AGREEMENTS, WAIVERS, & POLICIES
Release, Waiver, and Volunteer Agreement
This Release, Waiver and Volunteer Agreement (“Agreement”) applies to any and all activities, affairs and matters of and/or relating to my volunteering at, and assisting with any services provided by, Stamford Public Education Foundation and its agents, representatives, staff, employees, directors, Board members, successors and assigns (collectively, “SPEF”), wherever and located and however performed, including at its main office, outreach locations, third party venues, via phone calls, emails, texts or otherwise.
I fully realize that my voluntary participation has certain obligations and risks inherent thereto and in consideration of such participation and use, I on behalf of myself and/or the family members listed below (including any minor children, whether biological or under my legal guardianship) (and all references to “I” or “my” or like words used herein shall include all such persons, as applicable and may also be referred to herein collectively as “Participant”), agree as follows:
1. Participant’s volunteer activities may include but are not limited to, greeting and welcoming all guests and clients, setting up, planning, organizing and helping at all events, and assisting with keeping SPEF’s main center, locations and other venues where events are held clean and organized, and mentoring and/or tutoring students. Participant will not misrepresent my role with SPEF to any party.
2. All information pertaining to any individual or entity who comes to SPEF, whether as a user, client, visitor, staff, director, Board member or otherwise, including personal details of any type, names, addresses, phone numbers, emails and stories, and anything relating to SPEF’s business, processes, policies, staff, directors, employees, Board members, volunteers or otherwise, in each case, regardless of how or where conveyed and in what medium conveyed (e.g., written or oral) (collectively, the “Information”), and any copies, excerpts, summaries, analyses, or notes that include the Information, will be treated as confidential by Participant. Furthermore, Participant will not use the Information for any purpose other than for permitted activities in connection with volunteering at SPEF or disclose any Information to any party other than to a SPEF staff who has been identified to me orally and/or in writing as such, and Participant acknowledges that all Information is the confidential and sole property of SPEF and that I have no rights thereto.
3. Participant acknowledges that each and every individual, including any client, visitor, volunteer, staff, director, Board member or otherwise has a right and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect in all interactions, conversations, messages, emails or texts that I may engage in during my participation as a volunteer. Participant agrees that he/she/they will not engage in any behavior that in SPEF’s sole judgment, is disrespectful, derogatory, insensitive, constitutes verbal and/or physical abuse or may expose SPEF or others to harm or liability or may infringe the patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, intellectual, privacy, or proprietary right of any party.
4. Participant agrees that he/she/they will not make (or in any way, directly or indirectly, cause or encourage anyone else to make) any statement, orally or in writing, regardless of whether such statement is truthful, and shall not take any action (or in any way, directly or indirectly cause or encourage anyone to take action), that disparages, impugns, denigrates, maligns or otherwise speaks negatively about SPEF, its staff, directors, Board member, business or otherwise. This limitation shall not constrain me from taking such action as may be required by law or lawful court or government order.
5. Participant hereby grants SPEF a non-exclusive, royalty-free right to capture, distribute, publicly display and use for any and all advertising, promotional purposes and/or other lawful purposes, in any form or media now known or later developed, including, but not limited to, print, video, audio, television or the internet, my name, likeness, image, voice, performance, biographical materials, statements I have made or provided to SPEF, photographs and video footage taken of me, and any other materials supplied by me to SPEF (collectively, “Materials”). Participant releases any rights he/she/they may have with respect to the Materials, and agrees that the Materials need not be submitted to me for any further approval. Participant expressly releases SPEF and agree to indemnify SPEF from and against any and all claims, known and unknown, arising out of or in any way connected with the above granted uses and representations. Nothing herein shall constitute any obligation on SPEF to make any use of any of the rights set forth herein.
6. Participant fully assumes the risks associated with being a volunteer, including the risk of injury, loss and/or harm to myself, injury, loss and/or harm to third parties as a result of my actions, and/or damage to property as a result of my actions.
