AGE REQUIREMENT As a general rule, volunteers must be a minimum of 14 years old; however, there are certain positions that require a volunteer to be a minimum of 16 years old. Volunteers under the age of 18 are required to have signed permission of a parent or legal guardian. Anyone interested in volunteering under the age of 14 will be approved on a case-by-case basis and will need an adult chaperone when they are volunteering. Contact the Community Engagement Manager if you are under the age of 14 and are interested in volunteering. ANNUAL UPDATE Our volunteer calendar is concurrent with the school year calendar (August-July). At the start of each new school year (August), all existing volunteers will need to re-apply for clearances with the school system. ATTENDANCE Volunteers will create a regular schedule with the Education Program Coordinator/School Business Manager at the chosen campus. Please give 2 hours' notice if you are unable to attend a scheduled volunteer shift as faculty and staff are expecting your help during your assigned times.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Information relating to the activities of UCP of Central Florida is confidential and protected from improper use or disclosure under state and federal law. Any client information, either recorded or not, which is acquired through any form of volunteer work or for the program, is considered confidential. Volunteers who disclose any confidential information regarding employees, students, clients, or other volunteers are subject to dismissal from UCP’s volunteer program.
DRESS CODE
UCP of Central Florida is a public organization and maintaining a professional appearance is important to its success.
Volunteering with Children: When volunteering in a role interacting with children, it is required that you wear closed-toed shoes, jeans/ dress pants, and t-shirts/polos.
Administrative Volunteers: When volunteering in any administrative role, please dress in business casual attire.
Event Volunteers: T-Shirts are provided for some UCP Special Events and, for those events, we Volunteer policies & Procedures request that you wear the T-Shirt for the duration of the event.
Regardless of your volunteer role, the following articles of clothing are prohibited:
Leggings
Sweat Pants
Clothing that advertises alcohol, obscenities, or other suggestive logos
Garments that expose midriff such as tube tops and crop tops
Tank tops, halter tops, or fishnet tops
DRUG-FREE CAMPUSES The use, possession or distribution of intoxicants and/or controlled substances on UCP of Central Florida property (including parking lots) is prohibited. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM UCP of Central Florida does not discriminate based on sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. UCP of Central Florida also makes reasonable accommodations for volunteers with disabilities. Fundraising UCP of Central Florida is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and relies on fundraising dollars to operate at top performance. If you or someone you know is interested in fundraising on behalf of UCP of Central Florida, please contact the Community Engagement Manager to gain permission before raising funds or requesting donations. HEALTH For the safety of our students, faculty, and staff, do not come to UCP if you are ill in any way, including a cold, sore throat, or cough. It is important to prevent the spreading of germs in a classroom environment.
INCIDENT REPORTING Any incident in which you may be injured in any way should be immediately reported to the School Administrator and the Community Engagement Manager. MANDATED REPORTING As a volunteer, you are a mandated reporter. This means that you are required to report any suspected abuse through the proper channels. Should you suspect a child is a victim of abuse or neglect, you are required to alert the teacher, who will notify you if further action is needed. NAMETAGS All volunteers will be given a nametag to be worn when you are serving with UCP of Central Florida. SAFETY Always work in the presence of UCP staff and please know the emergency procedures and exits to allow you to follow the established emergency plan. Children know to go to an adult when there is an emergency so make sure you can be that adult to help them should something go wrong. If an accident occurs, immediately inform the School Business Manager/ Education Program Coordinator and the Community Engagement Manager. Never move a child that has been involved in an accident. The UCP team member you are working with will initiate proper procedures for accidents. SMOKE-FREE CAMPUSES In compliance with the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act, the Florida Department of Education and the Department of Children and Families, no smoking is allowed on UCP property. This includes UCP campuses, parking lots, sidewalks, grassy areas, or events. SUPERVISION For the protection of all students, staff members, volunteers, and visitors, UCP of Central Florida prohibits any one-to-one interactions between an adult and child alone in any closed room or area that could be considered private. All volunteers will be supervised while on property, though the supervisor will change based on assigned tasks for that day. If you have any concerns regarding your supervisor, please contact the Community Engagement Manager. VOLUNTEER PROTECTION ACT The Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 provides immunity from lawsuits filed against a nonprofit’s volunteer where the claim is that he or she carelessly injured another during the volunteer time. The Volunteer Protection Act is like the Good Samaritan Act. A copy of this act can be found HERE