PEMAC Volunteer Policy

Board Statement on Volunteers:

PEMAC relies on volunteers in many areas of our organization; we value the time, talents, and passions volunteers contribute to achieving of our mission, through leadership, projects, sustaining roles that ultimately serve the public. PEMAC engages skilled volunteers from diverse backgrounds to strengthen our capacity as an organization to meet the needs of the communities we are connected to. PEMAC is committed to creating a safe, and inclusive environment where the contributions of volunteers are recognized through an integrated human resources perspective.

Vision for volunteer engagement:

An innovative, diverse, member-driven network of professionals working together to promote excellence in maintenance, reliability, and asset management through volunteering.

Mission:

Ensuring PEMAC's leadership standing the field of Reliability, Maintenance and Asset Management in Canada and the world.

Objectives:

  • Contributing skills and knowledge toward the achievement of PEMAC's strategic goals and objectives
  • Enhancing member development and leadership
  • Increasing the number of volunteers engaged in PEMAC activities

 

Implementing the Volunteer Program:

PEMAC is implementing the Volunteer Program on a 'go-forward' basis with the program implementation process beginning around September 2022. The following pages follow the  'Volunteer Cycle'  (Planning, Recruitment, Selection, Orientation/On-boarding, Assignment ending/Recognition) and describe how the Volunteer Program Works and how each stakeholder in a volunteer engagement fits into the program in terms of their role. We opted to apply the formal program generally on a 'go-forward' basis, so the information provided largely applies to 'new' initiatives. As various pre-existing initiatives complete their terms/cycles, they will be formalized into the Volunteer Program. For all ongoing initiatives, the Volunteer Engagement Specialist will at least, connect to seek feedback and provide support to non-formalized initiatives pending their renewal.

Insurance Coverage:

General Liability: Applies to Board and direct service volunteers. As long as a volunteer has been screened and treated as an employee of the organization (role descriptions, screening, and supervision/support) they are covered by PEMAC’s general liability insurance. As such, all volunteers will undergo these processes in order to limit PEMAC's exposure to liability.

Volunteer roles

Board volunteers: Board members are recruited and screened by the Board’s Nominations Committee. Their role is not available through Volunteer Services.

Committee volunteers: Committee Chairs are appointed by the board. Board Appointed Roles: When a role is identified as 'Board Appointed' a role description will be created and posted via Volunteer Services, applicants will be invited to apply and will complete the appropriate screening process as described on the following page. When all candidates have been screened, the names and a brief will be submitted to the Board of Directors for review, discussion and ultimately selection of the successful candidate for that role. Once selected, the candidate will complete the assignment steps described below. Co-Chairs and Team members are recruited via Volunteer Services. This applies to positions in the Technical Leadership Council (TLC) and PEMAC operational committees. 

Chapter volunteers:Chapters assist in advancing PEMAC’s vision and mission in a specific region. Chapters have leadership roles that include, President, Vice President and Treasurer; they may also have members-at-large who assist with the work of the leadership.

Project and Initiative volunteers: Projects and initiatives have a beginning, middle and end. Projects and initiatives will either be attached to a Board Committee, a Standing Committee or a Chapter and volunteers for these will be recruited via Volunteer Services. Each project or initiative will have an Initiative Champion, a staff owner, a Team Lead and/or a Volunteer Steward. The initiative Champion stewards the entire project through the approval and planning process; they may also become the Team Lead/Volunteer Steward when the initiative moves to planning and recruitment stages (project operationalization).

Micro-Volunteers: Any team may put out a request for volunteers through Volunteer Services for a “Micro Volunteer”. Micro-volunteers complete one-off, time-limited, specific tasks.

Volunteer Eligibility:

  • Must be a PEMAC member
  • Committed to the association and its mission, values and goals
  • Must complete an online application for each role
  • Must review and understand tasks and competencies required
  • Reliable, resilient, consistent, committed, mature and flexible
  • Able to maintain strict confidentiality
  • Must abide by applicable statutes, policies and regulations
  • Must communicate regularly with stakeholders, ask and resolve questions as required
  • Must provide feedback on volunteer activities

 

Volunteer recruitment

When an initiative or project is approved following the Charter approval process, or a Committee, Chapter or Team identifies a need for volunteers, they must plan for the role, and when ready, submit a ‘Volunteer Request Form’. The Volunteer Steward will complete the Volunteer Request Form and should be conversant on the role including,