7. Participant understands that he/she/they will not be compensated for any volunteer activities and will not be acting as an employee of SPEF for my volunteering.
8. Participant acknowledges that he/she/they may be required to complete certain training requirements prior to volunteering with SPEF; any such training and related materials will be provided to Participant separately.
9. Participant agrees for myself, my spouse, children and heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, assigns, and successors in interest, to release and hold harmless SPEF from and against blame or liability, however caused, for any injury, fatality, misadventure, harm, loss, inconvenience, or damage suffered or sustained as a result of and/or related to my being a volunteer and/or participating in any activities. Participant agrees, promises and covenants not to sue, assert or otherwise maintain or assert any claim against SPEF for any injury, loss, harm or damage to myself or my property arising from or related to my participation in any activity and/or from any claim asserted against me by third parties; Participant further agrees to hold harmless and indemnify SPEF from all defense costs, including attorneys’ fees, and/or from any other costs incurred in connection with such claims.
10. Participant agrees that any violation of any of the terms of this Agreement may result in my termination as a volunteer. Participant will abide by all the established rules during my participation in any activity. PARTICIPANT CERTIFIES THAT HE/SHE/THEY HAVE READ THIS DOCUMENT AND UNDERSTAND ITS CONTENTS. IF PARTICIPANT IS A MINOR, THE UNDERSIGNED PARENT HAVING LEGAL CUSTODY AND/OR LEGAL GUARDIAN CERTIFIES THAT HE/SHE/THEY AM/ARE THE PARTICIPANT’S PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN AND EXECUTE THIS AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF PARTICIPANT. If any party types his/her/their signature to provide consent digitally, such typed signature will have the same legal, binding effect as an original hand-written signature.
11. Participant acknowledges that this Agreement will be governed by the laws of Connecticut (excluding its conflict of laws rules) and constitutes the entire agreement of the parties. In the event of a dispute, the parties consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Fairfield County, Connecticut.
Confidentiality Agreement
As a volunteer, you may develop a close relationship with a student(s). While it is important for the student(s) to know that s/he/they can trust you, there are circumstances in which confidentiality must be broken. As a Stamford Public Education Foundation volunteer, you are required to notify program staff if:
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A student discusses suicidal thoughts, feelings, or behaviors or appears depressed
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A student discloses any information about abuse (physical, sexual and emotional), past or present. This also includes bullying and neglect.
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A student’s life is in danger and/or a student is threatening to harm another individual
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You, the volunteer, question whether or not you should reveal information shared with you by the student that may be detrimental to the student.
If a student is comfortable sharing information about the circumstance, try to obtain as much information as possible. Please inform the student that it is your duty to report the alleged issue to the Foundation program staff IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SESSION IS OVER. Volunteers should not divulge details to third parties unless authorized to do so. I understand and agree to follow the instructions outlined above. I am aware that failure to comply with any of the rules or boundaries established by the Foundation will result in my dismissal from the program.
Attendance & Closure Policy
As a volunteer, I understand consistent attendance is an essential component to developing a close relationship with the student(s) with whom I am partnered. The Stamford Public Education Foundation program staff will conduct attendance reviews after the first five (5) sessions and again after the first 10 sessions. I understand that if I have missed more than two (2) of the first five (5) sessions, or more than three (3) of the first ten (10) sessions, I may be asked to leave the program for the benefit of the student. While the Foundation realizes that occasionally unexpected situations occur, I understand that an absence or tardy requires notice prior to the start of the session via email or phone call to the Program Coordinator.
In the event I can no longer volunteer, I understand that I have a responsibility to provide my student(s) and the Program Coordinator with an explanation as to why I will not continue in the program. This explanation should be given to the student(s) in person; however, if that is not feasible, I am responsible to provide the Program Coordinator with a personal letter directed to the student(s) no later than 10 days after my last session.
SIGNATURE FOR RELEASE, WAIVER, & VOLUNTEER AGREEMENT and CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT and ATTENDANCE & CLOSURE POLICY
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, the Participant, has/have executed this Agreement on
