Volunteer Policy | Arctic winter games

Everyone who volunteers to work for Arctic Winter Games 2016 is obliged to observe the guidelines, rights and obligations described in this policy document.

Volunteering for AWG2016
AWG2016 will be the largest event of its kind in the history of Greenland. It cannot succeed without volunteers, which means that volunteers are indispensable. The volunteers perform many important tasks and they will make an important contribution to the success of AWG2016. To ensure that volunteers have a safe working environment and that volunteers' and competitors' rights are observed, we must create appropriate conditions and procedures.

The objective of this volunteer policy is to describe what AWG2016 volunteers can expect, what is expected of them, what is to gain from the work and guidelines for working at AWG2016.

Ethical Guidelines for the AWG2016 Workforce
AWG20016 wishes to create conditions which ensure that everyone involved is committed and enjoys working for AWG2016. When working at AWG2016, it is essential that we respect one another, maintain a positive tone and adopt an appreciative approach to our co-workers.

In their work, Arctic Winter Games 2016 Host Society – volunteers, employees and board members - are subject to the following ethical guidelines:

• Confidentiality

Employees and volunteers must watch/observe confidentiality regarding information that has come into their possession during their work with AWG2016, when the information is not available for the public.

• Conflict management

Conflicts should be solved within the host society. If a conflict arises in the work of the committee, which the individual is unable to resolve on one’s own hand, the Committee Chair or the AWG2016 secretariat employee who is responsible for the area in question should be contacted for assistance.

• Equal treatment

Everyone who takes part in AWG2016 is treated equally.

• Use of AWG2016 property and name

Any items, vehicles, property or other means belonging to AWG2016 are only to be used in connection with work for AWG2016.

The AWG2016 name must not be abused in an attempt to achieve discounts in connection with the purchase of items for private use or to gain other privileges to which the volunteer/employee is not legally entitled.

It is important that everyone in the AWG2016 workforce is aware of and conforms to our ethical guidelines.

The AWG2016 Values
At AWG2016, we believe it is important that the people who volunteer to work at AWG2016 can consent to the games' set of values:

·         Community - To partake in diverse, inclusive and colourful community activities across society and the Arctic region, where everyone can be part of a meaningful project that generates joy.
·         Curiosity - We are part of the Arctic community and are curious about each other’s similarities, differences and what we can learn from each other.
·         Courage - Through sport, culture and community we find the strength and courage to develop and set new goals.

We must ensure that everyone does what they do best. Together we will create an unforgettable AWG2016.

Who can volunteer?
Anyone – regardless of gender, nationality, social background, religious conviction or disability – is encouraged to register as an AWG2016 volunteer. Volunteers of all ages with different social and professional backgrounds are already involved in the committees, which cover the preparatory phases of work leading to the staging of AWG2016. Volunteers are involved in a wide variety of work tasks and are allowed to exercise an influence on the tasks they will be assigned see "What will volunteers do". There are tasks for everyone.

Categories of Volunteers
There are several categories of people who work for AWG2016 without receiving payment from AWG2016:

• Private volunteers: Private individuals who wish to spend some of their spare time doing unpaid work for AWG2016.

• Students: Students who work for AWG2016 as part of their studies.

• Corporate volunteers: Companies who wish to exercise corporate social responsibility and who give their employees opportunities to take part in volunteer work.

• Partners: people, who, by means of their profession, take responsibility for specific tasks/areas of AWG2016 as a natural part of their work and their organisation's responsibilities. These people are regarded as partners. They work in the committees, e.g. the committee Infirmary, by dint of the work they do.

Volunteers may, however, be categorised as belonging to several groups. E.g. some corporate volunteers may also be private volunteers in their free time.

Roles
Depending on their roles and the work they do, volunteers are subdivided into different categories. These categories define what types of responsibilities the volunteer has had, how long the volunteer has been actively involved, and any skills development (training) the volunteer has received. These categories are important as they determine how AWG2016 substantiates volunteers' work after the games and how we will subsequently show appreciation to the volunteer. The four categories are:

• Chair of Committee/Co-Chair: Chairmen and Co-Chairmen of AWG2016 games committees.

