Response to "Union says volunteers given confidential police work"
[17 January 2007 | The Centre for Volunteering]
Lynne Dalton, CEO, The Centre for Volunteering, responds to a report from the ABC that "a union says job cuts have led to volunteers doing sensitive and confidential paperwork in police stations in New South Wales".
The CEO of The Centre for Volunteering, Lynne Dalton, takes issue with the implication by the union and the Minister for Police John Watkins, that volunteers are somehow 'lesser people' because they are not paid.
Ms Dalton said "If the Police Force is using volunteers that are not properly recruited and trained then I agree that they should not be undertaking work for which they are not qualified. However if it is assumed that they are not qualified merely because they are volunteers then I would suggest that the union has a misconception about who a volunteer is. I personally volunteer as a guest speaker for the Heart Foundation. I also have a degree in Social Science majoring in Communication. Am I unqualified because I am a volunteer?
"And Mr Watkins statement that we don't need volunteers in policing to do police work would cause me to be asking just what "volunteers in policing" means? Of course they are doing police work – that's why they are appointed.
I agree, however, that they should not be given tasks for which they have not been trained. That is a different issue to judging their ability based on their role as a volunteer. The union should also understand that volunteers are intelligent enough to understand what "confidential" means. Any well managed organisation which recruits volunteers has included in its policy portfolio undertakings about Confidentiality and Codes of Conduct. I am sure this is the case with the Police Department.
"Volunteers assist many Government Departments to deliver their services to the community. It is irresponsible for the union to make volunteers the scapegoat for any industrial issues that the union might have with the Police Department by denigrating the capabilities of volunteers. The union should be negotiating with the Police Department on which jobs are suitable for volunteers who do not have specific training and also be insisting on training for those volunteers who need specific skills.
"Recent reports suggest that the Police Force is understaffed at the moment. If the reports are true then removing volunteers from their role will not put police officers back into the job – it will merely mean the job won't get done."
Read the ABC article Union says volunteers given confidential police work.
About The Centre for Volunteering
The Centre for Volunteering is the peak body for volunteering in NSW and includes Volunteering NSW and the School of Volunteer Management. The Centre's role is to promote and support volunteering and community participation. It has been in operation for 32 years and runs the biggest volunteer referral service in the state. In addition to volunteer referral, its programs include advocacy, corporate volunteering, engaging young people through student community involvement (SCIP), research and policy, accredited and non-accredited training and information and communication.Media interviews and more information
Lynne Dalton, CEO
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Kristin Romanis, Communications Manager
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