New volunteer paperwork

How to deal with the new volunteer paperwork

The new forms are:

• Volunteer Application
• Volunteer Orienation Packet
• Court Community Service Information
• Spanish Info Form
• Adoption Program Information
• Build Program Information

Where to find them

• On the wiki under Dead trees in the Volunteer Information section, Adoption section and Build Section. They can all be printed from here. Front Desk workers should make sure that there are always printed versions available.

What to do with the new forms

• All new volunteers need the Volunteer Application and Orientation Packet. Please hand these to the volunteer before the tour and explain that they need to sign the bottom of the application once they have read the packet. The Volunteer Application must be turned in to us, entered into the database and filed. The Volunteer Orientation Packet is to stay with the new volunteer.
• Once volunteers have decided which program they will be partipating in, they should either be given the Adoption Program Information or the Build Program Information.

Scenarios that will require more action

• The volunteer is completing community service hours for court
  • If this is the case they are to be directed to the Free Geek community service liaison.
• The volunteer is not legally able to be around children
  • If this is the case they are not able to volunteer at Free Geek due to the fact that children volunteer here. Get a staff member to handle this situation.
• The volunteer has a restraining order against them
  • If this is the case we must make sure that the other party in the restraining order does not volunteer here. Get a staff member to handle this situation. Free Geek cannot accept volunteers who have a restraining order for someone who does or may, possibly, volunteer at Free Geek. As we have volunteers from much of the greater community, anyone who lives within ~40 miles of Free Geek would qualify as a possible volunteer.
• The volunteer does not speak English
  • We currently provide tours and information in Spanish, but a translator is needed to communicate safely with non-English-speaking volunteers when they are here for a shift. It often works to write them a note to take to a friend or relative who can translate this requirement for them. You should try to locate a staff member or other volunteer that speaks the same language as the prospective volunteer. If the prospective volunteer is Spanish-speaking, they should be given the Spanish Info Form. You can grab a staff member if you are having a difficult time communicating.
• The volunteer has a question that you can't answer
  • It is perfectly o.k. to tell a prospective volunteer that you don't know the answer to their question and you will try to find someone who does. Please do this instead of guessing.

Tips on entering volunteer data

• Make sure to include any work-related restrictions or needs to the notes section
• Include emergency contact information
• Double check your typing/spelling and check with the new volunteer if

in doubt. Names must be spelled correctly in the event someone does not know their volunteer ID #.

Why we created these new forms

• To better identify awesome skills our volunteers may want to share with us!
• To give our volunteers the information they need to be successful at Free Geek
• To help everyone to feel more comfortable at Free Geek
• to ensure we communicate our guidelines, boundaries and rules to every

new volunteer

• to create and maintain a hard copy filing system of all our volunteers
• to acquire a signature from each new volunteer, indicating they have

read and understood our Orientation Packet AND have provided true information about themselves

• To make sure Free Geek is welcoming all volunteers in an equitable fashion.