Voices of Prahran Code of Conduct and Volunteer Agreement

Thank you very much for joining The Voices of Prahran. We’re thrilled to have you on board and greatly appreciate your support for the work of the Voices of Prahran and your ongoing support of our elected community independent representative during the election campaign(s).

We want to ensure your experience is enjoyable and positive, and that each of you feels valued and safe. Our team encourages open, respectful communication, equality, inclusion, and fun.

This Code of Conduct and Volunteer Agreement (“Agreement”) outlines our mutual commitments and the standards of behaviour and expectations for volunteers.

This Agreement does not create an employment or contractor relationship between you and us, and it may be cancelled at any time by either of us.

As a volunteer for the Voices of Prahran and subsequently for our elected community representative for Prahran, you acknowledge and agree that all duties are voluntary, and you understand you will not receive remuneration or payment for any volunteer activities. As a volunteer of Voices of Prahran and our elected community Independent, you are not an employee or contractor of Voices of Prahran.

We value our volunteers. We agree to:

• provide you with an orientation and/or training for your volunteer activities.
• provide insurance cover for the volunteer activities you are authorised to perform; and
• ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that you are not exposed to risks to your health or safety arising from our conduct.
• respect your privacy, including keeping your personal information confidential.

In return, you agree to:

•  act positively and in the best interests of the Voices of Prahran and our elected community independent.
• demonstrate honest and decent behaviour; and
• be welcoming and inclusive of all.

In your volunteer role, we require you to:

• agree to participate in orientation or training as is reasonably requested by us.
• only undertake duties you are authorised to perform, and follow reasonable directions and instructions given to you.
• notify an officer or member of Voices of Prahran 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 you become aware of relating to staff, volunteers, or the location of any volunteer activities.
• use any property or equipment of the Voices of Prahran safely and only for the purpose of volunteering and return it to us when you finish.
• behave appropriately and courteously to all staff, other volunteers and the public during your role as a volunteer.
• keep all information confidential if, in the course of your duties, you work with anyone’s personal information; and
• always comply with the law.

In Victoria, there are laws that protect volunteers in community organisations from civil liability for certain acts or omissions done in good faith while carrying out their volunteer work for a community organisation.

To ensure you are protected, you must perform voluntary community work organised by a community organisation. It is crucial that you only perform the tasks directed and supervised by the Voices of Prahran. To be protected by these laws, it is also essential that you are not affected by drugs or alcohol when you are volunteering. If you are unsure whether a task or work is authorised, please do not hesitate to talk to an officer or member of the Voices of Prahran.

The health and safety of you and others

At the Voices of Prahran, volunteer safety and the safety of everyone involved in our organisation are priorities.

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (VIC) (OHS Act) and other laws, the Voices of Prahran has a duty of care to minimise risks to everyone affected by its conduct (including paid employees and volunteers).

As a volunteer, you have obligations too.

These include:

• cooperating with our health and safety policies and procedures.
• using any provided safety equipment and following safety instructions.
• taking reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and others; and
• reporting any hazards, incidents, or injuries to the appropriate person within the Voices of Prahran.

When carrying out your volunteer activities, you agree to comply with all public health orders, Government public health guidelines, all laws, and reasonable directions from the Voices of Prahran staff, campaign supervisors and volunteer supervisors.

You should not attend any activity if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the previous 7 days.

Insurance

We are committed to providing adequate insurance cover for volunteers while carrying out volunteering roles that have been approved and authorised by us.
Voices of Prahran maintains Volunteer Insurance, Public Liability Insurance, and Management Liability Insurance. Insured persons include all voluntary workers.
You acknowledge that the following events are unlikely to be covered by our insurance:

• actions that are beyond the scope of your volunteer role, or that occur without appropriate authority or permission from us.
• criminal activity (including criminal charges arising out of driving incidents).
• dishonest or reckless activities; and
• where loss results from self-inflicted injury, the use of alcohol or drugs, mental illness, pregnancy and childbirth, or a pre-existing condition.

