VOLUNTEER Requirements

The following requirements are essential to help all volunteers have a safe and rewarding experience. For the safety and welfare of our volunteers and the people we help, we ask for compliance with the following requirements:

Requirements:

Volunteers must be 12 years of age or older to serve. Persons under the age of 12 are ineligible for entry into the Mission. Assignments will be age appropriate, and those under 18 must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.
* Groups of youth volunteers (18 and under) must be supervised by at least one adult per every four youth, and at least 2 adults per group.

* All volunteers must pre-register for service via the online volunteer registration process a minimum of seven (7) days prior to service. If you register as a group leader and wish to add additional members to your group before service, you MUST contact the Mission for approval prior to arrival.

* Outside contact with those in our Restoration & Transformation Program and program participants must be approved and scheduled through a Program Director or other appropriate personnel.

* We want volunteers to get to know the people we help; however, be careful about being naive. Many times, people who are disadvantaged have learned to survive by becoming adept by manipulating others. Volunteers should remain on a first name basis. Do not give your last name, address, telephone number, e-mail or any other personal information to any program participants.

* Also:
* Do not give or loan money to anyone.
* Do not give rides or take anyone to your home without approval.
* Do not be alone with someone of the opposite sex.
* We are not responsible for and unable to store and secure personal belongings during your time of volunteer service. Please refrain from bringing personal bags, purses, valuables etc. when you volunteer at the Mission.
* Do not date or pursue a romantic relationship with people in our programs.
* Do not make any decisions or be involved in counseling people in our programs; instead, refer them to appropriate personnel.
* Do not wander through the building alone. All volunteers must travel at all times in pairs, one of whom must be at least 18 years old.
* Must wear wristband at all times while volunteering.
* Immediately report any accident or injury to Mission staff.
* No weapons, alcohol, tobacco or drug use is permitted on our premises.
* Do not socialize with program participants outside of the Mission environment; this includes social media.
* Do not ask personal or probing questions.
* Do not purchase items for or from program participants.

* Keep confidential all information that is obtained directly or indirectly concerning those in our programs.

* While volunteering for us, please be aware that you are coming alongside our ministry, and your behavior can help or hinder our work efforts. Please conduct yourself with good manner and kind speech.

* You must sign in when you volunteer at any facility, event or project.

* If you are concerned about the safety or well-being of any individual for any reason, please contact the person leading your volunteer/ministry assignment or the Front Desk as soon as possible.

* The Mission serves a wide variety of program participants. Some of them have been convicted of serious crimes including theft, assault, drug use, child sexual abuse, child pornography, homicide, rape, solicitation, arson, kidnapping, embezzlement, and other crimes. We operate under a policy of being clean, safe and polite, but please be aware of your surroundings and interactions while on our premises.

* Complete assignments as directed. Seek clarification if needed.

* Be punctual and conscientious. If you are unable to fulfill your commitment, notify the staff member who leads your work at least 48 hrs in advance. Often we schedule work around volunteers' availability.

* Due to the nature of our work and the volume of volunteers we host, if you are later than 15 minutes for your scheduled time of service, we will need to adjust or re-schedule your volunteer service.

Should you have any questions or concerns while volunteering, please contact the person leading your volunteer/ministry assignment or Volunteer Coordinator vol65@missiondc.org.

*Please be advised that at any given time there may or may not be convicted, known or unknown sex offenders in the building. The safety of our visitors is a priority for Central Union Mission. Therefore, if you have persons under age 18 in your volunteer group, please be advised that they must be chaperoned/accompanied at ALL TIMES by a parent or guardian while on the premises. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Deborah Chambers at dchambers@missiondc.org or 202-827-3078.

Dress Code for Volunteers

Please dress modestly when volunteering. We help a variety of men and women with various social vulnerabilities, thus it is important to observe a conservative dress code. Please comply with these guidelines while volunteering at any of our facilities or events. If you are dressed inappropriately, you may be asked to reschedule.

Long or short sleeve shirts are permitted. T-shirts are acceptable but should not contain vulgar language, sexual innuendos or advertisements for alcohol and cigarette products. Please do not wear sleeveless tops, halter tops, bare midriffs or anything tight or revealing. Shorts or skirts should be knee length or longer. For safety and health code reasons volunteers cannot wear open-toed shoes, especially in the kitchen/dining area or where food is being prepared and/or served.

Central Union Mission
65 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001 – 202.745.7118

VOLUNTEER AGREEMENT AND RELEASE

This Volunteer Agreement and Release (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into by and between Central Union Mission (the “Mission”) and the volunteer identified on the signature lines below (“Volunteer”).

