Volunteer Now / Volunteer Now Enterprises Ltd Complaints Procedure

Volunteer Now/Volunteer Now Enterprises Ltd (VN/VNE), values the opinion of the people and organisations that it provides a service for (Service Users).  In order to ensure that we provide a consistently high level of service provision, we will listen and respond to any complaints in relation to the way we provide a service.

If you wish to make a complaint to Volunteer Now or Volunteer Now Enterprises Ltd, please follow the guidance below.

How to Complain

If you wish to complain, you can do so:

• In person
• By telephone on 028 9023 2020
• By email to the relevant contact person or kelli.cleland@volunteernow.co.uk
• By post to Kelli Cleland, Volunteer Now, Skainos Centre, 239 Newtownards Road,  Belfast, BT4 1AF

 

You can use the complaints form if you wish, but it is not necessary.

Stages of the Complaints Procedure

Informal

We will try, wherever possible, to resolve your complaint informally.  Upon making a complaint, you may be contacted by a member of staff to obtain more information, discuss your complaint and resolve the issue if possible.  If for any reason, you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may ask for your complaint to be investigated using the formal procedure.

Formal Procedure – Stage 1

If you make a complaint using the formal complaints procedure, you will receive written confirmation within 5 working days of indicating that you want to move the complaint to the formal stage. The relevant Manager will issue a written response within 15 working days.

Formal Procedure – Stage 2

If the first response is not satisfactory, you can contact the Chief Executive within 21 days from when you receive the response in Stage 1.  They will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and investigate your complaint further. You will receive another response within 20 working days from when you make contact.

Formal Procedure – Stage 3

If the second response is not satisfactory, you can contact the Chairperson within 21 days from when you receive the response in Stage 2.  They will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and they will look into the case and make a detailed investigation.  You will receive a response within 25 working days from when they receive your complaint.

Note

You can contact the Chief Executive or the Chairperson at the above address.  If, for any reason, your complaint is going to take longer than indicated to resolve, you will receive an explanation for the delay and a new target date by which you should get a full response.

Once you receive a written response to your complaint, you will have 21 days to respond and escalate the complaint if desired.  If you do not respond within 21 days, it will be deemed that you have accepted the response given.

Taking your complaint further

If you are not satisfied with the final response from Volunteer Now, you may report the complaint to the relevant external statutory body.  Which body you report to will depend on the nature of the complaint, e.g. Charity Commission, Northern Ireland Audit Office, Equality Commission, Information Commissioner’s Office, etc.