Knowing your role

O11 - Volunteer Behaviour Policy

The way Volunteers behave in their relationship with a Young Person affects the safety and development of the Young Person as well as their own sustainability in the role. Big Brothers Big Sisters aims to model healthy, positive, and appropriate interactions between adults and young people at all times. Volunteers should also be mindful that they represent Big Brothers Big Sisters and, as such must always act in accordance with the aims, objectives, and values of the organisation.

A volunteer agreement will be signed by the Volunteer at the start of their mentoring and every subsequent year. The agreement will require adherence to the Code of Conduct.

Some actions and approaches can threaten the longevity and effectiveness of Volunteers’ mentoring. Coordinators should take notice of the following behaviours of Volunteers and alert the Volunteer to the dangers these actions pose:

• ‘Rescuing’ or ‘over-investing’ behaviours – where Volunteers become too involved in the life of the Young Person or their whānau, often in response to observed needs of either the Young Person or their whānau. Mentoring sessions should be low or no cost activities and no more than 4 hours a week unless permission is gained from the Coordinator for longer sessions. Volunteers should consult their Coordinator, adhere to the Volunteer Gift Giving Policy and show caution when considering giving, donating or offering non-mentoring support to the Young Person or their whānau, given the power imbalance this can create.

• Close minded thinking, especially regarding culture, gender, sexuality, and religion, with an intention to promote or act from those views in the mentoring context.

• Volunteers contravening any Big Brothers Big Sisters policy.

• Inconsistent contact with the Young Person.  Weekly contact is recommended for the first year, reducing thereafter to a minimum of once a month. Where contact is less often or inconsistent, the Volunteer must have Coordinator permission or close the match.

• Inconsistent contact with the Coordinator.  Coordinators will contact Volunteers as per the Match Supervision Policy. If Volunteers do not respond for three months, the Coordinator may close the match, giving the Volunteer at least one week’s notice of their intention to close the match.

• Mentoring in the Volunteer’s home leaves the Volunteer vulnerable to allegations of inappropriate behaviour, especially when the Volunteer is home alone with the Young Person. Volunteers are therefore encouraged to use public settings for their mentoring to protect themselves from such allegations.

Volunteers who are observed displaying the following behaviours will be immediately suspended from mentoring, pending an investigation into the incident.

• Unwelcome physical contact, such as inappropriate touching, patting, pinching, punching, and physical assault or sexual contact of any kind.

• Unwelcome physical, verbal, visual, or behavioural mannerisms or conduct that denigrates, shows hostility, or aversion toward any individual especially toward a member(s) of the Young person’s family.

• Demeaning or exploitive behaviour of either a sexual or nonsexual nature, including threats of such behaviour.

• Display of demeaning, suggestive, or pornographic material.

• Sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, or neglect.

• Use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs before or during match activities.

• Driving when disqualified or under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances.[1]

Mentoring Activities

A set of risk management analyses will be made available to Volunteers for both regular activities and one-off activities that carry more risk. Volunteers must consider the dangers involved in activities and where there is any doubt, they should contact their Coordinator. This is particularly important when undertaking activities that are generally perceived as dangerous such as:

• Use of firearms.

• Outdoor adventure pursuits including rock climbing, kayaking, tramping, boating.

• Transporting a child in a non-commercial aircraft.

• Trips outside the Branch Service Delivery area.  Travel outside of Aotearoa New Zealand is not permitted.

Mentoring in the Volunteer’s Home[2]

In community-based matches, no mentoring sessions may take place in either the Volunteer or Child’s home for the first three months. Prior to the Young Person visiting the Volunteer’s home, the Coordinator must gain consent from the Parent/Caregiver and complete an assessment of the Volunteer’s home. This will assess the safety of the environment and document any risks and mitigations.

When a match transitions from School Based to Community Based or School Based Plus, it will be at the Coordinator’s discretion as to whether to enforce the three-month period as part of the transition process.

Overnight stays

Note: Please check whether your Branch has a local policy that prohibits overnight stays. If so, please disregard the following.

Overnight stays are not promoted as an everyday part of mentoring practice. This is because of the high perceived risk of allegation against the Volunteer. Volunteers should be made aware of the risks associated with overnight stays and the process their Coordinator will follow when considering and supporting an overnight stay. However, overnight stays are permitted under the following conditions:

• Overnight stays will only be approved and supported after 12 months of the match.

• The Volunteer must request permission for an overnight stay from their Coordinator.

• Proposed overnight stays will require that they are accompanied by another approved adult. This restriction is waived where the Young Person is 16 years of age or older AND has been matched with the same Volunteer for one year or more. 

• Details of the planned activity, including where they will be staying, and a safety plan will be developed by the Volunteer and Coordinator and the Coordinator will ensure the Parent/Caregiver is given this. [3]

• In no circumstances shall an overnight stay occur outside of Aotearoa New Zealand.

• Written Parental/Caregiver permission is required for overnight stays.

• Overnight stays are prohibited for all solely school-based matches.

• The maximum number of consecutive nights allowed for overnight stays is three. Coordinators will monitor the frequency of overnight stays.

• Following any overnight stays, the Coordinator may follow up with the Young Person, Parent/Caregiver and Volunteer regarding the stay in a transparent and timely manner. 

Any non-compliance with service delivery requirements or unacceptable behaviour as specified but not limited to the above, will result in a warning and/or disciplinary action including suspension and/or termination from participation in the mentoring programme. The Manager/Branch Leader will lead this process.

[1] Std 9-09

[2] Std 9-04 and 16F

[3] Std 9-05