Twilight Community Group is committed to ensuring effective and efficient two -way communication with and between staff, volunteers, volunteer involving organisations and associated stakeholders. To achieve this, we will: Have a clear vision and mission that enables all to understand and engage with our aims and objectives. Ensure the communications systems will only be used to achieve the organisations objectives. Provide and be provided with appropriate information to enable us to deliver a quality service to all stakeholders. Make sure policies and procedures are clearly communicated internally and externally, where appropriate. Disseminate information to inform decision making, practice and encourage a commitment to continuous quality improvement. Share information with key stakeholders.
To ensure that effective, efficient and appropriate internal and external arrangements are in place to raise awareness and increase understanding of the organisation activities among all stakeholders.
The Board/Steering Committee are responsible for ensuring that policies and procedures are in place for operational activities. Responsibility will be delegated as appropriate. All are responsible for: Promoting a culture of open and honest communication. Ensuring all relevant stakeholders are kept updated on their activities. Ensuring that information is made available to all stakeholders in a timely manner, via appropriate channels. Maintaining two-way communication and listening to feedback and comments from all stakeholders. Monitoring the effectiveness of the policy and procedures. Staff are responsible for: Ensuring good individual communication practice. Being informed and have information to be effective in their role. Taking responsibility for communicating with stakeholders. Using open two-way communications to keep colleagues and stakeholders informed. Continually measuring and evaluating communication procedures. Actively engaging with formal and informal feedback processes that provide an insight into how services might be enhanced.
To ensure that information is communicated to all external stakeholders in a timely, accurate and effective manner.
Responsibility
Board/Steering Committee, All Staff and Internal Volunteers
Procedure(s)
Consider the following:What is to be communicated? – E.g., the value of volunteering. What is the key message? – E.g., the role of the organisation in providing volunteering opportunities.When is it to be communicated? I.e., scheduled reporting.The Audience.The messenger – Who will do the communicating and why?The mechanism – How will the message be communicated? How will it be reviewed? – Was it received, understood? Did it create any interest? Was there any feedback? The methods outlined in section 1.6 may be considered.All information being distributed through local and/or national media must be approved by the appropriate authority. Any incoming queries from local or national media must be directed to senior management. Ensure all outgoing communications adhere to the branding guidelines.Any information or material that may impact the recipient(s) in any way should be checked for accuracy, relevance and consistency before being sent. All organisational documents should be up to date and reflect current practice. Distribute the information in the appropriate agreed manner.
Records
Record of Meetings, Feedback, Emails, Advertisements, Media Coverage, Promotional Material, Attendance Records.
To ensure that information is provided to and collected from stakeholders in an effective and efficient manner.
Responsibility
Board/Steering Committee, All Staff and Internal Volunteers
Procedure(s)
Board/Steering Committee members, staff and internal volunteers will have the opportunity to meet with colleagues informally during normal work activities. All are expected to attend relevant, regularly scheduled meetings.Staff, Internal Volunteer and Board/Steering committee will receive an induction – Including: vision, mission and objectives of the organisation, meeting colleagues, their role and responsibilities etc.Regularly scheduled staff meetings. Staff will be provided with information about the activities of their colleagues and updates from senior management. They will be encouraged to provide feedback on any issues arising from their activities or anything that effects their work.Regularly scheduled support and supervision meetings, including:Review of personal objectives.Review of organisational objectives.Review of any training and development needs.Annual performance review.To discuss the organisations mission and objectives and how it relates to their activities.Issues regarding the annual work plan and any updates.Any training and development needsRegularly scheduled Board/Steering Committee meetings and sub-group meetings if applicable. Note: Records of all formal meetings must be maintained.
To ensure that information is provided to and collected from stakeholders in an effective and efficient manner.
