner when on site.
- No further session(s) will take place with the visitor unless appropriate measures have been taken to reduce the likelihood of any repeat behaviour.
Medical and Behavioural Information:
- Any medical or behavioural information relevant to the participation of the visitor in the session(s) must be disclosed prior to the commencement. MCS reserve the right not to accept the participation of any visitor on the grounds that any such medical or behavioural problems are not conducive to the session or if the safety of the visitor, MCS staff or any other person on site cannot be guaranteed.
Equine Contact:
- The visitor will be under the direct supervision of the MCS staff at all times when on site and with the horses. The member of MCS staff will be responsible for the safety and well-being of both the visitor and the horse during any interaction. If any behavioural situation arises during this time, it is the discretion of the member of staff to remove the visitor from the area of the horses if he/she has any concern as to the safety of either the visitor or the horse.
Safeguarding and Confidentiality:
- MCS have a detailed safeguarding policy in use at the Sanctuary which can be viewed by contacting the office.
- MCS has a designated safeguarding lead, details of whom are displayed in the kitchen area.
- All members of MCS staff and lead volunteers involved with the delivery of sessions have been trained in safeguarding and have completed DBS checking procedures.
- In addition, they are familiar with the site health and safety and fire policies.
- Any photo or video footage and all paperwork is kept in a locked cabinet/safe with access limited to the MCS staff and remains the property of the charity.
- Any disclosure of confidential information deemed necessary by the MCS designated safeguarding lead would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis taking all the circumstances into consideration. This would be done only in accordance with the recognised procedures described in the MCS Safeguarding Policy and if a situation had arisen that warranted such disclosure.
Parental/Guardian Consent:
- For visitors under 18 years of age, MCS requires the parent/guardian of the visitor to sign a parental consent declaration prior to the commencement of the session(s) – this is included on the registration form.
- If parental/guardian consent is not received prior to the commencement of the session(s), MCS may refuse to accept the visitor on the session(s) until it is received.
Clothing:
- The visitor must attend each session in suitable clothing for the time spent with the horses in the tracks and fields as well as in the indoor accommodation on site. This includes, but is not limited to stout footwear, such as boots, rather than canvas shoes, and gloves. The visitor should bring coats and jackets for outside working in cold weather conditions and also sun protection and hats for hot weather conditions.
- If the visitor arrives at the Sanctuary in clothing that is not suitable for outdoor working or that is not considered adequate for the safety of the visitor (for example, sandals or flip flops), then the visitor will not be accepted for the session and will be asked to return home.
- Hard hats will be provided by the Sanctuary to be worn whilst working with the horses. Horses are not ridden at Mane Chance Sanctuary, but the visitors may partake in grooming and/or leading the horses, for which the stated personal protection equipment will be required. Refusal of the visitor to wear such equipment will result in the visitor being excluded from the activities involving the horses. Back protectors are also available for the visitor to wear if requested.
Health and Safety:
- Risk assessments are in place, identifying risks and the control measures in place to minimise them.
- In addition, MCS have detailed health and safety and fire safety policies in use at the Sanctuary which can be viewed by contacting the office.
- MCS will ensure that there is always qualified first aiders on site whilst sessions are taking place. This includes one or more of the other staff members on duty at MCS at the time.
- MCS staff are trained in both the site fire policy and the health and safety policy; visitor will have all health and safety relevant to their time on site explained to them and will be expected to adhere to safe behaviour whilst on site.
Transport:
- It is the responsibility of the visitor to travel to and from MCS for the session(s) – free parking is provided at the Sanctuary. MCS cannot accept any liability for the safety of vehicles or contents of vehicles whilst parked on site.
Timings:
- The visitor should arrive on site on time – it will not be possible to delay the start of any session as other activities may be scheduled to take place later in the day.
Valuables, Jewellery and Lost Property:
- MCS will not be liable for any item of jewellery or valuable property (eg. electronic equipment/phones) brought to the premises by any visitor.
- MCS will not be responsible for any property left at the location by any visitor.
Smoking, Alcohol and Drugs:
- Smoking is only permitted in the designated smoking area on site which is at the bottom of the steps to the orchard, in the yard area. Smoking of cigarettes and e-cigarettes only is permitted by those legally of age to do so.
- Under no circumstances is smoking allowed away from the designated smoking area.
- Under no circumstances is alcohol or any other illegal substance permitted on MCS premises.
- Any prescribed medication required to be with any visitor must be declared to MCS prior to it being brought on site – eg. inhaler, epipen etc.
Force Majeure:
- MCS shall not be liable for any delay in performing or failure to perform any session due to any reason beyond our reasonable control including war, armed conflict, riot, act of God, civil commotion, strike, terrorist attack, malicious damage, threats to safety, compliance with any law or governmental order, rule, regulation or direction, accident, environmental contamination, pandemic outbreak of disease, fire, flood, severe weather conditions or any other act or matter which could not have been reasonably predicted or prevented.