environmental challenge organisation (singapore)

ECO Singapore Volunteer Policy known as ECO Singapore

Our Youth. Our Future.

VOLUNTEER POLICY Society Reg. No: ROS326/2002
Charity Reg. No: 1739

The Volunteer Policy outlines ECO Singapore and volunteer expectations. These
guidelines were created with the intention of providing a rewarding and productive
volunteering experience, which is of mutual benefit to both volunteers and ECO
Singapore.

1 Definition
The ECO Volunteer scheme exists to ensure that opportunities exist for any person
interested in working with ECO Singapore on a voluntary basis. Volunteers serve as
goodwill ambassadors for ECO Singapore and complement ECO Singapore in their
work. Volunteers are vital to the successful running of the organisation, and work
to help ECO Singapore achieve its objectives for no financial reward.

2 Identity
This unique identity harnesses the voice of the ECO Singapore in its clover symbol
and the spirit of the Singapore lion. ECO Volunteers, like ECO Singapore, works to
address environmental concerns in both a local and global context.

3 Mission statement

The ECO Volunteers share ECO Singapore’s Mission, which is -

To be the leading environmental body advocating sustainable lifestyle for youth,

by:
• Challenging youth of age 17-35 to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and
embrace environmental issues holistically*.
• Driving local and global environmental initiatives.
• Supporting environmental activities/initiatives as a resource platform
involving other environmental stakeholders.
*Holistic – At ECO Singapore, global environment issues are categorised into eight
areas: Agriculture, Biodiversity, Energy, Climate Change, Health & Water
Sanitation, Pollution, Population and Poverty.

4 Organisation and structure

There are three main categories of involvement for ECO Volunteers:

a. EXCO and Core Volunteers

Executive Committee (EXCO) members and the core volunteers (including

the Heads of Departments and other core individuals) are at the forefront of
all ECO Singapore activities. They oversee and administer all aspects of the
volunteer scheme, which is tasked along the ECO Singapore organisational
structure, consisting of five departments:
• Publication & Research

InQbuzz, 113 Somerset Road, National Youth Centre, #01-02 Singapore 238165
http://www.eco-singapore.org I Tel: (65) 9147 4541 I Fax: (65) 6738 1693
Registered Address: 10 Anson Road, International Plaza, #15-14 Singapore 079903
 environmental challenge organisation (singapore)
ECO Singapore Volunteer Policy known as ECO Singapore

• Forum Planning Our Youth. Our Future.

• Marketing & Communications Society Reg. No: ROS326/2002
• International Affairs Charity Reg. No: 1739
• Volunteer Management and Development

b. Volunteers
The regular volunteers form the main body of the ECO Volunteers. These
are individuals who take on a term of commitment and would like to help
ECO Singapore on an ad hoc and event- or project- basis.

c. Supporters

Supporters and other friends of the ECO Singapore are non-regular

volunteers. They may hold an interest in ECO Singapore, but do not
necessarily want to be actively involved in its activities. Supporters are
welcomed to join the mailing list and participate in special events.

5 Opportunities

a. Regular opportunities
Ongoing areas for volunteer involvement, framed within the five working
departments, are:

• Providing services in the areas of:

o computing and IT (website development, graphics design)
o artistic input (photography, video, illustrations)
o literary input (content for the web and in-house magazine, EXPRESS!
)
o outreach and education (engaging the public in roadshows,
exhibitions, talks and workshops)
o planning and organising ECO Singapore’s trademark events and the
National Youth Environment Forum
o other project-based work (join one or propose a project)
• Participating in other environmental and conservation activities (ie.
coastal cleanup, Earth Day, Clean and Green Singapore events), often in
partnership with other environmental organisations

The team at the Volunteer Development Department will work to ensure

that volunteers’ interests are addressed and aligned with ECO Singapore’s
needs.

b. Special opportunities

In addition to the usual range of volunteer activities, new opportunities may

from time to time be made available by the ECO Singapore. These will be
communicated via the various communication channels in place [Section
10].

Where there are special projects available to be undertaken by a volunteer

on a continued short-term or temporary basis, formal arrangements
(including job scope and nature of compensation) can be made between the
volunteer concerned and the ECO Singapore.

InQbuzz, 113 Somerset Road, National Youth Centre, #01-02 Singapore 238165
http://www.eco-singapore.org I Tel: (65) 9147 4541 I Fax: (65) 6738 1693
Registered Address: 10 Anson Road, International Plaza, #15-14 Singapore 079903
 environmental challenge organisation (singapore)
ECO Singapore Volunteer Policy known as ECO Singapore

Our Youth. Our Future.

6 Motivation and benefits Society Reg. No: ROS326/2002
Charity Reg. No: 1739
Volunteers will get to enjoy these privileges, and there will be
more as the scheme develops. Tokens of appreciation are
presented one-to-one or to a group, and are awarded in recognition of a
volunteer’s contribution to ECO Volunteer’ events and activities:
• ECO Singapore collar pin
• Certificates of appreciation
• Other small gifts (ECO Singapore periodicals and publications, stickers, etc.)
• EXCO members will be provided with a personalised ECO Singapore email
address
• Invitations to special talks and social events
• The chance to serve the environment in exciting ways
• Opportunities for new friendships and experiences
• A shared stake in the success of ECO Singapore

7 Recruitment and volunteer development

ECO Volunteer welcomes anyone, mainly youth aged 17 to 35, who wishes to
contribute as a regular volunteer. Most activities can be undertaken without any
previous experience.

During the Volunteer Induction Programme (VIP), assessments will be conducted

by the Volunteer Development Department to help the volunteer identify the areas
in which s/he can best help, as well as to determine the suitability of the volunteer
to his/her choice of department.

