Trainee

Induction Pack

RULES ABOUT BEING OFF SICK

If you are ill, you should:

• Phone (01875 819635) in between 8am and 9am in the morning and talk to your supervisor to let them know that you are not able to come into work and why.

• If you are ill for more than 7 days, you should get a doctor’s sick line to cover any further days’ absence.

• You should keep in touch, by phoning your supervisor; throughout the time you are off work, to keep us informed of how you are and when you expect to be back at work.

These are the basic rules for someone at work.  The overall aim of having these rules is to help you understand the rules for everyone in a workplace.  They are quite strict, and very straightforward, and this is because once you are a paid worker, it is expected that you will not be off work very often.

RULES ABOUT BEING OFF WORK

There are basic rules in a work place for taking time off apart from annual leave.  Below is a list of points giving details about these; -

• Training expenses are not paid for days when you are absent from work.
• Dentist, Doctor and Hospital appointments - it is important to try and arrange these for early morning or late afternoon.  However, clearly this is not always possible and paid time is allowed off for these.  For Dentist and Hospital appointments, please bring in an appointment card.
• Overall, a record is kept of attendance for each individual training at the Pitstop Café.  This will include a record of all time off required so that we can build up a picture of an individual’s attendance within a training for work situation.  This will be used in assessments to look at their ability to move on to paid work.

Conclusion

The aim of having rules about time off is to give you an understanding of how workplaces operate.  To become employed, it is expected that you have a good attendance record and that time off is kept to a minimum.

RULES ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE AT WORK

When you arrive at any workplace;

1. Whilst at the Pitstop Café, the dress code is black leather shoes, black trousers (not jogging suit bottoms, or cropped trousers) and a white top. The Pitstop Café will provide a white jacket and Pitstop apron when in the Café – these must not under any circumstances be worn outside.
2. All clothes must be clean and smart (ironed)
3. Your hair should be clean, and long hair must be tied back
4. Hands and finger nails should be clean
5. Clean-shaven or a trimmed beard for men.

IF YOU WORK WITH FOOD, AS WELL AS THE ABOVE, THE FOLLOWING RULES APPLY:

1. Always wear flat, black leather shoes – no trainers, sandals, open shoes or high heels.
2. No jewellery.
3. Clean hair – tied back if long.
4. No strong perfume or aftershave.
5. Always wear a clean apron
6. Take white chefs jacket and apron off if you are leaving the Pitstop Café.
7. Clean short fingernails, no nail polish.
8. Always wash hands before touching food
9. Only discrete make up is allowed.

SAFETY IN THE KITCHEN

It is essential that all persons engaged in the preparation, cooking and service of food are aware at all times of the need for certain elementary precautions of safety, in order to automatically minimise the risk of an accident.

1. Do not leave metal spoons in boiling liquids
2. Do not leave handles of cooking pans over the gas flame.
3. Always carry a knife with its point towards the floor.
4. Never attempt to catch a falling knife.
5. Always cut or chop on a board.  (NEVER IN THE HAND)
6. When using a hand model can opener, protect the other hand with a cloth or kitchen towel.
7. Always clean up any spilled grease or fat from the floor immediately.
8. Never use a damp cloth for lifting or carrying hot utensils.
9. Never wear sandals/open shoes in the kitchen.
10. Never pour water on a fat/oil fire.  Frying pans on fire should be put out with a damp sack or asbestos blanket.
11. Long hair should be tied back
12. Gas/electric appliances should be turned off when not in use (for economic and safety reasons)
13. Make sure the first aid box is readily accessible and that it contains sufficient waterproof and burn dressings.
14. Never attempt to carry heavy pots etc of hot food single-handed.  GET HELP.
15. Do not reach over naked burning gas!
16. Never put cleaning fluids into bottles originally used for food or drink.

FOOD HYGIENE

1.      Always wash your hands before touching food.

2.      Always wash your hands after using the toilet.

3.      Always wash your hands after breaks (and having a cigarette).

4.      Do not touch your hair if you are about to handle food.

N.B.  It is important that you immediately report any gastro-intestinal illnesses (stomach upsets) or any other infections to your Supervisor, as this will affect your ability to work with food.

Policy on Health & Safety

The Pitstop Café aims to create a working environment that minimises the risk of injury to the health & well-being of everyone at work.

Everyone has to take responsibility to protect themselves from injury and ensure that they work safely to avoid injury to themselves or anyone else at their work.

Some of the rules

1. Do not use equipment unless you have been trained in this and given permission to do this.
2. Work with care around cookers, and keep floors clear of rubbish.  Walk carefully within the kitchen areas, avoid rushing around so that you don’t slip or bump into someone else.

General

Staff will give you daily guidance and support in the work area to make sure you are working safely.  If you are unclear about anything always check with them.

Reporting Accidents

1. Always tell a member of staff if you have had an accident, as they are there to help you.
2. The accident will be recorded in an accident-reporting book, detailing how it was dealt with.  Advice/training will be given if for example you keep repeatedly cutting yourself, in order to minimise further accidents.

Policy on Personal Belongings at Work

It is important that you are aware of how to keep your personal belongings safe while you are at the Pitstop Café.  The rules about this are:

1.      It is a good idea not to take large amounts of cash, credit cards, jewellery or other personal belongings of high value into work.

2.      What people should take in daily;

·        small amount of cash for daily expenses,

·        smartcard/travel permit,

·        mobile phone,

·        CD/music player.

3.      A locker is provided and you will be given a key to this.  It is your responsibility to make sure that all your personal belongings are stored in the locker and that you keep the key safe in your possession.

4.      Our insurance policy does not cover loss/theft of personal belongings of anyone working/training in the Pitstop Cafe.

5.      If you feel under pressure from anyone to lend your personal belongings, including cash, please speak to your Supervisor about this.  They will deal with this.

Overall, you are responsible for your personal belongings whilst at the Pitstop Café.  It is good practice not to take more than is necessary to work, and all necessary belongings taken to work should be locked away in the locker provided.  Staff will support you to understand how to keep your belongings safe.

Policy on Smoking, Alcohol and Illegal Drugs

1. The Pitstop Café has a no smoking policy in all parts of the building.  Smoking is permitted therefore outside the building, in the designated smoking area.  Please ensure that you dispose of cigarette ends in the bin provided.
2. Alcohol – no alcohol to be consumed on the premises.  We would encourage individuals not to bring alcohol to work with them.  It is also forbidden to drink throughout the day i.e. lunchtime, as your work environment is a busy catering setting where you may have to operate equipment.
3. Illegal drugs are forbidden on the premises.  Anyone caught in possession of drugs will be asked to leave the premises and contact will be made with carers/support workers to notify them.  We will then arrange a meeting within 7 days to explore future options.  It could be a warning would be given to state clearly the rules about any of the above, which would enable you to continue to benefit from training at the Pitstop Café as long as you did not break the rules again.

Overall our aim it to help people deal with these situations whilst maintaining that rules are adhered to.

Policy on Reporting Incidents

It is important that you tell your Supervisor or another member of staff if you have witnessed something that you are not happy about.  Also if something has happened to you, which you feel you, need help with.

An example of this could be that you feel someone is bullying you.  Staff will help in this situation and if necessary involve the Manager, Jackie, to sort out difficulties.

Staff will record the incident and we will ask you to sign this to make sure we have recorded the incident and how it was dealt with accurately.

Policy on Confidentiality

At the Pitstop Café, we are required to record information about you in order to provide a record of assessment, we will therefore pull together information throughout your period of training at the Pitstop Café.  As part of the ongoing assessment, we will also pull together information from other sources, i.e. training/service providers and employers (work experience placement providers).

It is important that this information is respected by all staff and not shown to anyone who does not need to see it.

Information recorded will be in the form of Developmental Review Reports, very like an appraisal system that employers use for staff.  You will be part of the review meetings and contribute to this report.  In fact, we actively encourage you to be involved.  A written copy of the review will be given to you, for your own personal records.  Rules about this include;

1. Staff must treat all information about you with respect.
2. They must keep it safe and private.
3. They must write accurate reports of reviews.

Sharing Information with others

Staff may need to share information with each other in order to provide the right support to you.

They must not discuss you in a casual or disrespectful way and they must not talk about you in a public place where other people might overhear.

Staff must ask your permission if they need to share personal information about you with other people you do not know or trust.

Staff can never promise that they will not tell anyone else about something you have told them.  Sometimes they will have to pass that information onto someone else at the Pitstop Café i.e. a complaint about bullying/abuse, or to the police if something serious has happened.

Whenever possible, we will respect your right to privacy and will encourage everyone at the Pitstop Café to understand why confidentiality is important.

Policy and Procedure on Confidentiality

It is important that we protect your rights to confidentiality.  We have an open access policy where trainees can see their file containing their record of progress.  You will need to be aware that we will have to share this information with other staff or organisations, under the following conditions;

1. As part of providing a vocational training service.
2. To outside training providers, i.e. employers when we arrange work experience placements.

We will treat all information in confidence and make sure that information is securely stored.  We will support you to be aware of the information you share so that you give appropriate personal information to others.

Procedures

We legally own all files on the people who use our service.  We will make sure that we keep all files securely and that all the information is accurate and up to date.

Confidentiality

We will hold all confidential information, which our staff may have access to, in the strictest confidence.

Access

Any staff that has access to confidential information will treat the information with respect and not give it to anyone else.

Communication with other people

We will not pass personal information to other people unless you know and agree.

Permission to share information

We will not release information provided by individuals or other agencies unless that individual or agency agrees.

Data Protection Act

We will store all records, which contain personal information in clearly marked files, in a locked filing cabinet.

Ways information is shared

1. We will need to pass your personal information to others as part of the service you receive.  Examples: employers, members of staff at the Pitstop Café.
2. There are special circumstances where the law or the public’s interest may be more important than your right to have the information to be kept confidential.  These are:

• If a Court orders us to give information, we do not have to get your permission.
• Telling the police.  We will do this only if it would help prevent a serious crime.

Staff: Key Points on Policy on Confidentiality

• Personal information about trainees must be treated with absolute respect.
• Trainees need to know that there are circumstances where personal information about them is shared within the organisation or with professionals in other organisations.
• People should be told when personal information about them is being shared.
• Staff should work with trainees to encourage confidentiality and the importance of keeping personal information private.
• Any information written down about a person should be kept secure and private at all times.
• Whenever possible, written information about a person should not be removed from the workplace.  This is to safeguard the rights, privacy and confidentiality of everyone involved.
• Staff cannot promise to keep any information “in strict confidence”.
• Within a staff group there is a need to share information about people in order to provide a good, and safe, service.  They should be open with the people they work with about the limits on confidentiality.
• Breach of confidentiality by staff is a disciplinary issue.
• Good working practice for staff should involve the open sharing of information with trainees, i.e. discuss anything which is being written down or communication to another person about them.  The exceptions to this would be:

1. If the information is likely to cause harm to that person or to others.
2. If the information is likely to disclose the identity of another person without their permission.

·        There may be circumstances where information has to be shared even if the person is not happy with this decision.  Examples of such situations are:

1.      When there is risk of serious harm to the individual or to another person.

2.      When an offence has been committed, or thought to have been committed, and the police need to be involved.

Meetings to review your Progress throughout Training.

A training place at the Pitstop Café can be offered for up to a period of 2 years and throughout this time, regular Developmental Reviews are arranged to ensure that a detailed written assessment is made of an individuals training needs and progress throughout the training period. 

Assessment takes the form of regular reviews with the Manager, Supervisor, Trainee and Parent/Carer.  If a trainee has a Social Worker assigned to them, then an invitation to attend the Review can be extended to them via the trainee or their parent/carer, and the Pitstop Café should be notified of their attendance at this meeting prior to it taking place.  The Pitstop Café does not send out invitations to reviews to Social Workers, therefore leaving this up to the discretion of the Trainee or Parent/Carer.

Reviews are organised as followed:

• 6 weeks (this is at the end of the probationary period, and discussion would be had as to whether a training placement would be offered or not to the Trainee)
• 4 monthly thereafter, unless otherwise discussed at the previous review.

These reviews will be recorded in writing, with a copy of what was discussed and agreed being given to the trainee for their own personal records.

Complaints Procedure

Anyone who trains at the Pitstop Café can make a complaint about anything to do with being here.  It is helpful for everyone concerned to know if you think something is wrong, as we can then do something about it.

This would be the same in any future work place that you move onto and the procedure we use is similar to that of a place of work, so that you get accustomed to dealing with how a complaint is put forward, and to ensure that you are heard.

If you find it difficult to make a complaint on your own, you can get help from any member or staff, or a friend, or a member of your family.  Particularly if the complain is of a personal nature, e.g. you feel intimidated in some way, you should always seek support from someone you trust, to ensure that your complaint is dealt with.

1. The first step, if you have a complaint, is to speak to your Supervisor, who is involved in your training on a daily basis. 

If you are not satisfied

2. The next step is to speak to the Manager, 
3. The next step is to contact the Chairperson of the Management Group – Mrs Jamia Givan, telephone – 07958633100.  She will arrange for a member of the Management Group to deal with your complaint.

The timescale for dealing with complaints should be a maximum of 7 days.  Details of complaints and how it is dealt with will be recorded in the individuals file.  A record that a complaint has been made and dealt with will be kept in a Complaints File, which will be held in the Managers Office.  A member of staff will record this.

Meetings

Trainee Meetings

Trainee meetings are held on the first Monday of each month.  This is a chance to bring up any points you would like to make about being at the Pitstop Café.  It is a good opportunity to make a contribution to the way we work. Meetings are recorded.