Service Policy
Purpose
This policy outlines how the organisation supports families experiencing hardship throughout Victoria, Australia.
Scope
This policy applies to all users of the organisation’s service.
Definitions
The organisation, St Kilda Mums, we, us, our - St Kilda Mums Inc., also trading as Eureka Mums and Geelong Mums
Personnel - staff and volunteers of the organisation, whether paid or not.
Partners – social service agencies, Maternal & Child Health nurses and other health professionals.
Policy
1. Service Overview
The organisation is a not for profit, volunteer-powered charity that works with their partners to distribute new and preloved baby goods and nursery equipment to families in need.
The organisation has no recurrent government funding.
The organisation relies on donations of preloved goods from the general public and businesses to be able to provide this material aid to their partners and their clients.
The service is provided free of charge and the only assessment criteria is that the partners are employed by a
legitimate service provider.
The organisation relies on their partners to assess their client’s needs, place requests online and distribute material items on behalf of their clients.
2. Services and projects
2.1. Universal Service
The organisation’s main service which is offered to all partners in Metropolitan Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat through St Kilda Mums, Geelong Mums and Eureka Mums.
2.2. Regional and Rural Service
Agencies outside metropolitan Melbourne, Geelong or Ballarat may join the organisation’s regional program where goods can be shipped to their work address or a local depot near their workplace in Victoria from St Kilda Mums, our HQ in Melbourne.
2.3. Safe Start Project
This service is only available to maternity social workers at a number of maternity hospitals in metropolitan Melbourne.
This program is designed to support women who have presented at hospital in labour or have just delivered.
They have been identified as requiring newborn essentials to safely sleep and transport their baby on discharge.
The organisation can provide newborn essentials to safely sleep and transport the baby on discharge, such as a car seat, porta cot, single pram, clothing and linen.
The idea of this starter pack is that it will fit in the boot of the family’s car.
The organisation can provide items as they are needed with max 48-hour delivery time to the hospital (weekdays) or it can provide bulk stock if the social workers have a storage space at their work.
3. Referrals
The organisation does not provide a public facing service and therefore the partners cannot send their clients to the organisation with a referral.
The partners must liaise with the organisation on behalf of their client, including request, pick up and distribution.
If individuals approach the organisation directly for material aid they will be referred back to their health worker, maternal child health nurse or social worker.
By supporting partners with material aid the organisation can help them build a stronger and more trusting relationship with their client.
The organisation’s goal is to support the work that the partners do to address the underlying cause of disadvantage or hardship.
4. Safety
The organisation is taking safety very seriously.
When collecting goods, partners must ensure the following:
· A suitable vehicle for transporting, at times bulky, goods
· A valid and current driver's license
· Ability to see safely out of all windows after you are loaded with your goods
· Following all parking directions
· Operating with own and those around’s safety as a priority at all times
· Practicing safe methods of manual handling at all times
· Following all instructions of the organisation’s staff whilst on site
5. Terms and conditions for goods obtained from the organisation
The partners agree:
A. to use the goods solely to support the organisation’s work to care for families in need.
B. that the goods will not be used to further or with the intent to commit a terrorist act(s) or to associate
with any criminal or terrorist activities.
C. that the goods may not be transferred, sold, given or assigned to any other organisation or entity and that the goods must be received and stored at a business location.
D. that the partners will not sell, trade, barter or otherwise transfer the goods in exchange for money, property or services.
E. that the goods may not be used in conjunction with any fundraising activities and that they will not accept voluntary, recommended or required cash donations in direct or indirect exchange for the goods.
F. that goods may not be given to or taken by them or their volunteers, officers, directors, or employees, for personal use and that the goods will not be returned to the original donor or returned to the donor’s retail store.
G. to maintain adequate records of any goods obtained (as required by applicable tax law and regulations), and to make such records available upon request.
H. to promptly provide adequate substantiation of distribution of the goods upon request.
I. to adhere to a non-discrimination policy in accordance with applicable state, territory and/or federal law.
If the partners do not comply with the above terms of service, the organisation has the right to temporarily suspend or permanently revoke the partners’ ability to use the organisation’s service.
Reference Documents
The following documents are to be used in conjunction with this policy:
Partners’ privacy and that of the family they serve is important. Please see the organisation’s Privacy Policy
Review
This policy will be reviewed and updated every two years or sooner if required.
It will be approved by the Board and published on the organisation’s website.
Partners will be notified in writing of any updates to this policy.
Any questions in relation to the policy, please contact the CEO.
This is version 4.0 of our Service Policy, updated 19 August 2020.