1. Voluntary Participation. Volunteer acknowledges that Volunteer is volunteering to assist the Mission in the volunteer activities described below. Volunteer understands that as a volunteer, Volunteer will not be paid for any services provided by Volunteer to the Mission, that Volunteer will not be covered by any medical or other insurance coverage provided by the Mission, and that Volunteer will not be eligible for any Worker’s Compensation benefits in connection with Volunteer’s services. During volunteer service, all volunteers, and their guardians or chaperones must wear volunteer wristbands provided by the Mission.

2. Release. In consideration of the opportunity afforded Volunteer to assist the Mission, Volunteer hereby agrees that Volunteer or its assignees, heirs, guardians, and legal representatives, will not make a claim against the Mission, or any of its affiliated organizations, or either of their officers, directors or employees, for injury or death to Volunteer or damage to Volunteer’s property, however caused, arising from Volunteer’s volunteer participation. This provision applies to all minors under age 18 who are listed below.

3. Age Limitations. Volunteer understands that according to organization policy, no children under the age of 12 years old are permitted to be present in the Mission. Furthermore, any child/children (of the age of 17 years or younger) coming to the Mission must be accompanied by his or her parent or his or her parent’s designated chaperone. The parent, or said designated chaperone, must supervise respective child/children at all times, and remains responsible for activities of said child/children. Please note, the Mission serves a wide variety of program participants. Some of them have been convicted of serious crimes including theft, assault, drug use, child sexual abuse, child pornography, homicide, rape, solicitation, arson, kidnapping, embezzlement, and other crimes. We operate under a policy of being clean, safe, and polite, but please be aware of your surroundings and interactions while on our premises.

4. Video and Photo Waiver. Volunteer hereby grants the Mission and its legal representatives and assigns permission to copyright, sell, publish, and/or use in any form or forum, at any time, and without compensation, video images, words and descriptions, and photographs of me or in which Volunteer is included, in whole or in part, for advertising, trade, or any other lawful purpose whatsoever associated with the Mission. In addition, Volunteer hereby grants the right to include Volunteer’s name and association with the Mission, for the purpose of publishing Volunteer’s video images, words and descriptions and photographs. Volunteer gives consent to be filmed, written or photographed, and Volunteer hereby waives any right to inspect or approve the finished product, products of advertising, or printed matter that may be used in connection with any such picture and information or the use to which the video, words and descriptions and information may be applied. Volunteer hereby releases, discharges, and agrees to hold harmless the Mission from any liability by virtue of any blurring, distortion, alteration, optical illusion, or use in composite form as well as any publication of a photograph of Volunteer.

5. Confidentiality Obligations. As part of the volunteer activities, Volunteer understands that Volunteer may be provided with certain confidential information of the Mission. The confidential information to be disclosed by the Mission (defined as “Confidential Information”) may be in written or oral form and may include, without limitation, information relating to the Mission’s proprietary ideas, copyrights and/or trade secrets, existing and/or contemplated products and services, financial data, client information, marketing, and current or future business plans. Such information shall be treated as Confidential Information regardless of whether such information is marked “confidential.” Volunteer agrees to use the Confidential Information only for the purpose of carrying out volunteer responsibilities assigned by the Mission. Without the Mission’s prior written consent, Volunteer agrees not to disclose Confidential Information to any third party, and, if Volunteer is an organization, Volunteer agrees not to disclose Confidential Information within its own organization to its directors, officers, partners, members and/or employees. This Agreement shall not be construed as creating, conveying, transferring, granting or conferring upon Volunteer any rights, license or authority in or to the Confidential Information, except the limited right to use Confidential Information as specified herein. No license or conveyance of any intellectual property rights is granted or implied by this Agreement. If Volunteer breaches (or threaten to breach) these confidentiality provisions, then Volunteer and the Mission agree that the Mission shall have no adequate remedy at law for money damages and accordingly shall be entitled to specific performance of this Agreement in addition to any other remedy to which the Mission may be entitled, at law or in equity.

6. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the District of Columbia, and any dispute under this Agreement shall be settled in a state or federal court of competent jurisdiction in the District of Columbia.

By checking the “I Agree” box on the Volunteer Application form, Volunteer warrants that Volunteer is 18 years or older and that Volunteer has every right to contract in Volunteer’s own name in the above regard. If Volunteer is under 18 years of age, a parent or guardian, by signing below where indicated, hereby certifies that they have every right to contract on Volunteer’s behalf.