Introduction
Go Live Theatre Projects is committed to providing a high-quality service to young people, teachers, practitioners, supporters, and our full-time, part-time and occasional staff members and volunteers. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.
If you have a complaint, please contact us in writing by email or post with the details as soon as possible. We will keep a record of your complaint for 24 months from the date of receipt (unless data protection laws require us to delete your data sooner).
Purpose
The purpose of the Complaints and Compliments policy is to listen to feedback from our service users about their experience of Go Live Theatre Projects (GLTP) to promote the satisfaction with our services and to identify areas where services can be improved.
The aim of this procedure is to ensure that all concerns and complaints are dealt with fairly, properly and quickly to ensure that learning from any complaint upheld in full or part is actioned appropriately and all compliments are shared and celebrated.
Scope
This policy applies to individuals (members of the public) and organisations wishing to comment on, compliment or complain about the performance of services, fundraising activities, the suitability of campaigns and the conduct of employees, volunteers, contractors and third parties working with or representing the GLTP.
This policy does not apply to GLTP employees, work experience or university placement students, practitioners and trustees. In the event that they wish to make a complaint, they should refer to the relevant GLTP policies e.g. Grievance Policy, Whistleblowing Policy and the Safeguarding & Child Protection policy as appropriate.
Those persons to whom this policy does not apply should make their compliments and comments to their line manager or persons to whom they consider their compliments/comments are most relevant.
Current Legislative Framework
This Policy takes into account relevant legal requirements, regulations and guidance, including:
· Children Act 1989 and 2004
· Working Together to Safeguard Children July 2018
· Statutory guidance relevant to the NSPCC issued by the NSPCC’s
· regulators including the Charity Commission;
· The Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice, Fundraising
· Promise and Rulebooks for Face-to-Face Fundraising;
· Good Governance: a Code for the Voluntary and Community sector;
· Data Protection Act 2018;
· Charities (Protection and Social Investments) Act 2016.
What is a complaint?
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction by a service user of GLTP, which requires consideration in accordance with our complaints procedure. Alongside this it is important to be aware of our confidentiality policy, safeguarding policy and whistleblowing policy. Any safeguarding issue will be responded in line with the Governments guidelines.
What is a compliment?
You may wish to provide positive feedback on the service you have received. We would be delighted to hear from you and to share the feedback with our teams. All feedback will support our learning as an organisation to ensure we offer the best service we can to those we work with.
What will happen next in the event of a complaint?
1. We will send you a letter or an email acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure. Complaints can be made anonymously, however with no contact details we will be unable to update you of the response to your complaint. Otherwise, all personal details provided the data will remain confidential and processed in line with UK GDPR and our Privacy Policy.
2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will involve passing your complaint to our Chief Executive (CE), Susan Whiddington, who will review your complaint and speak to the member of staff or other person involved.
3. Susan Whiddington will then invite you to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. This will be done within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter/email.
4. Within three days of the meeting, Susan Whiddington will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions agreed with you.
5. If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, Susan Whiddington will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including her suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
6. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again. We will then arrange for an objective party to review the decision that has been made.
7. We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
8. If your complaint is received while our CE is away this will be dealt with directly upon on her return.
9. If you are still not satisfied, you can consult legal advice either through a solicitor or Legal Aid. If your complaint is with regards to fundraising, then you are advised to refer it to the Fundraising Regulator within two months of our response.
What will happen next in the event of a compliment?
Lets us know when we are getting things right. Any compliment received is shared with the relevant Department.
If the compliment is about an individual staff member they are then informed in writing by the Line Manager and a copy of the compliment and letter is stored in their Personnel File.
Compliments can help us share good practice and improve services.
If we have to change any of the timescales above, we will let you know and explain why
Internal complaints
If a staff member wishes to make an internal complaint or suspects any internal wrongdoing, Go Live has general staff procedures to try to resolve any internal complaints as outlined in our Staff Handbook. We also have Whistle-blower Policy to support ‘making a disclosure in the public interest’.
Staff can report things that they believe are not right, illegal or if anyone at work is neglecting their duties, including:
· someone’s health and safety is in danger
· damage to the environment
· a criminal offence
· the charity is not obeying the law (such as not having the right insurance)
· covering up wrongdoing
Procedures for Making an Internal Disclosure
On receipt of a complaint of malpractice, the member of staff who receives and takes note of the complaint, must pass this information as soon as is reasonably possible, to the appropriate designated investigating officer as follows:
· Complaints of malpractice will be investigated by the CEO unless the complaint is against the CEO or is in any way related to the actions of the CEO. In such cases, the complaint should be passed to the Chairman and Board of Trustees for referral.
· In the case of a complaint, which is in any way connected with, but not against the CEO, the Chairman will nominate a Senior Manager to act as the alternative investigating officer.
· Complaints against the Chairman should be passed to the CEO and Board of Trustees who will nominate an appropriate investigating officer.
· The complainant has the right to bypass the line management structure and take their complaint direct to the Chairman. The Chairman has the right to refer the complaint
back to management if they feel that the management without any conflict of interest can more appropriately investigate the complaint.
Contact details
Susan Whiddington
Chief Executive Officer susan@golivetheatre.org.uk
General enquiries hello@golivetheatre.org.uk