After reading our Policies, Procedures and Terms & Conditions, an application has to be filled and submitted. This would be followed by a screening and selection process.

The Policies, Procedures and Code of Conduct are basically to guide you on how to volunteer with us. The guidelines are necessary to assist you and us in our ongoing relationship.

Confidentiality: Your data will remain confidential with Joining Hands. Information will only be shared with any NGOs on a “need to know” basis. Information that is obtained while volunteering with a NGO and which is sensitive in nature is to be treated as confidential.

Accountability: Delegated authorities from the host NGO will be responsible for supervision of your work. This is to ensure that both you and the organization benefit from the program.

Commitment: As a volunteer with Joining Hands, you are expected to honor the mutually agreed time period except in case of an illness or an emergency.

Training : A training program is conducted twice a year. Orientation to Joining Hands philosophy, policies, and procedures, precedes your placement. Sessions are held for enhancing skills and commitment levels to make the volunteering more effective and productive for all concerned.

Volunteer responsibility: You will have clearly defined responsibilities. You are not expected to bear any program cost. Any injury/health related cost incurred while volunteering will be borne by the volunteer.

Volunteer evaluation: You will be evaluated by the program coordinator as well as Joining Hands. This evaluation will help to improve the program, optimize your involvement in the assigned program, and to recognize your contribution to the program.

Volunteer complaints: Your complaints will be addressed by Joining Hands to enable a productive and positive volunteer experience.

Reimbursement: You will be reimbursed by the NGO only if prior approval has been given to meet out of pocket expenses for any particular program.

Exit policy: Minimum of one month notice will be required from a volunteer who has agreed to volunteer for six months or more. Ten days notice period may be given for any period less than six months along with the reasons for this decision.

Exit Interview: An exit interview will be conducted by the program coordinator and Joining Hands representative. This is to obtain your feedback regarding the program and volunteering experience, and to facilitate closure of that particular volunteering tenure.

Volunteer status: A volunteer will be put on an ‘active’ or ‘inactive’ list. An ‘active’ volunteer is one who is currently associated with a program. If you have completed the volunteering period you will be put on the ‘inactive’ list and will remain on Joining Hands’ mailing list for future volunteering opportunities.

Recognition: Joining Hands appreciates the time, skills, enthusiasm and energy shared by you for the benefit of communities through different programs. A commendation letter/certificate is awarded to all volunteers at the culmination of the volunteering period.

Recruitment schedule: You can begin work after attending orientation and training sessions, which will be conducted after a specific number of volunteers have enrolled. We will require a commitment from you of at least one day a week for a minimum of three months.

Selection and Placement: Volunteers are selected based on their applications and reference checks. Programs are assigned after assessing and matching your skills, experience, time availability and areas of interest with the program’s needs, keeping in view any possible language hurdles. You will be interviewed on telephone and in person by Joining Hands representatives.

Training: Training sessions are conducted for skill training and orientation to the social development sector, as well as to familiarize you with Joining Hands’ philosophies, policies, procedures and code of conduct.

Recognition: Your services are recognized through a “Certificate of Appreciation” issued by Joining Hands. Outstanding volunteers are acknowledged with the “Volunteer of the Year Award”.

As an ambassador of Joining Hands, your conduct should be exemplary and reflect positively on the organization

Respect and try to understand the diverse cultures of the people you work with

Be open to different approaches of the people you work with

Treat everyone with respect and dignity

Dress with regard to the local customs and cultures

Do not take part in any political demonstrations or illegal activities

You will be expected to conform to all the policies and procedures of the organization with which you are placed

As a volunteer, while you may offer suggestions, you are not entitled to make any alterations to management structures or administrative policies, unless permitted by the organization

All volunteers are required to be present on the days assigned to them. Please notify the organization in advance in case of absence

Misconduct, usage of drugs or alcohol & nonperformance of assigned tasks can result in termination of volunteering services

Your age should be 18 yrs or above,

A nominal placement facilitating amount has to be submitted after we confirm your placement and prior to the orientation we provide. This amount supports our volunteering program, as it ensures the continuity of our program in providing an extremely valuable service to our partner NGOs.

Payment is to be made through cheques or drafts payable to “Joining Hands”

All travel / accommodation / living expenses will be borne by the volunteer.

Refund: In case of withdrawals at any stage, after confirmation of your placement, we regret that we will not be able to make a refund as costs would have been incurred for processing the application and facilitating the placement.