Policies

Our Diversity and Equality Statement


Candy’s Hound Rescue International is a registered Charity in England and Wales: 1179928

“Candy’s Hound Rescue International is committed to treating all people equally and with respect irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation”.

  • People will be treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability and/or age
  • At all times people’s feelings will be valued and respected. Language or humour that people find offensive will not be used, e.g. sexist or racist jokes or terminology which is derogatory to someone with a disability
  • No one will be harassed, abused or intimidated on the ground of his or her race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability or age. Incidents of harassment will be taken seriously

The Trustees will take complaints of discrimination and harassment very seriously

All complaints will be dealt with under our Complaints Policy

Our Volunteer Policy

Candy’s Hound Rescue International places great value on the involvement of volunteers in our work in various ways ranging from clerical tasks to fundraising, fostering, transport and decision making and policy setting (Trustees). Volunteers help us undertake the work we do by giving their time, skills, experience and knowledge. Our volunteers help us keep our work going by bringing a range of personalities, backgrounds, skills and experience.

This policy is intended to ensure good practice in the involvement of volunteers for our work and promote understand of the role of volunteers in the rescue.

Role of Volunteers and Task Specification

Before recruiting volunteers, Kerry Elliman will have considered the appropriateness of the role envisaged bearing in mind the following points:

  • The roles of volunteers and those of the Trustees should be distinct.
  • Work carried out by volunteers should not be such that might jeopardise the Trustees or the work of Candy’s Hound Rescue International.
  • The voluntary role must allow for job satisfaction on the part of the volunteer, as well as meeting a need.
  • Trustees and existing volunteers should be consulted on the creation of new roles for volunteers which are likely to affect them.
  • When a role for volunteers is identified and approved a role description outlining the general tasks, required skills or qualities, and conditions of service (i.e. expenses, insurance) should be available in writing.

Support

  • Kerry Elliman will provide support to individual volunteers. Clear lines of communication should be identified.
  • Kerry and the Trustees need to devote time to support volunteers, and if necessary be provided with training in relevant skills.
  • Where appropriate, additional methods of support will be used e.g. volunteer meetings, newsletters, or other tokens of appreciation.
  • Note should be taken of individual volunteers needs for support.

Induction and Training

  • All volunteers will be given an induction to Candy’s Hound Rescue International and our work, including an information pack.
  • Any training required to enable volunteers to fulfil their roles will be arranged by us.

Role in Decision Making

  • Volunteers will be consulted on any major policy or operational changes that will affect them.
  • Volunteers will be encouraged to express their opinions on our work and to develop their role if required.
  • Volunteers may be invited to attend and to speak at Trustee meetings.

Conditions

  • Volunteers will not be asked to work in conditions considered unsuitable or where the volunteer may be at risk.
  • Insurance arrangements will be made for volunteers to cover them whilst undertaking duties on behalf of us.
  • There may be occasions where out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed, usually for fosterers or those undertaking transport. These must first be authorised by Kerry Elliman or a Trustee and the correct paperwork and receipts should be submitted.
  • If a grievance arises for a volunteer which cannot satisfactorily be resolved by Kerry Elliman, it should be raised with the Trustees.
  • All volunteers should be made aware of the above rights and conditions.

Equal Opportunities

  • We rely on our volunteers to keep us going and to represent the wider community that we work with. We encourage volunteers from all sections of the community.
  • We have a Diversity and Equal Opportunities Policy which ensures that we do not unfairly exclude or discourage the involvement of potential volunteers because of:
    Class
    Race, colour, nationality or ethnic background
    Disability
    Sex or marital status
    Sexual orientation
    Unrelated criminal record
  • All volunteers should adhere to our Diversity and Equal Opportunities Statement
  • If a volunteer has a special need or disability that makes their involvement difficult, every effort will be made to involve them. An explanation will be given if this is not possible.


Data Protection Policy 

Data protection principles

Candy’s Hound Rescue International is committed to processing data in accordance with its responsibilities under the GDPR.
Article 5 of the GDPR requires that personal data shall be:

  • processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to individuals;
  • collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes; further processing for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes shall not be considered to be incompatible with the initial purposes;
  • adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed;
  • accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date; every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that personal data that are inaccurate, having regard to the purposes for which they are processed, are erased or rectified without delay;
  • kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed; personal data may be stored for longer periods insofar as the personal data will be processed solely for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes subject to implementation of the appropriate technical and organisational measures required by the GDPR in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of individuals; and
  • processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational measures.”