Intellectual Property and Confidential Information

All volunteers for the Voices of Prahran and/or the elected Community Candidate agree to transfer all intellectual property rights and interests (including copyright) in any content or materials they create as part of their volunteer services to the Voices of Prahran. You therefore agree to do anything reasonably required by us to transfer any intellectual property created during your volunteer services to us.

As a volunteer, you also agree not to bring any claim for infringement of your moral rights in respect of the use by us of any content or material created by you while
providing volunteer services to us.

You may be given access to the Vices of Prahran confidential information during your volunteering. The voices of Prahran confidential information includes the personal information of the Voices of Prahran staff, other volunteers and members of the public, information about the campaign strategy, and any other information identified as confidential, or which is by its nature confidential. You agree not to copy, retain, use or disclose any confidential information for any purpose other than the proper discharge of your duties as a volunteer of the Voices of Prahran.

Privacy

We are committed to ensuring the privacy and security of your Personal Information.
This policy outlines our ongoing obligations and responsibilities in managing and safeguarding your Personal Information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) as set forth in the Privacy Act (1988).
The APPs serve as guidelines for collecting, using, disclosing, storing, securing, and disposing of Personal Information. We adhere to these principles to maintain the
confidentiality and integrity of your information.
You have the right to obtain a copy of the APPs, and you can access them on the website of The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at
www.oaic.gov.au.
Personal Information, as defined by the Privacy Act, refers to any information or opinion that identifies an individual. It includes details such as names, addresses, email addresses, and phone and facsimile numbers. We collect Personal Information through various channels, including interviews, correspondence, telephone and facsimile communications, email exchanges, our website (www.voicesofprahran.org.au), your website, media and publications, publicly available sources, cookies, and third parties. Please note that we do not have control over the websites or policies of third parties.

We collect your Personal Information primarily for the purpose of organising our volunteers, campaigning and effectively representing electors. Additionally, we may use your Personal Information for secondary purposes that are closely related to the primary purpose and align with your reasonable expectations.

If you wish to unsubscribe from our mailing lists, you can do so at any time by contacting us in writing. We respect your privacy preferences and will honour your
request promptly.

Sensitive Information, as defined by the Privacy Act, includes details or opinions regarding racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union or professional body, criminal record, or health information. We handle sensitive information with utmost care and confidentiality. It will only be used for the primary purpose for which it was obtained, for a secondary purpose directly related to the primary purpose, with your consent, or as required or authorised by law.

While we endeavour to collect Personal Information directly from you, there may be circumstances where third parties provide us with information. If you prefer that we do not collect information from third parties, you have the option to unsubscribe from our mailing lists.

We may disclose your Personal Information in situations where it is required or authorised by law, or when you have given your consent to such disclosure, including sharing information with entities like the Australian Electoral Commission.

To ensure the security of your Personal Information, we endeavour to store it in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. When your Personal Information is no longer necessary for its intended purpose, we take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently deidentify it. However, certain legal requirements may necessitate retaining your information for a period as prescribed by law.

You have the right to access the Personal Information we hold about you and make updates or corrections to it, subject to some exceptions. To exercise this right, please contact us in writing. For security purposes, we may request identification before providing you with the requested information.

We are committed to maintaining the accuracy, completeness, and up-to-date nature of your Personal Information. If you find that the information we have is incorrect or outdated, please notify us in writing so that we can promptly update our records.

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints regarding our Privacy Policy or our handling of Personal Information, please contact us using our contact form. We will address your inquiries and endeavour to resolve any issues in a timely and satisfactory manner.

Photo Consent

If you pose for a photo or video while carrying out your volunteer activities, you agree with it being used for the purposes of marketing and promoting the Voice of Prahran and our election community candidate. This may include the use of your image in printed and digital marketing and on social media platforms.
If you do not consent to the use of your image in any material, please notify us as soon as possible in writing using this form.

This Agreement

By completing your contact details and submitting your registration form you acknowledge that you are agreeing to the terms of this Agreement.

From time to time, we may update this Agreement. If we do so, we will inform all volunteers in writing, and the updated Agreement will be easily available on our
website.

By performing any volunteer activities for us, you agree to do so in accordance with this Agreement.

Thank you for your support of the Voices of Prahran

Current as of 10 th December 2024