Volunteering with BOHS

Everyone today is short of time. This makes the gift of a member’s time more valuable than it has ever been before, and it’s important that anyone thinking of volunteering is aware of the sorts of things that volunteers are needed for, knows the time commitment involved and the level of responsibility expected of them, and also understands what’s in it for them.   

This section sets out:

Our volunteering needs
Our commitment to volunteers
What we expect in return
What's in it for you
What some of our volunteers have to say
How to volunteer  

You can also see our Expenses Policy and download an expenses claim form from the downloads box on the left of this page.

Our volunteering needs 

January is the month when we remind members that we need nominations for President-Elect, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and any other individual members of Council as required, for positions running from the AGM at the next Annual Conference in April/May. The closing date for nominations is two months before the date of the AGM (usually towards the end of February). The Nomination Form will be made available here in January 2010 for positions from the April 2010 AGM.

Volunteers play a vital role in BOHS. From business planning and directing the Society as Council members, through committee leadership, project management, representation on external bodies, administration of examinations - including syllabus and question writing, marking, testing and invigilating, plus developing, writing and reviewing technical publications, and planning and running and presenting at events, to contributing to the newsletter or manning our exhibition stand – our needs are many and varied.

Some roles are long-term, others event- or project-based, yet others ad hoc or one-off.

Not only do we need volunteers, but we know that involved members tend to be strong advocates of the Society. We are genuinely appreciative of the work that so many of you do, and have done, for us. It’s very much in our interests to encourage new faces, and we also strive to be as supportive as possible of those who are involved.

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Our commitment to our volunteers 

• We try to be as realistic as possible about the time commitment for any role/ project
• Longer-term, committee-based positions tend to be for a fixed-term (albeit often renewable) so few, if any, open-ended commitments are expected
• Where possible we provide continuity to committee positions by giving outgoing members a mentoring role to new-comers
• We do our best to:
• provide proper planning and evaluation of projects
• provide proper supervision and evaluation of roles
• set realistic and achievable deadlines
• deal efficiently with expenses claims

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What do we expect in return?
Firstly and foremost, in taking on a role within the Society or accepting responsibility for a project, our volunteers effectively agree to provide the same level of commitment, diligence and professionalism that they would for any similar business situation.

If duties involve attendance at meetings, we ask that all scheduled meetings are attended whenever feasible, that all required paperwork has been read before any meetings to enable meaningful participation, and that all agreed actions are completed on time. For any meeting that can not be attended, the Chair should be informed beforehand of any issues, outcomes of actions, and all other relevant information for the meeting, as appropriate; wherever possible, a written, rather than verbal, report should be provided.

Where members are acting as a representative for the Society to a non-Society body/committee, they should consult the Honorary Secretary or other designated Officer on any up-coming business and report back to the Honorary Secretary or designated Officer on any ongoing/completed business for each meeting attended, preferably both verbally and as a written report for Council.

We don’t ask for any formal, written commitment. However, lack of commitment, diligence and professionalism can have knock-on effects on the outcome of projects, and on the work of other volunteers and the Secretariat staff and does, ultimately, reflect badly on the Society. We therefore do strongly urge anyone who is interested in putting themselves forward to be realistic about what they are taking on and to consider beforehand the implications of not being able to deliver what is expected of them.

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And what's in it for you? 

It’s not all one-way traffic – there are genuine benefits to volunteering which you may not have considered before, for young and old alike (and the middle-aged, too!):

• Develop new skills
• Raise your profile
• Widen your network of professional contacts
• Increase your social opportunities through work
• Access educational opportunities and work experience 
• Gain CPD points
• Enhance your cv
• Try something new
• Mentor younger professionals
• Influence the profession
• Give something back
• Maintain involvement in retirement

But don’t just take our word for it, have a read through some of these comments from BOHS volunteers past and present. 

 Andy Phillips: “Over the years I've been lucky enough to get involved with a wide range of BOHS regional and national activities.  I've met a lot of people and been able to contribute to a continuing success story underpinned by a very loyal and able Secretariat who work tirelessly on our behalf. Organising the Annual Conference (four times) has been the biggest and most rewarding challenge.  The job was a bit like keeping those plates spinning - you do learn how to value a strong team and recognise reliable support when you see it.  And it was at a time of great change in BOHS.  With involvement comes the privilege of being able to shape the BOHS programme and raise the profile of things you believe to be important.  I'm grateful to all those who have helped and played the game along the way - it makes you realise just how good our friends and colleagues really are.  I'll keep on doing these things for as long as I can as there is nowt better than working with great people and being a part of a such an important enterprise.“

 Susan Tannahill: “It's a real joy to network with other members who share a passion for reducing work related ill health.  The passion and energy of the members are consistently very high.  It's also refreshing to debate on health issues outside a business context.”   
 

 John Ingle: “I started out as a member of the Membership Committee, pretty much because I thought the profession had given me a lot so I should give something back. A bit old-fashioned maybe. Also it would look good on my CV. Fairly quickl y I graduated to be Chairman of the Committee. It brought extra work, but … it has been very useful to get good relationships going with other people who are involved with BOHS - it's very much a two way street, ie. you do some extra work, but the relationships are good for networking, so you do get a payback.”

 

 Neil Pickering:  “At the time I first volunteered to assist BOHS (it was actually BIOH at the time) I wanted to put something back into the profession.  BIOH had provided the path by which I was able to progress in Occupational Hygiene and therefore gain promotion in my job.  I was also keen to influence the future of the organisation, even if only in a little way, and thought the best way to do so was to volunteer.  Of course there is a long term satisfaction of being recognised for the effort by your peers accepting you as a Fellow in the Faculty.”  

 

 Andrew Marshall:  “When I became a member of BOHS, I was fortunate to be mentored by existing members of the faculty. They told me that the career I was embarking upon relies on who you know, as much as what you know; I had to build contacts, but how?  In our area, the Regional Organiser was unable to continue and asked if I could take over. With no idea of what to do or how, I began to rely on the support of the regional membership and Derby. Without trying too hard, I was forging contacts that have and will continue to support me throughout my career. By organising meetings and Open Technical Seminars, I have met people that I would have no other reason to approach. Perhaps they know me a little better, but more importantly, I know who to turn to when I need advice. 

"As Regional Organiser I meet with other regional organisers before the annual conference; a group of eminently qualified people. Initial feelings of intrusion into ‘their’ world were soon dispelled as I came to realise that I had something to offer. I also had so much to gain from a wealth of experience and knowledge. 

"On the professional side, getting involved does wonders for the CPD points; doing exactly what CPD is all about, keeping current with Occupational Hygiene. Yes, it takes some time and effort, but this is far outweighed by the rewards.” 

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