FAQs

We're really busy - won't this be extra work? We've designed Spots of Time to reduce the amount of work it is to bring in volunteers rather than increase it!  So after the sign up process there shouldn't be any extra calls on your time.  What we do ask is that you confirm whether you can take volunteers. Then on the day take the time to welcome people, to introduce them to those they’ll be working with and to thank them when they leave. It can be nerve wracking for people to come into a new environment so it makes all the difference to make them feel at home & makes it more likely they’ll come back.

How many volunteers will I get?  All your opportunities will get posted on our site which we'll be promoting to volunteers but unfortunately we can't guarantee numbers.  What we can do is give you advice on how to get the most from our service. For instance having evening and weekend timeslots which are easier for people to fit in definitely helps,  getting a link to your profile page on local community websites is a good idea too - we can also provide downloadable posters and flyers for you to give out.

Is it free to sign up?  We wish we could make it free for organisations to sign up but we need to pay our bills. Our rates are currently £120 a year which is just £10 a month and we will send you an invoice for this through the post (not everything we do is online yet). However we are a ‘not for profit’ so all money goes into making the service better for you.  But we do want you to get a chance to try it out before we charge you

What about CRB checks?  We don’t CRB check our volunteers: we’ve double & triple checked the law and if placements are one-off or irregular and carried out in a supervised environment, then CRB checks aren’t required – in fact its illegal to require one. But it does mean that we need you to make sure that staff are present when placements are going on. We’ll also monitor volunteers to make sure that if someone becomes regular with you, that we ensure they are CRB checked.

Are volunteers insured? - We ask that you hold public liability insurance which covers volunteers. We also hold extra cover just in case but once a volunteer has booked in they

What if I need to talk to someone?  Once you've signed up we'll be in touch to talk through the service and so you have our contact details.  If you want to chat before signing up or arrange a visit then just get in touch on info@spotsoftime.org.uk