Volunteer Application Form

Because of the nature of the volunteering work (working with potentially vulnerable adults), you are required by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 to declare allcriminal convictions. Under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act1974 you are entitled to withhold information about any convictions against youwhich are now ‘spent’.   (Please see Self-disclosure sheet for more information.)Having a previous conviction does not automatically bar you from volunteering with us but it will help us, in discussion with you, decide if the opportunity you have applied for is the most suitable.  All information given will be kept in your personal file which can only be accessed by authorised staff.Please givedetails about any criminal records on a Self-Disclosure Form and return it in asealed envelope marked private and confidential, attached to the applicationform. Volunteers will not be excluded from volunteering should they haveconvictions which are not relevant to the work carried out.

What is a’Spent’ Conviction?Convictions are ‘spent’ when a specific period of time – known as a ‘rehabilitation period’ – has passed since you were convicted and you have not re offended during that period. How long is a ‘Rehabilitation Period’? The length of a ‘rehabilitation period’ will depend on the sentence received, and sentences longer than 30 months imprisonment can never be ‘spent’. Below are details of the length of ‘rehabilitation periods’ for various sentences.

CRIMINAL COURT SENTENCES SENTENCE RECEIVED AGED 18 YEARS AND OVER AT TIME OF CONVICTON AGED UNDER 18 YEARS AT TIME OF CONVICTION Prison or young offender institution (immediate or suspended sentence) over 6 months but less that 30 months 10 years 5 years Prison or young offender institution (immediate or deferred sentence) of 6 months or less 7 years 3.5 years Fine/community service/supervised attendance order/curfew order 5 years 2.5 years Absolute discharge or admonishment 6 months 6 months Disqualification Until disqualification period ends Until disqualification period ends Probation imposed after 5 February 1995 5 years 2.5 years or length of probation period, whichever is longer Hospital order 5 years from date of conviction or 2 years from the termination of the hospital order, whichever is longer 5 years from date of conviction or 2 years from the termination of the hospital order, whichever is longer  DISCHARGEETC. FROM HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE SENTENCE RECEIVED AGED 18 YEARS AND OVER AT TIME OF CONVICTON AGED UNDER 18 YEARS AT TIME OF CONVICTION Discharge with public disgrace or dismissal with public disgrace 10 years 5 years Dismissal 7 years 3.5 years Any detention in respect of a conviction in servi9ce disciplinary hearings 5 years 2.5 years  Suspended Sentences Suspended sentences (England and Wales) will carry a rehabilitation date should the sentence be imposed.

Go Forth and Clyde wants to meet the aims and commitments set out inits equality policy. This includes not discriminating under the Equality Act2010, and building an accurate picture of the make-up of the workforce inencouraging equality and diversity.The organisation needs your help and co-operation to enable it to do this, but filling in this form is voluntary. The information provided will be kept confidential and will be used for monitoring purposes. If you have any questions about the form contact us at info@goforthandclyde.org.uk.