Complaints Policy

Venture Trust is committed to providing a high-quality service following best practice and creating and sustaining positive and productive working relationships with all participants and stakeholders, including but not limited to referrers, funders, local authorities and partner organisations.

We do recognise however that there may be occasions where concerns or complaints arise. In these circumstances we commit to providing a fair, honest and open environment to discuss issues and reach a conclusion which is acceptable to both parties, and to using such occasions as an opportunity to learn and
improve standards.

This policy has the following aims:

to deal with concerns or complaints fairly, efficiently and effectively;
to ensure that complaints, concerns or difficulties are handled in a consistent manner;
to use complaints, concerns or difficulties constructively in the planning and improvement of all services

This policy deals with complaints, concerns or difficulties surrounding situations including, but not limited to, the following:

the quality and / or extent of our programmes;
the operation of our programmes;
support received during engagement with Venture Trust;
particular policies and procedures covering our programmes;

Complaints and concerns can be raised by individuals including, but not limited to, the following:

participants engaging with a Venture Trust programme
families, guardians and carers of such participants
potential participants who have been refused a place on a Venture Trust programme
stakeholders such as referrers, funders, local authorities, partner organisations, recruitment candidates, service providers

Complaints arising from an SQA decision must have been dealt with via the SQA appeals procedure. The decision reached at the end of the SQA appeals process is final, but individuals still have the right to raise a complaint or concern under this policy in relation to their experience of that process.

Staff complaints are not covered by this policy and should be dealt with under the separate grievance
procedure laid out in the Staff Handbook.

Managing Director
is ultimately responsible for the final resolution of a concern or complaint which cannot be rectified at an earlier stage in the complaints or concerns process.

Director of Corporate Services
will acknowledge, investigate and formally respond to formal written complaints.
will assist and advise colleagues in dealing with informal complaints.
will initiate any action required to rectify the matter or to review the way we work in order to improve standards.

Senior Leadership Team and Operations Management Team
will ensure that their teams are aware of the policy and procedures and how to apply them.
will assist in investigating formal written complaints as appropriate.
will support staff in dealing with informal complaints.
will support in rolling out revised ways of working across teams in light of procedural review following a complaint.

Making or raising an informal complaint or concern

Many concerns and complaints can be resolved informally. In the first instance, you should contact a member of staff and provide details of the concern or complaint. Ideally this should be in writing, or if contact is made in person or by phone a note should be kept by the person raising the concern or complaint, recording the name of the member of staff approached, and whether any solution was offered at this point. If the complaint is regarding a member of staff, the complaint should be addressed to their line manager.

Members of staff will inform their line manager of all informal complaints received and also keep a similar note if the complaint is not made in writing.

Informal complaints will be acknowledged and responded to as such by the relevant member of staff or their line manager. We aim to resolve informal complaints within five working days.

Formal complaints or concerns

If a concern or complaint cannot be resolved informally, a formal written complaint should be made. This should be emailed to info@venturetrust.org.uk or posted to:
Director of Corporate Services
Unit 6 Block 1
Manor Farm Business Park
Stirling
FK9 5QD

Your complaint should include full details of the concern or complaint, contact details for the person making the complaint, and an indication of the desired outcome. If the complaint is about the Director of Corporate Services, it should be addressed to the Managing Director.

On receipt of a formal written complaint or concern, we will acknowledge it within five working days and investigate as necessary, including contacting or meeting you to discuss the complaint or concern where appropriate. Wherever possible, a written response will be made within ten working days following original acknowledgement of receipt, or an update will be given to explain any reason for a delay and a predicted date for final response.

Where serious allegations are made the Director of Corporate Services will seek expert support. If the allegations suggest a criminal offence may have been committed the matter will be reported to the police.

If a formal written complaint cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of both parties, the matter should be raised in writing to the Managing Director.

In the event that a resolution still cannot be agreed, the Chair of the Board will consider the concern or complaint.