Legal

Volunteer Code of Conduct

What we expect of every Akshara Spoorthi Foundation volunteer in a school, and what happens if the code is breached.

Last updated: 1 April 2025

Every volunteer signs this before their first placement. It is short on purpose.

In the schoolLink to the section In the school

You are a guest of the headmaster. The school's rules, timings and supervision arrangements take precedence over ours. Sign the visitors' register every time. Wear your identity card visibly.

Never be alone with a child in a closed room, a vehicle or out of sight of another adult. If a situation arises where that would happen, step outside and find a colleague.

Do not photograph anyone on a personal device. Photography is done by a designated photographer, against consent forms already signed, on an organisation device.

Do not give money, gifts, a lift or your personal phone number to an individual child or family. If you believe a child needs help beyond the programme, tell the programme manager, who will act on it properly.

With the childrenLink to the section With the children

Treat every child identically regardless of caste, religion, gender, disability or how the child behaves towards you. Never use physical punishment, humiliation, sarcasm, or language that would embarrass a child in front of her classmates.

If a child discloses something about her home life to you, listen, do not press for detail, do not promise to keep it secret, and report it the same day to the Child Protection Focal Point. Do not investigate it yourself.

With the school and communityLink to the section With the school and community

Do not criticise a teacher, headmaster or government scheme in front of children or parents. Raise it with us instead; we will raise it in the right place.

Do not make commitments on behalf of AKSF — about funding, timelines or anything else. Say you will find out.

Do not use your association with AKSF to solicit funds, promote a business or a political position, or gain access to a school for any other purpose.

Personal conductLink to the section Personal conduct

Arrive on time or tell the coordinator you cannot. A school that has arranged its timetable around a volunteer who does not appear will not do it a second time.

Do not attend under the influence of alcohol or any intoxicant. Do not smoke on school premises.

Log your hours honestly. They are used in our reporting to funders and in the annual report.

BreachLink to the section Breach

A breach of the safeguarding provisions above results in immediate suspension of all contact with children, pending review, and is reported to the authorities where the law requires it. Other breaches are handled by the Volunteer Coordinator and may result in a placement being ended.

Raise anything that concerns you, however small and however unsure you are, at safeguarding@aksharaspoorthi.org. Nobody has ever been penalised here for reporting something that turned out to be nothing.