  • Date(s) volunteer(s) are needed for
  • Commitment level (hours/week)
  • Length of time of the assignment
  • Number of volunteer(s) needed
  • How the role aligns with PEMAC’s strategic goals
  • The objective of the role or committee being formed
  • What tasks the volunteer(s) will do
  • Competencies required to complete the tasks
  • Benefits of engagement in the role
  • A risk analysis for the role

 

After receiving a request Volunteer Services will use a variety of strategies for the recruitment and screening of member volunteers, including:

  • Posting on the Association’s web site;

  • Advertising in the Friday email blast;

  • Extending proactive invitations based on personal referrals of association staff members and/or other association Volunteers;

  • Promotion of opportunities at Chapter events

  • Volunteer Steward (the person who submitted the request) and/or Team lead identify applicants. They may determine that some candidates either have completed the role in the past or are known to have the qualifications for the role; these candidates will undergo a modified interview to determine their ability to commit to the project and confirm their competencies so that each volunteer has been documented as qualified. 

Screening of volunteers

Application and selection: All volunteers will submit an application to the role they are applying for and be asked to complete an interview based on their status as 'regular' or 'pre-qualified' candidate. When the interview is completed, regular volunteers will have a second conversation with the Volunteer Steward and pre-qualified volunteers will go directly to the assignment step. Regular volunters who are selected by the Volunteer Steward will also proceed to the assignment steps. Those not selected will be returned to the volunteer pool, without predjudice and another role will be sought for them. 

Assignment: Completion of the Volunteer Service Agreement (contract), review of the Volunteer Handbook, and Completion of a Conflict-of-Interest disclosure. When these are complete, the VES issues a 'Welcome' message that confirms the assignment, introduces the volunteer to their Volunteer Steward (who is cc'd on the message), and provides details about the assignment reviews (check-ins) during the first year.

Volunteer orientation and training

The Volunteer Steward is the primary support for volunteers during the assignment and they administer the operational side of the engagement with support from the VES. Onboarding and support includes,

  • A description of role for which they have been accepted and how it meets the association’s strategic goals. 
  • Performance management based on the Terms of Reference for the group and the Volunteer Service Agreement
  • Ongoing management of potential arising COI
  • Monitoring achievement of the assignment goal, objectives and tasks  - trouble-shooting where necessary
  • Respond to feedback in assignment reviews as appropriate
  • Information about practical aspects of how the team will work together, collaboration tools, file sharing, decision-making, organization and frequency of meetings etc
  • Support and supervision of the volunteer and the team more generally is outlined in the Volunteer Service agreement. Volunteer services can be contacted confidentially at any time to provide consultation, mediation and/or coaching to support the engagement of volunteers via performance management.
  • Proactive Check-in(s) by the Volunteer Engagement Specialist: At the 4 – 6 week mark, 6-month mark and annually after that to receive feedback on the role for support and statistical information.

 

Note about Volunteer Stewards: Volunteer Steward competencies should be included in the role description that applies (ie, 'Chair' role description if that applies). All Volunteer Stewards must take the 'Steward Training' to ensure they understand their role as it relates to working with the VES and volunteers and to ensure that there is some consistency in support and supervision given to volunteers during their assignments.

Reimbursement of volunteers’ expenses

Volunteers will be reimbursed for any expenses that have been pre-approved in writing in advance of them being incurred. To apply for reimbursement volunteers will fill out an Expense Claim form and submit to accounting@pemac.org together with a copy of the pre-approval email or document.

 

Ending Assignments and Recognition

 

Assignments can end in three ways:

1. The assignment tasks are completed: The Volunteer Steward wraps up the role letting team members know how they advanced PEMAC's goals and gives praise for the unique contributions of each volunteer. They also work with the VES to complete End of Assignment Reviews with the Team, and ensure that team members are formally recognized.

2. The volunteer is unable to complete the assignment: If a volunteer is unable to complete an assignment, the Volunteer Steward and VES will work to create a plan that addresses the volunteer's situation. If the volunteer still cannot complete the role, they will be asked to complete an End of Assignment Review and depending on their contribution may be considered for formal recognition. 

3. The volunteer is facing discipline or termination from the role: In rare cases where discipline or termination are possible, the VES, ED and Volunteer Steward will work together to investigate and determine how to proceed. Ultimately, the ED will make final decisions on potential remedies and manage any membership-related steps that may occur. Volunteers who are under investigation will be placed on hold pending the outcome from their assigned role(s).

Grounds for dismissal of volunteers: Volunteers may be dismissed for violating any relevant PEMAC Policies and Procedures. In most cases there will be mediation and an attempt to set a remedy before the dismissal step is taken.

Note: See Volunteer Handbook for greater detail of this content. https://www.pemac.org/members/volunteer-handbook-online