is a church a 'not for profit organisation'?

brians_daughter

Hope this is the right place to post?If not could you please re-direct us?

Ok, as title states really. My SIL needs to do a placement at uni within a NFP organisation. She is struggling to find someone who will take her on for the number of hours the module requires - mainly due to the fact that the placement is only 30 hours and the university insist (and rightly so) on checking over the establishment to ensure H&S requirements are met etc.

She is already heavily involved within her local church community ie doing the local newsletters, helping with driving ppl to and from church, be-friending services etc and i suggested that she used this time as her palcement module.

Her parish priest is away unil Sunday and she isnt sure if a Church would be considered NFP. Could anyone tell us?

Thanks all

Savvy_Sue

could be: they are usually covered by charity legislation, so if a charity would be OK then can't see why a church would not be! only downside is that she is not broadening her experience in any way. where in UK is she? and would priest suggest another church who might take her, perhaps to get out of her comfort zone a bit?

brians_daughter

Hi Sue, thanks for the reply. She plans (after a brief discussion with me just now) are to ask i she can go to a parish close by that offers childrens youth groups etc as it is something her parish doesnt do.. so ideally she could help out with sunday school and the friday night youth group. With the intention of gaining experience and support in order to duplicate the groups within her own Parish.

I think its a wonderful idea and just hope its possible for her to do it under the umbrella of her degree. She really wants a placement that will lead to long term relationships, she doesnt just want to do the placement and run so to speak, so if it was possible it sounds ideal as she would be learning and giving back long term to her own community..which is what she wants to do!

Thanks again

Savvy_Sue

the other thing she should do is check with uni tutor that this would be OK. I hope that for an initial 30 hour placement they would not be too fussy, esp as it can be tricky to find short ones (and long ones too, come to that!) but sometimes faith organisations are regarded rather suspiciously.

Torry_Quine

Remember that she will need to have a dislosure completed if she is going to be working with children or other vulnerable groups. May be something different if not called disclosure for you.

Savvy_Sue

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Remember that she will need to have a dislosure completed if she is going to be working with children or other vulnerable groups. May be something different if not called disclosure for you.

I would hope Uni would have done this at start of course! we take a number of students and would insist on this.

Torry_Quine

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I would hope Uni would have done this at start of course! we take a number of students and would insist on this.

I agree but you need a separate one for every different job or organisation, at least you do in Scotland.

Savvy_Sue

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I agree but you need a separate one for every different job or organisation, at least you do in Scotland.

well, we don't insist on it for students on placements where the uni / college tells us they have done this!

in a short placement near the start of the course, there wouldn't be time to get it!

Torry_Quine

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

well, we don't insist on it for students on placements where the uni / college tells us they have done this!

in a short placement near the start of the course, there wouldn't be time to get it!

You don't insist on it which is fine for you but the church or indeed any organisation may insist on their own. I however have no specific experience in this area but just want to give a heads up to the OP.

Owain_Moneysaver

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

well, we don't insist on it for students on placements where the uni / college tells us they have done this!

in a short placement near the start of the course, there wouldn't be time to get it!

The point is that for an enhanced disclosure the nature of the work/organisation is taken into account.

So a student who has a clear disclosure for working with children might not have a clear disclosure when it comes to working with vulnerable adults at risk of fraud. Etc.

GemJar_2

How about witness support? http://www.victimsupport.org.uk/Home/Get%20involved/Volunteering