1. The Prison Volunteering Advisory Group (the Group) will consist of a maximum of ten delegates, with representation as follows:
Internal
- General Manager, Rehabilitation and Reintegration* (to chair)
- Service Development Manager*
- National Advisor: Volunteers*
- A Prison Manager*
* or his/her delegate
External
- Senior representative from PCSANZ
- Senior representative from PFNZ
- Senior representative from PARS
Plus 1 -3 other stakeholder representatives
Purpose
2. The purpose of the Group is to forge a strategic partnership between the Department of Corrections (the Department) and key stakeholder organisations to support the vision of ‘a professionalised prison volunteering service, built on the principles of community participation, diversity, self-improvement and value-added services.’
3. The Group will be the primary conduit for meeting the Department’s commitment to consulting with volunteers and their organisations on policy and operational matters that impact on volunteering.
Primary functions of internal representatives
4. The primary functions of the internal representatives will be to:
- Consult with representatives of key stakeholder groups on policy and operational matters that impact on prison volunteering
- Share information and current thinking on issues relating to the Department’s volunteer strategy, including approval/renewal processes, the Volunteer Register Database, induction and training, access arrangements, expense recognition, complaints handling and communication
- Seek expert advice from volunteer organisation representatives on issues affecting volunteers
Primary functions of external representatives
5. The primary functions of the external representatives will be to:
- Provide expert advice to the Department on policy and operational matters that impact on prison volunteering
- Provide representation and advocacy for the majority of ‘approved’ prison volunteers and their organisations
Frequency
6. The Group will meet quarterly.
Priorities
7. The following represents an indicative, but not exhaustive, list of key priorities for the Group upon formation:
- Promoting volunteer capacity building in line with prisoner need
- Reducing barriers to prison volunteering
- Ensuring the contribution of prison volunteers is recognised, valued and celebrated
- Encouraging volunteer feedback and championing the sharing of ‘best practice’
- Promoting the understanding of prison volunteering in the wider community
- Promoting diversity and recognising the different cultural ‘worldviews’ of the terms ‘volunteer’ and ‘volunteering’
