This charter has been drawn up as part of the Institute’s volunteering strategy, Investing in Volunteers: Collaboration for a Sustainable Future. It recognises that the RTPI’s volunteers are active, engaged members who share our vision for the planning profession and ambitions for the RTPI; and who, through a combination of attitudes, thoughts, behaviours and actions, help to shape the success of the Institute by supporting the delivery of our activities for the benefit of the wider membership, our members’ communities, and the organisation in itself.
The volunteer role is based on trust and mutual understanding. Aside from mandatory induction training, there will be no enforceable obligation, contractual or otherwise, for the volunteer to attend or to undertake particular tasks or for the organisation to provide continuing opportunities for voluntary involvement, provision of training or benefits. There will be however a presumption of mutual support and reliability. Reciprocal expectations are acknowledged – both of what the Institute expects of volunteers and what volunteers should expect of the Institute. This is set out more widely in our Volunteer Handbook, but in brief: