• I've never heard of ScotsERVS before! But - Just wow!
  

Thanks! But every interested person who comes across our service can help change that - spread the word! Add us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter, Get out their in your community and help raise awareness of who we are and what we are doing! Perhaps you could have some kooky idea to raise cash or hold an event we could come along to? Send us an email to get started! 

• Where is ScotsERVS based?
  

ScotsERVS are a mobile service, deployed from either a volunteers home address or one of our storage facilities to service specific NHS catchment areas - formulating a rider response map of assets across the country. We use various storage facilities for our response vehicles depending on area. Our historic home-base is Yorkhill Children's Hospital in Glasgow NHSGGC. In that facility, we have dedicated bays for our response vehicles and office/training/storage space for staff and equipment. 

• How long have ScotsERVS been going?

Surprisingly, longer than you'd think! Our founders identified an opportunities for improving and implementing changes in the healthcare community well over three years ago, back in 2009. Since then, those fledgling ideals of bringing about change in our community have been grown and developed into the service you see now. We're always working tirelessly in the background! ScotsERVS officially achieved charity status in 2011, immediately beginning our active provision of services in partnership with the NHS . 
We hope you can wholeheartedly believe as much as we do in our charitable aims, for a cause which has garnered Public, NHS and Government support.

• How do I go about getting an application form to become a volunteer?

Send us an enquiry form, including as much detail as possible to allow us to send back the right information you'll need to apply.

• I don't stay in Glasgow, can I still be a Volunteer?

Absolutely!  Our volunteers are based all over Scotland and come from many different walks of life. While we do need people in specific areas for riding / driving duties we list regular updates of current opportunities. However, don't hold off sending in your application! We look for the best person for the job, not the first person who applies. Send us your details, get involved - if anything specific comes up that may interest you, you'll be the first to know! 

• I want to volunteer, but I don't have any interest in riding bikes or driving cars. Can I still join? 
  

YES. Absolutely! There's lots of other roles within ScotsERVS that you can be involved with. Its not all about the vehicles. New people looking to join sometimes overlook the major importance our support, fundraising and event staff and how their actions impact on our organisation. Send us an enquiry form today to discuss your options further.

• If I was to volunteer, where would any training days take place?
  

Dependent on training, induction days would take place in the nearest facility to you - be that conducted in house at a local NHS or VDS (Volunteer Development Scotland) facility. On occasion, if suitable, inductees have suggested a mutually suitable space or arrangement where our team can conduct training in an appropriate environment. 

• How often are ScotsERVS training days?
  

Training opportunities are based on demand, so times can vary. Once a suitable pool of candidates have been formed a time and date suitable for the majority of those candidates is chosen. Normally, the process at this point is quite quick, usually a matter of days or weeks.

• What is actually involved in a training day?
  

Lots! In a brief generalisation, hands-on training and full induction covering everything you would encounter in any of the various ScotsERVS roles. 
Individual processes, systems and equipment. NHS training and product handling. Communications procedure. 

• Is the advance riding course really an absolute must?
  

YES. Candidates cannot be considered for active riding or drivers duties without an adequate level of training. This is for several reasons - the obvious main reasons being: 

1. Training ScotsERVS provide builds upon prior skills and knowledge that the candidate is expected to have achieved already in an advanced enviroment, course or scheme - often viewed as an example of an individuals personal commitment to improving their own skills for their own use. As service providers that support emergency grade use, it would be entirely unacceptable to put any rider/driver under a degree of responsibility in the public domain without suitable sustained training constructed on a foundation of a nationally recognised accreditation.
2. N.A.B.B guidelines also state all active service members must hold a current advanced qualification for the above same reason. 
3. Thirdly, it is also a condition of insurance.

At ScotsERVS, we feel it is part of our public duty to promote and maintain safe driving practices and we work with all relevant authorities on this issue. We have a public commitment to ensure all our volunteers have adequate levels of road safety and awareness required to meet the exacting standard of a representative of the Service regardless of role. This is to ensure that in every eventuality, not only does the package arrive safely, but the rider/driver does so too. ScotsERVS are proud to be members of ScORSA (Scottish Occupational Road Safety Alliance) and SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations).

• Which advanced qualifications or skill courses do you accept?
  

On our application form, there is a specific subsection to list all current riding and driving specific qualifications, including license categories and dates achieved. 
There is a range of acceptable driving qualifications - due to the nature of some professions, you may already hold a suitable qualification so please include all relevant details in your application. Civilian suitable qualifications are RoSPA and I.A.M - but I.A.M has an additional stipulation to meet national guidelines that the qualification must be current within 3years or additional training must be sought.

In addition on top of your current qualifications ScotsERVS additionally screen all applicants regardless of previous experience to assess their riding or driving capabilities. 
This is repeated at several regular points in your future voluntary career. This is to ascertain each individuals own capability with our service machines and to provide full familiarisation, as well as best practice in ensuring our service standards.

• Will I need business insurance for my own vehicle to come along on a ScotsERVS observed ride?

No. All initial assessments of your own riding capability (prior to being allowed familiarisation access to our response vehicles) is carried out on your own machine observed by a suitably qualified instructor. Business insurance is therefore not required by any member of the public attending one of our observed rides, although personal machines are required to be road worthy, fully taxed and insured for personal use and this will be checked.

ScotsERVS is a voluntary organisation and as you are on a personal machine undertaking such advice voluntarily (such as on a BikeSafe, RoSPA or I.A.M assessment) therefor you are not subject to the hire or reward clause in your insurance. This is the same clause that permits these assessments above to be undertaken on your own machine under the same conditions.

• It's alright! I have my own car/bike that I can use for ScotsERVS duties. 

Thanks for the very kind offer, but unfortunately we couldn't accept the use of your personal vehicle. ScotsERVS provide all liveried service vehicles for service use. That said, if you are considering scrapping an old vehicle or donating it to charity, we do have an excellent scheme for that! You can find all details of our vehicle scrappage initiative here

• As it is voluntary, to what extent will the application process cost us for training? 

As stated ScotsERVS and NHS training is provided in house free of charge. Applicants who do not already hold advanced riding or driving qualifications are not permitted to join the active rota for driving or riding duties but may apply their skills to the other active support roles available. Members who advance their skills at any time are free to resubmit for grading for other role opportunities.

• Annual ScotsERVS training: is it conducted 'in house' and by who?

All training is provided in house by our qualified trainers, specific to each role and discipline. Training is an ongoing process rather than a yearly retainer, candidates are provided with all necessary updates. Training is recorded and updated throughout every members voluntary career in line with current guidelines for best practice.

• Isn't your application process quite extreme?

It has to be. ScotsERVS is a flagship service unique to Scotland that covers an entire country with a diverse geographical, cultural and population landscape. Nationally we service a population of circa 5,222,100 (census stat:2010). As for our application, it is specifically designed in collaboration with relevant scottish authorities to attract the right type of professional volunteer with a committed objective outlook, and to weed out those with the wrong motivations. Hence, to date most of our personnel come from a service or professional background - be that emergency, military, training or other. Although we are a voluntary organisation, we are also a recognised emergency service provider and the thoroughness of our screening processes for operational staff have to reflect that.  Here in Scotland our responders have a desire to make a real difference in the community, they're trained to be placed in positions of trust. Our work with the Donor Milk Bank is to the benefit of sick children; the materials we carry are urgent medical items vital to a patients care.Our riders and drivers don't just abandon transport boxes at reception desks - we only deliver directly from unit to unit to ensure our packages get exactly where they need to be, when they need to be. NICU/SCBU secure neonatal units contain some of the very most vulnerable members of our society. Our recruitment and monitoring processes are extremely stringent to reflect that responsibility. ScotsERVS entire focus is placed on best practice in maintaining the exemplary service standard we provide. 

• I sent in an application, but I haven't had any reply?

 That's odd! But, with such a lot going on around the clock, individual emails at times can sometimes go astray - though you should have received an automatic confirmation email. We would suggest contacting us if you are in any way concerned; or if you didn't received a confirmation email within a few days of sending your form; or lastly, if for any reason you haven't heard anything back from us in awhile - please send us an enquiry form through the website. Nobody likes to be kept waiting! 
So please, use the enquiry form to get in touch and allow us to follow up on your request.

• I have been sent an application but cant open it.....

All Files are sent as OpenOffice Documents, This is so they may be opened on any PC or Mac. However if your having problems, why not download openoffice for free - http://www.openoffice.org/