Project Work
Volunteers with CTVT engage in a variety of opportunities, for instance we supported the production of a drama-documentary film by a volunteer on homelessness; it was made with the collaboration of St Mungo’s; working with a number of local film and video creatives we shot ten programmes for the Community Channel on life and culture in Southwark. Large or small, the openings are there.
Guidelines for Volunteers
The Community TV Trust aims to promote the use of media and new media in local communities. It believes that beneficial enhancement of cross-cultural understanding results from collaboration in community-focussed ventures and sees the digital revolution in new media as affording a means towards this end. It is imperative that everyone engaging in the exercise of producing video/web programming about the local community and its residents appreciates and respects the rights of all to pursue their life, culture, religion and politics without harassment or intimidatory behaviour, either in person or through video/web media. Truth in work is the “be all and end all” . All members of staff and all volunteers are requested to observe closely this need for truth and accuracy. False representation of the facts will not be tolerated.
VOLUNTEERS & MILLENNIUM VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers are recruited either through CTVT’s project advertising or through contact with the actual Project for which the person is volunteering and for which CTVT is providing facilitating support.
INITIAL CONTACT
Potential volunteers may contact CTVT by phone or email. If by telephone, the Project Manager/CTVT Managing Trustee will explain the work of a Volunteer and send out a volunteer information pack. This will include tasks description, person specification, application form and information about the Project; the whole pack will be drawn up in relation to the individual Project with which CTVT is affiliated.
Potential volunteers return the application form, which is kept in the Volunteer section of the appropriate Project File.
When appropriate, the Project/CTVT will contact potential volunteers when the next training course is to be set up.
TRAINING
Where applicable, Millennium Volunteers must aim to attend all of the training courses that the individual Project requires. For professional volunteers there may be no need for training induction.
SELECTION
It is made clear to volunteers that attending the training courses does not automatically mean that they will be accepted to work as a volunteer. There are three stages of selection:
- All relevant checks. A decision will be made on an individual basis as to whether, for example, a criminal record precludes working for the Project. The nature of the offence(s) and the time elapsed since the offence(s) will be taken into account when making the decision. The Project Manager and/or the Managing Trustee of CTVT normally makes decisions of this nature.
- Satisfactory references.
- Satisfactory progress and attendance on the training course (attendance percentages to be fixed by the manager of the individual Project). Volunteers are expected to adhere to the basic principles and ethos of the individual Project, and demonstrate their commitment during the training course(s) by working to agreed standards.
DE-SELECTION
Should potential volunteers not reach the agreed standard, they will receive a letter detailing the reasons and be given an opportunity to speak to the Project Manager/CTVT Managing Trustee if necessary.
WORKING as a Volunteer
There is an expectation that volunteers will commit themselves to the Project for at least 100 hours after completing the training course (s). The real target is the completion of 200 hours. Volunteers may be engaged in a variety of ways according to the individual Project.
CTVT envisages that Projects will offer training/work experience to university and college Media Students, as well as to citizens and local residents of all ages who are keen to wrestle with new media technology in ways that will serve their community.
RECOGNITION
A Millennium Volunteer Certificate of Achievement will be presented to the volunteer on completion of 100 hours and 200 hours respectively.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Volunteers receive training on the Project’s confidentiality policy and procedures. They are expected to sign and abide by a confidentiality statement, such statement to be drawn up in relation to the individual CTVT Project.
SUPPORT
Volunteers receive supervision from appropriate Project staff on a regular basis. This will be from both management and professional personnel.
Volunteers will not be left without adequate support while on Project matters. Professional staff will always be available to support volunteers.
CTVT’s Millennium Volunteers engaged on the same or different Projects will have opportunities to meet with each other on a regular basis.
The Project Manager is responsible for the organisation and the utilisation of volunteers. A Volunteer lacking support from a Project Manager may contact CTVT’s Managing Trustee directly to pursue grievance.
EXPENSES
The Project will pay travel expenses to the volunteer, providing they have been incurred during work on the Project’s behalf. Receipts should be presented to the Project Manager who will reimburse via the Petty Cash. If volunteers wish to use their own car for the Project’s business, they should ensure that they have adequate insurance and a valid MOT certificate and Road Tax. The Project Manager must see the original documents before approving use of private cars. The equivalent of public transport fares will be reimbursed to volunteers.
SENIOR PERSONNEL
CHRIS HAYDON – FOUNDER DIRECTOR & MANAGING TRUSTEE
“An open-access, multi-media, community TV service run as a forum for debate, the supply of information, the promotion of local initiatives, talent and needs, has a great role to play in multi-cultural, multi-faith, multi-channel C21st Britain.
Chris Haydon has twenty five years programme making experience in UK broadcast and corporate markets, in particular for LWT, Granada, C4, Thames TV. From research to directing and producing, his Factual credits include live education phone-ins, adult self-help series, access TV, local news; Documentary credits include two BAFTA & US Academy award winning films on Lord Olivier, films on Olympic athletes, Parliament, the nuclear industry, and the environment. He has adapted theatre and dance for TV, directed live sport, unconventional film drama and been series producer of the seminal, trend-setting infotainment series “O1 for London”. He has produced a number of educational DVD projects since 2007 and is currently post producing a full length documentary on shame and violence for linear and DVD release. Summer 2012 saw a series of events at Peckham’s Bold Tendencies, celebrating the ten years of activity in and around Southwark – working with young people, ex-offenders, Muslims, Travellers and Art Galleries. Chris and CTVT are looking forward to the arrival of City TV in London in 2013 as a major new outlet for community media.