Volunteer Code of Conduct Policy

Heritage & Opportunity Alliance, Inc.

Effective date: Upon Board Adoption
Approved by: Board of Directors
Applies to: Directors, officers, committees, advisory members, volunteers, employees, contractors, partners, and program participants as applicable

Purpose

This Policy sets conduct standards for volunteers representing or supporting Heritage & Opportunity Alliance, Inc..

Scope

This Policy applies to volunteers, committee members, advisory members, event helpers, mentors, outreach workers, youth-program helpers, resource-clinic volunteers, and any person assisting the corporation without employee status.

Volunteer Status

Volunteer service does not create employment, ownership, membership rights, payment rights, voting rights, contract authority, or authority to speak for the corporation. Volunteers may receive approved reimbursements or program stipends only under Board-approved policy.

Conduct Standards

Volunteers shall act with honesty, respect, patience, cultural humility, professionalism, and care for residents, youth, elders, partners, churches, businesses, and public agencies. Volunteers shall follow assigned roles, event instructions, confidentiality rules, safety procedures, and chain of command. Volunteers shall not harass, intimidate, exploit, threaten, discriminate, retaliate, bully, shame, or abuse any person.

Authority Limits

Volunteers may not promise jobs, grants, repairs, housing, legal help, medical help, sponsorships, funding, public approvals, scholarships, enrollment, or program acceptance. Volunteers may not sign agreements, accept funds, spend funds, speak officially, use the logo for independent purposes, or represent themselves as officers unless authorized.

Confidentiality

Volunteers shall protect resident information, youth information, donor information, private stories, photos, and partner communications. Volunteers may not post resident stories, youth images, photos, videos, or event details that expose private information without authorization.

Youth and Vulnerable Persons

Volunteers working around youth, elders, or vulnerable persons must follow youth-safety, supervision, boundaries, and reporting rules. No volunteer shall have unsupervised private access to youth unless authorized by policy, screening, and program procedures.

Screening and Assignment

The corporation may require volunteer applications, references, interviews, background checks, training, role assignment, agreements, or removal from duty based on role, risk, facility requirements, or youth involvement.

Removal

The corporation may deny, reassign, suspend, or remove a volunteer to protect the mission, youth safety, resident trust, finances, partner relationships, confidentiality, public reputation, or compliance.

Records

The Secretary, Treasurer, or other Board-authorized records officer shall maintain records created under this Policy according to the Records Retention and Document Control Policy. Records may include approvals, disclosures, invoices, receipts, reports, correspondence, minutes, incident reports, releases, agreements, restricted-fund logs, or other supporting documents.

Violations

Violations of this Policy may result in corrective action, reassignment, removal from a committee or volunteer role, termination of a contract, repayment, report to the Board, or other action permitted by law and organizational policy. Retaliation against a person who raises a good-faith concern is prohibited.

Review and Amendment

This Policy may be reviewed at least annually and may be amended by the Board of Directors. The Board may adopt more detailed procedures, forms, checklists, and approval schedules consistent with this Policy.

Board Adoption

This Policy is adopted by the Board of Directors and remains in effect until amended, replaced, or rescinded by the Board.

Policy 005

The webpage above presents the complete policy text for accessible reading. The official PDF is retained for printing and formal records.