About the City Sikhs

How is the City Sikhs organised?

City Sikhs is a registered charity with the main decisions regarding our management and structural issues being overseen by our Trustees respectively.

New ambassadors can join at various points throughout the year and they work closely with Trustees to help run the organisation and organise a variety of events every year.

How is the City Sikhs funded?

Trustees and Ambassadors make regular monthly donations to help cover the costs associated with running the charity.

City Sikhs Volunteer Agreement

Purpose

The purpose of this code is to provide a clear framework within which volunteers of City Sikhs (including Ambassadors, Trustees, Advisory and others) are expected to conduct themselves. City Sikhs strives to maintain a positive community in which honesty, integrity and respect for fellow volunteers and members of City Sikhs are constantly reflected in personal behaviour and standards of conduct.

Principles

• City Sikhs is a large Sikh organisation and its volunteers are expected to have regard for the impact of their personal behaviour on members, corporate partners, faith and interfaith institutions, colleagues, the environment and the Sikh community.

• City Sikhs receives the majority of its income and sponsorship from private sector organisations, and individual donations. It is essential that all these stakeholders can have confidence that City Sikhs maintains the highest standards of conduct in financial matters and seeks to maintain high standards of probity and ethical behaviour.

• All volunteers are expected to ensure that decision making is open and fair and in conformity with the Nolan principles which includes Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership.

• This code covers some of the most important issues relating to personal conduct and gives a framework of standards and behaviour guidelines, but it is not intended to be exhaustive.

Standards of personal behaviour

Equality of opportunity

One of City Sikhs core values is the promotion of inclusivity and valuing diversity. City Sikhs seek to ensure that the culture for its volunteers and members is supportive, and one where individual respect is shown to all. All volunteers and members, regardless of their gender, race, ethnic background, culture, (dis)ability, sexuality, age, religion, socio-economic status or any other factor will be supported and encouraged to perform to their potential.

Harassment and bullying

To secure an environment in which volunteers and members are able to flourish and to achieve their full potential, City Sikhs is committed to ensuring that everyone is able to participate with the City Sikhs online and offline community without fear of harassment, bullying or intimidation. Everyone in the community has a part to play by ensuring that their own behaviour, whether intentional or unintentional, does not constitute harassment. City Sikhs will take action against inappropriate behaviour which shows a lack of respect for others or which leads people to feel threatened.

Health and safety

City Sikhs places a high priority on providing a safe volunteering environment and will act positively to minimise the incidence of all workplace risks as required by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and other associated legislation. All activities should be carried out with the highest regard for the health and safety of volunteers, members, corporate partners and the public.

Performance

City Sikhs expects individuals to follow all reasonable rules and instructions given by those supervising or managing their activities and/or work areas.

Conduct outside work

City Sikhs does not seek to dictate how volunteers conduct themselves in their personal lives outside work. However, unlawful, anti-social or other conduct by volunteers which may jeopardise City Sikhs’ reputation or position will be dealt with through the disciplinary procedure.

Dress code

City Sikhs does not operate a formal dress code for its volunteers. However, volunteers must ensure that their dress is appropriate for the situation in which they are representing City Sikhs and that they present a professional image and one that reflects sensitivity to member and stakeholder perceptions. This should not be provocative or cause offence to those with whom they have contact.

Academic integrity

City Sikhs strives to maintain the highest standards in all the events and representation work that it undertakes, and volunteers must not conduct themselves in ways that may undermine these professional standards.

Access to confidential information

Although City Sikhs strive to conduct its operations in an open fashion there will be times when individuals, through their volunteering positions become aware of confidential information, either about other individuals or in connection with the City Sikhs activities. Individuals should be aware of the need to keep such matters confidential and to respect the proper channels of communication for such information.

Data protection

City Sikhs holds and processes information about volunteers and members and other data subjects for academic, administrative and funding purposes. When handling such information, City Sikhs, and all volunteers or others who process or use any personal information, must comply with the Data Protection Principles which are set out in the Data Protection Act 1998. Any doubts or queries about data protection issues should be referred for guidance to the Information Compliance Officer.