In the Volunteer Application Form (VAF), for security and administrative reasons,
all new volunteers are asked for their full names, dates of birth, contact details,
and other personal information. The volunteer profiles are held in a secure central
database and be reviewed for any necessary follow-up action. The details provided
on the VAF will also allow ECO Singapore to identify and assign volunteers with the
appropriate expertise to suitable projects.

All new volunteers are requested to sign the Terms of Engagement before they are
fully taken on board the ECO Volunteer scheme.

8 Requirements and expectations

Specialised knowledge or skills are not required for most general tasks, as on-the-
job training will be provided where necessary. All that is required of a volunteer is
passion and a genuine interest in environmental issues.

Commitment expectations are role-dependant to a certain extent, but volunteers

are expected to give as much or as little as they consider appropriate to them.
ECO Singapore expects volunteers to be realistic in their commitment; however,
once a commitment is made, ECO Singapore expects its volunteers to fulfil this
unless negotiated otherwise.

Volunteers are expected to be loyal to the values, goals and procedures of ECO
Singapore, and to:

InQbuzz, 113 Somerset Road, National Youth Centre, #01-02 Singapore 238165
http://www.eco-singapore.org I Tel: (65) 9147 4541 I Fax: (65) 6738 1693
Registered Address: 10 Anson Road, International Plaza, #15-14 Singapore 079903
 environmental challenge organisation (singapore)
ECO Singapore Volunteer Policy known as ECO Singapore

• keep confidential ECO Singapore information not in the Our Youth. Our Future.
public domain Society Reg. No: ROS326/2002
• be prompt and reliable while undertaking volunteer Charity Reg. No: 1739
assignments
• observe high standards of professional practice

Volunteer hours and activity may be logged to record the value of volunteer
efforts.

9 Expenses

Transportation to and from the ECO office and activity locations, and out-of-pocket
expenses, are not normally paid for by ECO Singapore. However, ECO Singapore
may wish to reimburse such costs in exceptional circumstances.

10 Communications

a. Website

For general updates and announcements relating to ECO Singapore. A good

starting point for recruitment or ECO Singapore-related activism: calendar
of events, mailing list subscription, volunteer application form, discussion
forums and dossier on past, current and future events.

b. Mailing list

The mailing list at volunteer@eco-singapore.org will be used to disseminate

important news to all volunteers and supporters. This is not a discussion
loop (discussions are encouraged to be held at the forums). Notices and
updates will be sent through this list. Whilst some updates will also be
posted to the website and forums, not everyone may check the website
regularly and thus this mailing list will be utilised especially for matters that
require some form of response/action.

c. Facebook

All volunteers are strongly encouraged to register for an account on the

Facebook social networking site (www.facebook.com), where a group for
ECO Singapore exists. Although not the sole means of internal
communications, Facebook allows for a high element of interactivity and
spontaneity not possible with other traditional forms of e-technology.

d. Forums

[In progress] A central virtual meeting point for all volunteers, supporters,
and members of the public. There are general chat subforums, and
subforums dedicated to each of the departments. The forums are
administered by EXCO and the Heads of Departments.

11 Support

ECO Singapore will provide ongoing support for volunteers in a variety of ways:

InQbuzz, 113 Somerset Road, National Youth Centre, #01-02 Singapore 238165
http://www.eco-singapore.org I Tel: (65) 9147 4541 I Fax: (65) 6738 1693
Registered Address: 10 Anson Road, International Plaza, #15-14 Singapore 079903
 environmental challenge organisation (singapore)
ECO Singapore Volunteer Policy known as ECO Singapore

• Volunteer Induction Programme (VIP) at the monthly ‘Buzz Our Youth. Our Future.
the Bus’ sessions for new and prospective volunteers Society Reg. No: ROS326/2002
• Regular meetings (when appropriate) between the Charity Reg. No: 1739
volunteer/s and EXCO/Heads of Deparments to discuss the
work, progress and needs of the ECO Volunteer
• Regular informal updating sessions
• Online chat and interactive sessions
• Ad hoc social events

12 Privacy policy

Personal information may have been given to ECO Singapore through the
volunteer registration process. ECO Singapore will not disclose personal
details to any third party without prior consent from the volunteer
concerned. ECO Singapore may, however, disclose volunteers’ personal
information to third parties where it is required by law, such as for law
enforcement purposes or where there is a threat to security.

13 Health and safety

Volunteers are tasked with a duty of care for themselves and others around
them. It is the responsibility of ECO Singapore to provide healthy and safe
working conditions for its volunteers, to carry out risk assessments for
activities where necessary and comply with relevant statutory
requirements. ECO Singapore and ECO Volunteers, while conducting its
activities, will do so with the least risk to the general public.

14 Renewal, monitoring and evaluation

a. Volunteers

Each volunteer term of commitment lasts for a year (two years for EXCO
members). The renewal of a volunteer term is subject to the volunteer’s
performance in his area of responsibility, and level of involvement in ECO
Singapore and other contributory activities. Volunteers will be informally
evaluated by the volunteer management team.

b. The ECO Volunteer scheme

The Volunteer Policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains

appropriate to the needs of ECO Singapore and its volunteers. Volunteers
are encouraged to contribute to this review, and comments can be emailed
in the first instance to volunteer@eco-singapore.org. The next review will
be in early June 2008 or in response to developments.

InQbuzz, 113 Somerset Road, National Youth Centre, #01-02 Singapore 238165
http://www.eco-singapore.org I Tel: (65) 9147 4541 I Fax: (65) 6738 1693
Registered Address: 10 Anson Road, International Plaza, #15-14 Singapore 079903