Privacy Policy
Healthy Families Healthy Futures will ensure, that when personal information is collected directly from an individual, they are appropriately informed of the purpose for which the information is collected, the specific legal authority for the collection, and the title, business address, and business telephone number of an officer or employee of Healthy Families who can answer the individual’s questions about the collection.
Use – Healthy families will use personal information only:
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For the purpose for which the information was collected or compiled
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For a use consistent with that purpose
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With the written consent of the individual
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For a purpose for which the information may be disclosed to Healthy Families under Sections 38, 40, or 41.
Disclosure – Healthy Families will only disclose personal information as provided under Sections 38, 40, or 41 of Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Accuracy – Healthy Families will make every reasonable effort to ensure that the personal information it uses when making a decision that directly affects an individual is accurate and complete.
Retention – Healthy Families will retain for at least one year after use, an individual’s personal information that was used in making a decision that directly affected the individual.
Correction – An individual has a right, subject to very narrow exception of Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, to request correction to their personal information. Healthy Families must either make the correction or make note of the request and notify the individual of the action taken by Healthy Families. Healthy Families must also notify any other body or third party to whom the personal information has been disclosed in the year prior to the correction or notation.
Security – Healthy Families will protect personal information by making reasonable security arrangements to prevent the risk of unauthorized access, use, disclosure or destruction.
Volunteer Policy
Healthy Families Healthy Futures welcomes and values the contributions of volunteers and practicum students, and believes they are entitled to the same fair and equitable treatment as are employees. This enables HFHF to recruit and retain qualified volunteers to the organization and the communities we serve.
Policy
1. Volunteers and practicum students are expected to abide by all the policies and procedures governing the operation of HFHF. Volunteers and practicum students are not entitled to any employee benefits and entitlements through the course of their involvement in programs and services offered by HFHF.
2. The screening process for volunteers will include at least one of the following steps, depending on the volunteer’s role:
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Telephone and/or in-person interviews
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Review of statements of interest/competencies
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Review of resume
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Reference letters or reference checks
3. Where volunteers or practicum students work independently with clients, additional screening procedures will be instituted. These procedures may include a Criminal Record Check, Intervention Check, and/or Driver's Abstract.
4. Volunteers and paid staff are considered partners in implementing the mission and programs of HFHF. HFHF Supervisors will provide each of the partners with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
5. All volunteers are entitled to receive a clear and comprehensive job description at the outset of their placement. Volunteers are encouraged to make suggestions regarding job design or changes to the volunteer positions. Job descriptions specify the following:
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Positions responsibilities and reporting relationships
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Hours of work
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Qualifications
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Working conditions
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All volunteers of HFHF are required to sign a Code of Conduct and/or a Volunteer Agreement prior to beginning their assignment. Breach of confidentiality is regarded as a very serious matter and may result in termination of the volunteer's services.
6. Volunteer records are considered confidential and are kept in a secure location.
7. Volunteers are given an introduction to HFHF’s policies and procedures, orientation to the overall organization, training related to emergency procedures and training specific to the program area in which they will work and the duties they will perform.
8. HFHF is responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of volunteer work performance. Volunteers are entitled to receive constructive feedback on the performance of their work. Opportunities exist for volunteers to give feedback to the organization about their involvement.
9. HFHF will determine appropriate and meaningful recognition on an individual basis for our volunteers. HFHF will make every effort to ensure that funds are available to provide concrete recognition of the value of the volunteer services. HFHF also recognizes the intrinsic rewards of volunteering including:
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Opportunity to network
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Investment in community
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Develop and enhance professional skills
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Opportunity for personal growth
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Reference letter – upon request, HFHF will provide a letter of reference after a volunteer has satisfactorily completed a minimum of 20 volunteer hours. Volunteers who want a reference must clearly authorize HFHF to give that reference.
10. Volunteers deserve the same respect and treatment as paid staff, including the right to be protected from wrongful dismissal. In the event that a volunteer does not adhere to the principles, policies and procedures of HFHF or fails to perform his/her voluntary assignment he/she may be subject to the same disciplinary action as a staff member. (See Policy 535)
11. Volunteers are covered by HFHF’s Third Party Insurance in the event of injury in the workplace.
12. Volunteers are reimbursed for pre-approved, program specific expenses. Volunteers must submit receipts (original or scanned) and an expense claim form in order to be reimbursed. Volunteers may be paid for mileage or gas, at the discretion of HFHF.
13. Unless specifically requested, volunteers are not permitted to represent HFHF to the media or to speak on behalf of HFHF in an official capacity.
14. All volunteers will be asked to acknowledge, in writing that they have read the Human Resource Policies of HFHF and will comply with them.
15. Volunteers will sign an Oath of Confidentiality if their position makes them privy to client/organizational information that is not available to the general public.
16. Volunteers are entitled to be given clearly defined, meaningful assignments that permit them to work cooperatively with paid staff, to participate in the activities of HFHF and to receive effective supervision, feedback and recognition for work done. In return, volunteers agree to perform their assigned duties to the best of their abilities and to remain loyal to the goals and procedures of HFHF.
Complaints Policy
Health Families Healthy Futures (HFHF) is committed to creating and maintaining positive relationships with all external stakeholders, donors and partners. This policy is intended to articulate HFHF’s understanding and approach to the management of complaints throughout the organization.
Policy Statement
Definition: A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about the service, actions, or lack of action by HFHF as an organization, an employee or volunteer acting on behalf of the Association.
Examples include but are not limited to:
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Perceived failure to do something agreed upon.
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Failure to observe policy or procedures.
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Error made by a staff member/volunteer; or
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Unfair or discourteous actions/statements by staff member/volunteer.
Anyone personally affected can file a complaint and their complaint will be reviewed in accordance with this policy and in alignment with procedures.