CSSC One

CSSC One has a dedicated webpage and we have developed a charter to show our commitments to members attending events solo:

• CSSC will consider the needs of solo attendees
• Events showing the CSSC one trust mark (above) have been assessed to ensure they are solo attendee friendly
• All CSSC events will be open to all members; attending with others or as individuals
• Where members will need to partner up for an activity, all reasonable steps will be made to create partnership opportunities
• Members will be able to let organisers know that they will be attending solo. This will ensure individuals can be introduced to others at events and receive a warm welcome
• CSSC will endeavour to reduce or remove single-person supplements where this is possible
• CSSC one will embrace the spirit of our founders’ mission: to bring unity and camaraderie to the civil service, during an unprecedented term of uncertainty

This is where our fantastic volunteers come in! We know that in many cases, our volunteers already ensure our events are welcoming to everyone and fall in with our charter. But we would love to make this more obvious to members booking onto events. We have therefore added some small steps to our Nutickets process for you to include in all events you feel are solo attendee friendly.

To do this, please:

Include the following data capture question to the event (this question is already prepopulated into the system for you to select on the ticket dropdowns)- you don’t need to make it compulsory:

• Every individual is part of our team; if you are attending this event solo, take a look at CSSC One.
• Are you attending this event solo?

And also include this statement in the description:

This event is a CSSC one event and is solo attendee friendly, every individual is part of our team. Find out more on the CSSC one page. 

Before the event, volunteers should check to see if anyone has ticked that they are attending solo, then, on the day of the event, the volunteer should try to introduce themselves to that person and make them feel welcome and comfortable. We wouldn’t draw attention to the fact that they are attending as a solo person, but we would just ensure they were included as much as possible. If no volunteer will be in attendance at the event, it might be worth sending a quick email to the member letting them know that the event won’t have a volunteer present so that they know that in advance. If the event is being run by an external organisation (i.e. wine tasting, jewellery making, coach trip), it might be worth letting the organisation know that there will be solo attendees there so that they can welcome them when they arrive.

After the event, if they wish, volunteers can follow up with a member and ask them how they found the event and if there was anything else that could have been done to ensure members felt welcome.

Volunteer Expenses

While volunteering for CSSC your expenses are reimbursed. Please look at the brief guideline on the process to follow as a reminder on how to claim these expenses.

What costs could I claim?

Volunteers are entitled to claim for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred directly through and for the purposes of their volunteering with CSSC upon production of receipts showing actual expenditure.

• Travel to and from the place of volunteering and travel whilst volunteering

Volunteering

• Motoring  - The current mileage rate is 0.45p for all volunteering travelling by car or motorbike. In addition, volunteers may claim in respect of passengers conveyed in connection with their volunteering. The passenger rate is 0.05p. This is for entitled passengers i.e., other CSSC volunteers or members may be claimed for. Not by car/ motorbike - if not travelling by car, every reasonable effort should be made to use the most cost-effective form of alternative transport including public transport.
• Food and accommodation - All reasonable out-of-pocket costs for food and accommodation incurred directly whilst carrying out a CSSC volunteering role will be reimbursed, only the cost of non-alcoholic drinks will be reimbursed except in exceptional circumstances and on a pre-approved basis.
• Miscellaneous, includes: Personal protective equipment (PPE), postage, stationery, phone calls 

The above list is not exhaustive and if you are unsure, please get in touch with your Volunteer Support Advisor or a member of the Head Office.

How do I claim?

Complete a volunteer expense claim form which you can find in the Document Library on the volunteer pages of the CSSC website. Alternatively, please speak to the relevant affiliated association or a member of staff at Head Office for details on how to apply in your individual circumstances for reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred whilst volunteering with CSSC. More information CSSC is only allowed to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses.

CSSC aim to pay all volunteer expenses within 10 working days of submission, unless queried by the events team or there is an error with the financial details provided.

For further information please have a look at the link below:

Mileage

Just a gentle reminder about the mileage rates. The Volunteer Mileage Rate was previously reviewed quarterly, calculated using data provided by the AA which considered several factors, including petrol and diesel prices, cost of motoring e.g., servicing and insurance costs. But it did not consider the wear and tear on the vehicle. After a short consultation with the Volunteer Committee, it has been decided that we will increase the CSSC Volunteer Motor Mileage Allowance to the HMRC recommended rate of 0.45p per mile.

Risk Review

For many years CSSC has had a risk assessment policy that our organisers have been asked to adhere to. We are continually seeking to improve our processes to ensure the best user experience for our volunteers. As such the risk process has been streamlined into one form now. The form is intuitive and follows the logic in accordance with the risk level of your event. As always if you require any assistance with the process please do not hesitate to contact the team at events@cssc.co.uk