• Committee members: Members of AWG2016 committees.

• Supporting volunteers: Volunteers who have provided support of some kind to the AWG2016 secretariat (but who are not associated with a committee).

• Volunteers during the games: Volunteers who work for the AWG2016 games, including in the days leading to and after the period 29 February to 16 March 2016.

Youth Volunteers
AWG2016 welcomes youth volunteers to the games so that they can experience the games at close hand. The following guidelines has been drawn up in order to protect youth volunteers:

• Age group: Youth volunteers are defined as young people who are at least 13 and at most 17 years on 29th February 2016.

• Tasks: Special guidelines will be drawn up for youth volunteers' tasks and working hours. These will be in line with official labour market guidelines and provisions for young people under the age of 18.

• Parental Consent Form: The youth volunteer's parent or guardian must submit a parental declaration of consent and the declaration of consent which all the volunteers must accept. See "Guidelines for completing and submitting certificates, records and declarations".

• Approval of youth volunteers: To ensure security for volunteers and athletes, everyone aged 15 and over must have a child protection certificate and a clean criminal record. Youth volunteers aged 15-17 years must provide written consent for AWG2016 to obtain child protection certificates and their parent/guardian must provide written consent to obtain criminal records. See "Guidelines for completing and submitting certificates, records and declarations ".

• Protection of youth volunteers: When a youth volunteer accepts work from AWG2016 committees, the committee will be aware of the age of the youth volunteer and adult volunteers will be present at all times during the shifts.

• Participation in events for volunteers: Youth volunteers are welcome to take part in any volunteer event, although there will be some restrictions associated with their age. Alcohol will not be served at AWG2016 events.

Skill Development – Training For Volunteers
Skill development is an important element in our work with volunteers. In a unique project like AWG2016, the work itself will often represent a type of individual training. However, there will very often be a need to offer training courses, etc., i.e. when we find it impossible to get volunteers with the necessary qualifications. This work will help to upgrade individual skills and society as a whole.

By the time the games are staged in 2016, AWG2016 will have held many different training courses for volunteers, including the use of a academy forum. Information about training courses will be provided and constantly updated on the AWG2016 website.

Approving Volunteers
All volunteers will be registered in the AWG2016 online database (commonly known as GEMS). Volunteers, who work for AWG2016 during the period 29 February to 16 March 2016, must have a child protection certificate and a clean criminal record. They must also wear a badge with photo while doing voluntary work for AWG2016. AWG2016 will not obtain certificates/criminal records for volunteers who work exclusively before or after AWG2016.

A step-by-step procedure for 1) volunteer registration, 2) how child protection certificates and criminal records are obtained for individuals who volunteer to work during the AWG2016 games, and 3) distribution of personal ID badges, is outlined in the following sections.

For guidelines regarding registration, distribution of consent forms for obtaining child protection certificates and criminal records, and submission of completed consent forms, see "Guidelines for completing and submitting certificates, records and declarations" and "How to register as a volunteer".

Registration
• AWG2016 volunteers register via an online registration system (called GEMS). Register as a volunteer here.

• Deadline for registration: Deadline for registration in the GEMS system is 31st of January 2016. However, volunteers are encouraged to register in good time.

• Volunteers that do not have an email: Volunteers that don’t have a email can register in writing on an enrolment form. They will subsequently be contacted or are welcome to enquire at the Volunteer Centre.

• Registering as a youth volunteer – Parental Consent Form: Once he/she is registered in GEMS, the youth volunteer's parent or guardian (link to section "Youth volunteers") must sign a Parental Consent Form and accept the declaration of consent which all volunteers must sign giving their consent for the young person to take part as a volunteer.

Criminal Records And Child Protection Certificate – Screening Volunteers
To secure the safety of participants and volunteers AWG2016 has drawn up the following procedure to ensure that volunteers during the period 29 February – 16 March 2016, have a child protection certificate and a clean criminal record.

Greenland - Procedure for obtaining Criminal Records, etc.
• After registration, individuals aged 15 years and older who wish to volunteer to work during the period 29 February – 16 March 2016, must provide written consent for AWG2016 to obtain information regarding child protection certificates and criminal records from the police.