Responsibility
Board/Steering Committee, All Staff and Internal Volunteers
Procedure(s)
2.3.1 Email All staff and internal volunteers are issued with an email address/username and password to access the organisations account. Passwords should be held securely and only shared with the manager. This email account should be accessed primarily from the office computers, however as it is cloud-based it is accessible from any internet-enabled device. Therefore, users should exercise awareness of their surroundings when using this account in public spaces.The appropriate email template including disclaimer must be used at all times.Email messages and copies should only be sent to those for whom they are relevant. When sending out emails to large groups of recipients who do not know one another, the bcc: function should be used for data protection purposes. Employees are expected to re-read an email before sending it, and pay special attention to the tone of email communications. Hasty messages sent without proper consideration can cause upset, concern or misunderstanding. Emails should not be used as a substitute for face-to-face communications or telephone contact. All staff should have a consistent organisational email signature, as per guidelines provided by the manager. Offers or contracts transmitted by email are as legally binding on the organisation as those sent on paper. Do not respond to or open emails or their attachments from sources you are not familiar with as this my compromise the systems.Your work email should not be used for personnel reasons. 2.3.2 Shared Calendars Access to the shared calendar will be made available by the manager.Regularly scheduled meetings will be included.All are expected to include their schedules i.e., when they will be out of the office and where they will be. Note: Email and shared calendars are considered formal documentation.
To ensure the effective, efficient and appropriate use of social media and IT to meet our objectives.
Responsibility
Board/Steering Committee, All Staff and Internal Volunteers
Procedure(s)
2.4.1 Social Media Platforms Only authorised personnel may contribute to the organisation’s social media platforms.All should familiarise themselves with the code of conduct relevant to their role.When using social media platforms for personnel use:Do not disclose confidential information about the organisation or any of its stakeholders.Respect your audience by refraining from any form of racial abuse or discrimination or engaging in any form of activity that would be unacceptable in the workplace.Consider the consequences of your actions, for you personally and the organisation.If you misrepresent the organisation rectify it as soon as it is brought to your attention and acknowledge the mistake. 2.4.2 Website The purpose of the organisation’s website is to provide stakeholders with accurate, up to date and relevant information about the organisation’s services and activities. The manager is responsible for ensuring:Only authorised personnel provide updates and content.The website contains up to date, accurate and relevant information. Data cleansing takes place every month.The website is exclusively used for the organisation’s purposes.The website adheres to national branding guidelines. Data protection guidelines are followed when publishing content e.g., consent for publishing photographs has been received. 2.4.3 Phone Calls All members of staff are expected to pick up the phone when it rings. The aim of the organisation is to not let the phone ring more than three times before it is picked up. When the call is answered take the details and refer to the appropriate person or take a message.All individuals should aim to return calls within 24 hours.To avoid unnecessary travel conference calls should be utilised when appropriate.
Records
Job Descriptions, Codes of Conduct, Documented Consent
To prevent the intrusion and contamination of the organisations IT systems.
Responsibility
All Staff
Procedure(s)
All computers will have anti-virus programs loaded, and there is an added firewall with Office365. In order to prevent the introduction of virus contamination into the software system the following must be observed:Staff should exercise extreme caution with emails with attachments, or from an unexpected source. Unauthorised software including public domain software, magazine cover disks/CDs or Internet/World Wide Web downloads must not be used.No software should be downloaded without permission of the manager.All software must be virus checked using standard testing procedures before being used.Staff must gain permission from the manager to use cloud-based services and password details must be shared with the manager so that files can be accessed if the employee leaves. Use of potential attack devices such as portable USB keys is prohibited, unless they are checked and deemed safe in advance of each usage. Should any staff member detect or suspect contamination they must notify the manager immediately and take steps to ensure it does not spread.
Procedures will be monitored weekly by the manager and any issues dealt with immediately, if required. Staff will have the opportunity to provide feedback at regularly scheduled meetings. Procedures will be reviewed by the manager and relevant staff members annually or sooner if required. The policy will be reviewed by the Board/Steering committee every three years, or sooner if required.
