If you have difficulty reading or understanding this procedure, please contact us. A publication is stored on our website and copies can be made available in large print, in different languages or a taped recording upon request.

Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire

128 Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0EW

Tel: 01698 300 390

Email: office@vaslan.org.uk

Principles

Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan) aims to provide high quality, accessible services in line with our mission statement and commitment to the Third Sector. As part of this commitment, we have established a complaints procedure for people to tell us when we haven’t met their expectations.

Complaints will be dealt with in confidence, in accordance with our Confidentiality Policy.

Examples of causes for complaint

You may wish to raise a complaint if you feel:

• You have been unreasonably or unfairly refused a service.
• You are dissatisfied with the quality of any VASLan service.
• You are unhappy with how VASLan staff have behaved or how they have treated you.
• You want to challenge a decision, statement or action of VASLan.

These are examples and you may make a complaint which isn’t covered by one of the above.

Making a Complaint

Solving the problem informally

As a first step it is best to speak to someone in the responsible team who may be able to solve the problem informally with you. You should therefore contact VASLAN directly on 01698 300 390 and you will be directed to the relevant person in that team. If you wish to take the matter further, you need to make a formal complaint using the formal complaint procedure as detailed below.

How to make a formal complaint

• Verbally: to a member of staff. A staff member, representative or colleague, with your agreement, will then put your complaint in writing. It will then be referred to the appropriate Manager within VASLan.
• In Writing: to the contact details on the front page of this document. It will be passed to the relevant Manager who will investigate your complaint.

VASLan response to your complaint

Once you have made a formal complaint we will aim to send you a written acknowledgement within seven working days.

We will normally provide you with a written response to your complaint within twenty-one working days with a full explanation and details of how VASLan proposes to remedy the situation if appropriate. If a written reply is inappropriate or insufficient you will be offered the opportunity to meet with the staff concerned along with the Line Manager or Chief Executive, to discuss the matter in detail to meet a satisfactory outcome.

You will be informed in writing of the outcome of any such meeting, normally within ten working days of the meeting. The response will inform you of the outcome of your complaint.

It may not always be possible to commit to the prescribed timescales, if for example the complaint is complicated or if relevant people are on annual leave. However, should this be the case, our aim is to write to you to explain and let you know when we are able to give you a full response.

Additional Information

Complaints about the Chief Executive should be made to the Chairperson of the VASLan Board.

Complaints about the VASLan Chairperson or Trustees should first be made by contacting the charity trustees directly. Trustee mail addresses can be found our website and written complaints can be sent to the office address.  If you do not receive a satisfactory response, consider contacting the relevant regulatory body.

Complaints or concerns about how VASLan is being run as a charity can be made by contacting OSCR or Scottish Fundraising Adjudication Panel

Making an Appeal

If you are not satisfied with the outcome or response to your complaint you may appeal in writing. This should be sent to the contact details on the front page of this procedure. The appeal will be dealt with by somebody separate from the original complaint, or if appropriate it will be addressed by the Board of Trustees. Ideally you will make your appeal within twenty-one days of receiving the outcome of your complaint.

When you appeal we will aim to follow the timelines above, with appeals normally expected to be responded to within three working weeks. Appeals to the Board are consider at the next scheduled Board meeting. Board meetings are generally held bimonthly. The outcome of the appeal to the Board will normally be communicated to you within 15 working days of the Board meeting taking place. Where this is not possible, we will advise you of progress and when the outcome of the appeal is likely.

Confidentiality

All investigation records will be stored confidentially.