NB: Youth volunteers aged 15-17 years must provide written consent for AWG2016 to request child protection certificates, while their parent/guardian must provide written consent to obtain criminal records on the youth volunteer's behalf. AWG2016 cannot assist in obtaining written consents from parents or guardians, but only help with guidance to fill out formulas. (See "Guidelines for completing and submitting certificates, records and declarations").

• Signed consent forms giving consent to obtain child protection certificates and criminal records will be sent regularly to the police, who will investigate whether there are associated criminal judgements. A lawyer will review the records and certificates, and develop a list with names of people to AWG2016, who are cleared to volunteer. Thus, AWG2016 will only receive information on volunteers who can pass/not pass the security clearence.

• As we may only submit consent forms for child protection certificates and criminal records to the police in the months immediately prior to AWG2016, volunteers will not be approved until just before the games. AWG2016 will receive signed consent forms from September 2015. Deadline for volunteer registration is January 31, 2016.

Processing Personal Data
The volunteers' personal data in connection with obtaining criminal records and child protection certificate will be protected as follows:

AWG2016 collects and forwards application to obtain criminal records and child protection certificate to the police. One lawyer will have access to the records and certificates received back from the police. Thus, the AWG2016 secretariat will not proceed the personal data, but only receive a list from the lawyer with names on persons who can/cannot be recognised as volunteers. Volunteers will only receive feedback on their child protection certificate or criminal record if, on the basis of these documents, they are not permitted to take part in the games as a volunteer. Volunteers are considered approved unless they are contacted by the AWG2016 secretariat.

Iqaluit - Procedure for obtaining Criminal Records, Etc. and processing Confidential Data
Specific procedures and regulations in pursuance of Canadian law will apply to volunteers in Iqaluit. To be announced.

Foreign Volunteers – Procedure for collecting Criminal Records
Persons, who want to volunteer in Iqaluit, Kangerlussuaq or Nuuk, who come from other countries than the host countries, and who are not residents in Greenland or Canada (Nunavut), must hand in documents equivalent to child protection certificates and criminal records, from their home countries. It is the responsibility of the foreign volunteer only to hand in records from their home country, and send them to screening@awg2016.gl. It is not possible for people from other countries to volunteer for AWG2016 without documenting clean records from their home country.

Residents of one of the host countries, should follow the same screening procedure as volunteers in the host country.

Volunteers from host countries who wish to become volunteers in Greenland or Nunavut

Volunteers from Greenland or Canada, who wish to do voluntary work in a host country that is not their own, must give consent to obtain criminal records in their home country.

Badges
Volunteers during the period 29 February – 16 March 2016 must wear an accreditation badge with their photo in order to gain access to the areas in which they are to do voluntary work. Volunteers must upload a photograph to the online registration system GEMS. This photo will be used on their badge. Volunteers who cannot upload a photo must write to volunteer@awg2016.gl. They will subsequently be contacted. Badges will be distributed to volunteers at the mandatory info meetings (link to intro meetings) for all volunteers in February 2016.

Intro Meetings
Everyone who will be a volunteer during the period 29 February – 16 March 2016 must attend one of the AWG2016 info meetings for volunteers, which will take place in February 2016. Invitations will be sent by email. At these meetings, volunteers will receive their uniforms and badges and important information will be given.

Appreciation of AWG2016 Volunteers
We recognise that volunteers are indispensable to the planning and staging of AWG2016. We believe that it is important to show appreciation for their work. AWG2016 has decided to show its appreciation in various ways.

Arctic Winrer Games 2016 Volunteer Uniform
The Arctic Winter Games 2016 volunteer uniform includes the following items

• AWG2016 Jacket

• AWG2016 Vest

• AWG2016 Accreditation Badge

• AWG2016 Pin

Volunteers completing the required 20 volunteer hours during the period February 29-March 16 are entitled to one (1) volunteer uniform. The uniform will be distributed during volunteer intro meetings.