General provisions

  • This policy applies to all personal data processed by Candy’s Hound Rescue International
  • The Responsible Person shall take responsibility for Candy’s Hound Rescue International’s ongoing compliance with this policy.
  • This policy shall be reviewed at least annually.
  • Candy’s Hound Rescue International shall register with the Information Commissioner’s Office as an organisation that processes personal data.
    Lawful, fair and transparent processing
  • To ensure its processing of data is lawful, fair and transparent, Candy’s Hound Rescue International shall maintain a Register of Systems.
  • The Register of Systems shall be reviewed at least annually.
  • Individuals have the right to access their personal data and any such requests made to Candy’s Hound Rescue International shall be dealt with in a timely manner.

Lawful purposes

  • All data processed by Candy’s Hound Rescue International must be done on one of the following lawful bases: consent, contract, legal obligation, vital interests, public task or legitimate interests (see ICO guidance for more information).
  • Candy’s Hound Rescue International shall note the appropriate lawful basis in the Register of Systems.
  • Where consent is relied upon as a lawful basis for processing data, evidence of opt-in consent shall be kept with the personal data.
  • Where communications are sent to individuals based on their consent, the option for the individual to revoke their consent should be clearly available and systems should be in place to ensure such revocation is reflected accurately in Candy’s Hound Rescue International’s systems.

Data minimisation

  • Candy’s Hound Rescue International shall ensure that personal data are adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed.

Accuracy

  • Candy’s Hound Rescue International shall take reasonable steps to ensure personal data is accurate.
  • Where necessary for the lawful basis on which data is processed, steps shall be put in place to ensure that personal data is kept up to date.

Archiving / removal

  • To ensure that personal data is kept for no longer than necessary, Candy’s Hound Rescue International shall put in place an archiving policy for each area in which personal data is processed and review this process annually.
  • The archiving policy shall consider what data should/must be retained, for how long, and why.

Security

  • Candy’s Hound Rescue International shall ensure that personal data is stored securely using modern software that is kept-up-to-date.
  • Access to personal data shall be limited to personnel who need access and appropriate security should be in place to avoid unauthorised sharing of information.
  • When personal data is deleted this should be done safely such that the data is irrecoverable.
  • Appropriate back-up and disaster recovery solutions shall be in place.

Breach
In the event of a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data, Candy’s Hound Rescue International shall promptly assess the risk to people’s rights and freedoms and if appropriate report this breach to the ICO (more information on the ICO website).

Complaints Policy and Procedure

General statement

Candy’s Hound Rescue International aims to provide its members, organisations and individuals with the best possible service. We positively welcome suggestions you may have for how we can improve our service.

Usually, a word with the person at the point of contact will suffice should a problem arise. However, we recognise that from time to time there may be occasions when you feel that the quality or level of service provided fall short of what you could reasonably expect. We also want to know about these occasions so that we can put it right and put improvements in place going forward. If you have a complaint, we would like you to tell us about it.

This is what you should do:

If you have a complaint to make, it should be made to us and we will try to resolve the issue informally.

If it is a serious issue or you are not satisfied after speaking to us, then you should make a formal complaint.

You should make your complaint in writing, marked ‘Private and Confidential’ and ‘for the attention of Kerry Elliman’ (Designated Person)*, to rescue@candyshoundrescue.org who will acknowledge it in writing within 10 days of receipt. Please keep a copy of your correspondence.

The complaint will be investigated and you will be contacted with the outcome of the complaint within 20 days.

If you are unhappy with the results of the outcome, you have the right to put your case in writing, to the Trustees. To do this, please put your reasons in writing, marked ‘Private and Confidential’ and ‘for the attention of the Trustees’ to rescue@candyshoundrescue.org

The decision of the Trustees will be final.

Where appropriate, we will make a written apology to the complainant and let you know what action, if necessary, we will take to resolve the issue and agree any further action necessary to make good the cause of the complaint.

We will keep a copy of all complaints made. These will be regularly reviewed by the Trustees to ensure that improvements are made where required.

* Please note that if the complaint is about the Designated Person, you should make your complaint to our Complaints Officer. To do this, put your reasons in writing, marked Private and Confidential’ and ‘for the attention of the Complaints Officer’ to rescue@candyshoundrescue.org.