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Creating policies and documents

Insurance

You will most likely need public liability insurance for a group of volunteers working in an environment with some risk.

Risks in the policy should be noted for

  • Chemical use
  • Working in water
  • Working with equipment including kit for testing/nets/waders/collapsible tables etc
  • Generally working in and around unstable ground/river banks 
  • Injury and contamination from pollution

Risk Assessment for each test site

Operational documentation

Depending on ‘how big’ it gets, you’ll need to formalize your operations so that both staff and volunteers know what’s going on.

  • Working with volunteers
  • Working with young volunteers and safeguarding
  • Equality and discrimination
  • Data protection, privacy and security, including website data
  • Risk assessment
  • Approach guide eg Terms of operation
  • Water testing protocols

    Training and managing volunteers

    • What your goals are
    • How to coordinate volunteers, other groups and users
    • How to train new volunteers
    • Working with stakeholders

    Managing equipment

    • Allocation of kit
    • Care and maintenance
    • Recalibration 
    • Cleaning

    Managing consumables 

    • Planning consumables use
    • Ordering consumables

    Keeping track of finances and impact

    • Monies spent on equipment and consumables
    • Providing reports and evidence of use to funders

    Examples from those who have put this into practice: coming soon!

    Updated on May 1, 2024

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