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💡 Applicable to: All
This policy takes account of the Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (England) Regulations (2013) and the National Minimum Standards for Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (Department for Education).
This policy has been approved by the OMH Board of Trustees
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Policy Statement
OMH seeks to recruit volunteers who will learn from the experience the holidays provide and will enter their adult lives with a positive attitude to disability. Volunteers are not expected to have specific experience or qualifications relevant to this type of care. However, volunteers should be at least 17 years old at the time of starting the holiday and no older than 23. The majority of applicants are expected to come from the school which hosts the holiday, however a small number will come from the local community.
New Helper Selection Process
- Year 12 and 13 pupils are informed about the holiday and are then invited to fill out and return an application form to the designated school representative
- References will then be called for all applicants as set out below to gauge suitability for the position
- To ensure proportionate cover on the holiday and to maintain experience the following allocation is normally reached for a holiday of 40 children (or pro rata for a smaller holiday):
- 13 new male helpers
- 13 new female helpers
- 13 experienced male helpers
- 13 experienced female helpers
- If there is an excess of applicants for any of the allocations as set out above, a selection process will take place based on references as set out below.
- Applicants who are not successful are invited to apply again the following year
New Helper Application Form and Reference Tracks
All new helpers are invited to fill out and return an application form, including employment history and details of any gaps in employment. New helpers are asked to write a short statement (no more than 200 words) detailing any relevant skills and their motivations for volunteering. OMH will call for references for all applicants. On holidays for children, the vast majority of new volunteers are current host school pupils, most will follow route 1 below. On camps for adults most volunteers will be recruited via route 2.
- For host school applicants
- One written reference by a member of staff; this member of staff will be known to the host school representative (who leads first year recruitment.) The host school representative is also typically a volunteer on the holiday.
- One written external reference known to the applicant on a personal, professional, educational or similar capacity
- For external applicants known to a current volunteer
- One written reference by the current volunteer known to the applicant
- One written external reference known to the applicant in a professional, educational or similar capacity
- For non host school applicants not known to a current volunteer
- Two external written references are requested from individuals known to the applicant in a professional, educational or similar capacity
- An informal interview will take place prior to offering a place
References for each applicant will be verified. Verification will be attempted through verbal means in the first instance or a follow up email if the former is not possible. In addition, contact details of all OMH personnel are secured before they volunteer and are kept on record in accordance with our GDPR policy. For existing OMH staff, updated employment history will be collected prior to each holiday covering at least the previous 12 months. Any follow up references required for existing staff will be considered on a case by case basis.
Pre-holiday support and meetings for new helpers:
- New volunteers are invited to a training meeting with a member of the Senior Team and the first year recruitment lead for basic training and a Q&A session. Typically a face to face session is offered and an online alternative session for those volunteers who are not pupils from the host school
- New volunteers will complete the DBS process, engaging with the DBS checker as per our standard procedures. The DBS checker is also a current Trustee of the charity
- Volunteers are supported by the senior team throughout the week and are directed to the Holiday Lead Team should they need further support.