Swimming Concerns
Wayne Nigel Senior
Hello. Over the last few months, I have been made aware of several problems, which have never been rectified regarding the swimming activity. I wish to point out that my comments in this email against Philip, are not about him as a person, but about him as a co-ordinator. They should not be interpreted otherwise. At least two other members have concerns about the swimming project, and one of them won’t participate in the swimming because of her concerns, even though she’d love to go swimming.
Philip Carr has been appointed swimming co-ordinator, just because he happens to be a member of both organisations. I know it is for no other reason, as there was not a recruitment process in which people could apply to be the co-ordinator, and I am not aware of any recruitment questions which the successful applicant would have had to have been able to answer to be recruited.
This has led to several problems. Philip does not know how to store data securely. Everybody who gives their personal information to Philip is doing so without realising just how insecure the data is. All data I have collected is securely stored. Philip has also told me that there is no formal agreement regarding data, and has indicated that if for example a person on the swimming activity didn’t want KVIN to have their personal details, he wouldn’t provide them to KVIN, even though he is volunteering for KVIN and BFFb. This suggests Philip doesn’t understand the management structure, and that both committee’s are above him.
The disclaimer on the form doesn’t mention the KVIN Data Policy and any equivalent policy for BFFB. All data collected by KVIN must be stored in accordance with the KVIN Data Policy. Why was a co-ordinator who didn’t even understand data protection appointed?
Philip hasn’t read our Health and Safety Policy. The committee hasn’t reviewed the policy to make sure it is adequate for a swimming project. When I wrote it, it was written mainly to be suitable for an office environment. Philip seems to believe that health and safety just requires the sports centre to have a health and safety policy and a risk assessment. There is more to it than that, and you only have to read our health and safety policy to realise this.
I am not comfortable with Philip recruiting volunteers. He doesn’t understand our Volunteers Policy. He says if there isn’t any funding for expenses he’ll pay them out of his own pocket. Our policy requires us to cover volunteer’s expenses. If there isn’t funding to cover these expenses, the project should obviously be delayed until there is. You don’t have to be the Brain of Britain to realise that. Are the volunteers BFFB volunteers or KVIN volunteers? All volunteers recruited by KVIN must adhere to our policies, and VIN must adhere to the Volunteers Policy when recruiting volunteers. If Philip doesn’t understand the policy, he can’t adhere to it, and nor can the volunteers.
The policy says that volunteers will be provided with any necessary training, but that hasn’t happened. It would have done if I was the co-ordinator, or if we had a co-ordinator who knew what he was doing. This is common sense stuff. You don’t need loads of experience or qualifications to realise that volunteers need to be trained to help blind people in recreational activities before they start volunteering. This is more necessary when they are managed by somebody who doesn’t have a clue what to do.
I would not be surprised if volunteers are allowed to start volunteering before KVIN/BFFB have received their CRB checks. Philip seems to think the vulnerability of visually impaired people is a matter of opinion. Not the attitude I would expect from a co-ordinator who is up to the job.
I resigned from the swimming project because there were not agreements in place before the partnership was agreed. There is still no written agreement on data handling/sharing, policy conflicts, health and safety, complaints and disciplinary action, volunteer training, volunteer recruitment, which organisation is primarily responsible for volunteers in terms of expenses, etc. If the swimming project begins without these agreements in place, that would be premature and dangerous. Philip has already told me he would launch the project without everything in place. The fact he thinks that it would be okay to do that is proof he is not good enough to co-ordinate this or any project.
Six people have been working on getting this project organised in the last six months. I could have done a better job on my own than they have together, and you can see how good I am at co-ordinating by reading the two reports on the projects I co-ordinated, which I submitted for the AGM.
The best thing for KVIN to do now is end its involvement in this project. We are not financially connected, so ending our involvement shouldn’t require more than simply sending a letter to BFFB saying that we don’t believe it is in the best interests of KVIN to be involved in this project, but we hope the service that is received by the visually impaired participants in this activity is of the highest standard. This shouldn’t affect Philip’s co-ordination of the project, but at least when he shows himself to be completely incapable of co-ordinating it won’t be a problem for KVIN.
Any problems we suffer as a result of poor planning and co-ordination, could have serious consequences for KVIN. They could be the difference between us obtaining funding and failing to secure funding. They could damage KVIN’s reputation so much, that people don’t want anything to do with the organisation. If volunteers aren’t managed properly, people may not want to volunteer for us in the future. Organisations in their infancy need to earn a good reputation so that they can grow. They do that by providing activities and services, managing those activities and services properly, and being sufficiently-organised.
If KVIN still wants to be a part of the disorganised mess that is the swimming project, and which would not be such a disorganised mess if we had organised it the way we originally intended before Kirklees Council interfered, should any problems occur which have the potential to harm KVIN and have a negative impact on the IT training project, I will have to reconsider my position as IT training project co-ordinator. I am not saying I would definitely resign. I would make a decision which reflected the worse potential impact of the problem that occurred, if a problem did occur.
If the committee is so confident that I am wrong about this, why not hold a public meeting, where Philip on his own, can answer my concerns. Then everybody will be able to see how right I am. It is usually the response of others within the organisation to dismiss my criticisms or at the very least disagree with them. However, reacting to my concerns in the right way would ensure the sustainability of KVIN. If committee members don’t believe me, try it. See what happens.
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Regards,
Wayne Nigel Senior
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