Volunteers Party
After AWG2016, we will invite AWG2016 volunteers to an event to show our appreciation.

Nominations
During AWG2016 all the volunteers will be encouraged to nominate other volunteers for awards, e.g. "the biggest volunteer smile", "the most service-minded volunteer" or "the most hard-working volunteer". The winners of these accolades will be publicised and they will receive a special AWG2016 gift.

Documentation of Voluntaray Work
After the games, volunteers will receive a certificate to document that they worked as a volunteer for AWG2016. The certificate differentiates five categories of volunteer: Chair of Committee, Co-Chair of Committee, Committee Member, volunteers during AWG2016 (i.e. in the period 29 February –16 March 2016) and support volunteers. If a volunteer has attended a skills development training course(s), documentation for their achievements will be provided.

Volunteer Center
To ensure that the volunteers can perform at their best and have happy memories of having taken part, we must ensure that working conditions are good. Spaces for fellowship and networking.

The Volunteer Centre is the volunteers' headquarters. They can get information and assistance here, and they can use the centre as a place to work and meet. Ahead of the games, the committees will use the centre as a meeting place. During the games, the centre will be reserved for services for the volunteers.

Address:

AWG2016 VOLUNTEER CENTER

Kuussuaq 17, B31

3900 Nuuk

Hotline
During the games, a hotline for volunteers will be set up at the Volunteer Center. Volunteers are welcome to call if they have questions.

Information to Volunteers
Newsletter: From September 2015 AWG2016 will publish a monthly newsletter to registered volunteers. There will also be regular updates and information for volunteers on our website.

Insurance
Volunteers work at their own risk. However, in connection with voluntary work for AWG2016, volunteers are covered by public liability and worker's compensation insurance. AWG2016 will introduce a range of measures to prevent loss and injury.

Voluntary Work Guidelines
Volunteers should be aware of the following in connection with voluntary work for AWG2016:

Contact to Press and Stakeholders
AWG2016 wishes to establish widespread public awareness of AWG2016. Volunteers are therefore welcome to take part in media interviews, write study assignments on our projects, etc. If a volunteer is contacted by the media, students, etc., their statements must be coordinated with the Chair of the committee, with which they are associated. Volunteers may only express an opinion as volunteer workers who help to resolve specific tasks. This means, for example, that they may not express a political opinion and they may not make general statements on AWG2016's behalf.

If a volunteer finds conditions of any kind to be unsatisfactory, AWG2016 recommends that the volunteer informs the organisation of these conditions with a view to getting the issues resolved here and now – rather than through the media.

Duty of Confidentiality
All volunteers in AWG2016 are under a duty of confidentiality. This means that volunteers must not pass on any confidential information that has come into their possession during their work with AWG2016. Neither may they inform other volunteers or official persons of confidential information unless this is a result of the responsible execution of their respective tasks.

Finance
Chair of Committee:

CC cannot make financial transactions without the written permission from the responsible from the 2016 secretariat. The written permission for the purchase is given in the form of a Purchase Order, signed by the responsible from the secretariat or by one of the authorised persons. With CC's absence, the Co-chair with authorised power of attorney, can obtain the written permission from the responsible in the AWG2016 secretariat.

Other members of the committee and volunteers:

The other members of the committee and volunteers cannot make any financial transactions of any kind.

Expenses will not be refunded.

Immaterial rights, patents and right of use
All material that is devised for and with AWG2016 is the property of AWG2016, without AWG2016 having to provide remuneration for such, including intellectual property rights and the right to make changes to what is produced. Photography or video recordings of events or volunteers may also be used by AWG2016 for promoting, reporting, marketing and in any other respect, without volunteers opposing this or demanding payment for the use.

Expelling and dismissing Volunteers
In the case of any violation or material breach of AWG2016's rules and guidelines, statement of consent, national law or in the case of any other misconduct against AWG2016's spirit and interests, AWG2016 reserves the right to dismiss or expel a volunteer.

Contact Us
The website www.awg2016.gl provides further information for volunteers. Volunteers are also welcome to contact us by email volunteer@awg2016.gl, to call us on +299 382016 or come visit us at the volunteer center.