External charities and businesses

City Sikhs members and volunteers tend to be high achievers and as a result may be involved with a number of other businesses, non-profit and charity ventures. We very much encourage this and at the same time, we wish to highlight the importance of keeping other business and charity endeavours separate to your City Sikhs work at all times. If you feel there are good synergies for collaboration between City Sikhs and ventures which you might be involved with then please email info@citysikhs.org.uk 

Procedures

Raising matters of concern

Volunteers and members have a right and a duty to raise concerns which they may have about breaches of the law or conduct of other volunteers and members. This should normally be through the chairperson but in circumstances where this is not appropriate, they may approach any of the trustees for City Sikhs in confidence. No individual who expresses their views in good faith and in line with this guidance will be penalised for doing so. Raising concerns to the chair person – info@citysikhs.org.uk

Breaches of this code

This code of conduct has been drawn up to provide a source of guidance to City Sikhs volunteers.  It is not a contractual document and can be amended at any time by City Sikhs. All volunteers must comply with both the provisions of this code, breaches of which will be taken seriously and may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

Equality and Diversity

City Sikhs are committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. City Sikhs are committed to equality and valuing diversity within its volunteer team. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments, reinforced by our values, are embedded in our day-to-day working practices with all our members and partners. We will provide equality of opportunity and will not tolerate discrimination on grounds of gender, gender identity, marital status, sexuality, race, colour, nationality, religion, age, disability, HIV positivity, working pattern, caring responsibilities, trade union activity or political beliefs – or any other grounds. We will demonstrate our commitment by:

• Promoting equality of opportunity and diversity within the communities in which we work and with all our partners and volunteers.
• Aiming to build a volunteer base which reflects our member base.
• Encouraging volunteer recruitment from groups currently under-represented in City Sikhs
• Treating our members, volunteers and partners fairly and with respect
• Promoting a community free from discrimination, bullying and harassment, and tackling behaviour which breaches this
• Recognising and valuing the differences and individual contribution that people make
• Providing support and encouragement to volunteers to increase their contributions to the organisation through the enhancement of their skills and abilities

Every person volunteering for City Sikhs has a personal responsibility for implementing and promoting these principles in their day-to-day dealings with everyone – including members of the public, other volunteers, members and partners. Inappropriate behaviour is not acceptable.

Employment Relationship

This Agreement does not create an employment relationship between City Sikhs and volunteers and City Sikhs will have no obligations towards each other except for the ones expressly described in this Agreement, both during the time of this Agreement and afterwards.

City Sikhs Support

Volunteers are an important and valued part of City Sikhs. We hope that you enjoy volunteering with us and feel a full part of our team. This section tells you what you can expect from City Sikhs, and what we hope from you. We aim to be flexible, so please let us know if you would like to make any changes and we will do our best to accommodate them.

City Sikhs will do our best:

• To introduce you to how the organisation works and your role in it and to provide any training you need. As professionals, there is an expectation that all volunteers will be self-starters.
• To provide regular meetings with a main point of contact so that you can tell us if you are happy with how your tasks are organised and get feedback from us.
• To respect your skills, dignity and individual wishes and to do our best to meet them.
• To apply our equal opportunities policy.
• To apply our complaints procedure if there is any problem.

Roles and Responsibilities

Ambassador Duties

• Perform your job role to your highest skill levels
• Promote City Sikhs within your personal network including your social media and word of mouth
• Mandatory donation to City Sikhs based on the following fee scale

Ambassador membership fees

In keeping with the tradition of giving via Tan (body), Man (mind) and Dhan (wealth) our Ambassadors pay a monthly subscription determined by personal income:

• Under £15,000/annum – £2/month
• £15,000 to £24,999/annum  – £5/month
• £25,000 and above – £10/month

Trustee Duties

• Attend at least 50% of all City Sikh events
• Attend at least 50% of board meetings a year
• Mandatory donation to City Sikhs based on the following fee scale

Trustee membership fees

In keeping with the tradition of giving via Tan (body), Man (mind) and Dhan (money) our Trustees pay a monthly subscription determined by personal income:

• Under £15,000/annum – £2/month
• £15,000 to £24,999/annum  – £5/month
• £25,000 and above – £10/month

Job Descriptions

Events & Welcoming

• Arrive early at an event to help with setup
• Provide the first point of contact for guests arriving at an event
• Assist with Q&A by providing roaming mics
• Provide compere services by welcoming all guests from the stage
• Ensure esteemed guests, VIPs and speakers are given the necessary attention

Press Release and Statements Manager

• Compilation of between 2 and 5 press releases per year
• Press releases sent to external Asian, Sikh and Mainstream media about Sikh related topics or opinions about current issues

Social Media Manager

• Retweet suitable comments
• Upload of photography from events to the facebook page
• Schedule 10-15 pictures to be released after an event on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook