YLA views complaints as an opportunity to learn and improve for the future, as well as a chance to put things right for the person or organisation that has made the complaint.
Our policy is:
- To provide a fair complaints procedure which is clear and easy to use for anyone wishing to make a complaint
- To publicise the existence of our complaints procedure so that people know how to contact us to make a complaint
- To make sure everyone at YLA knows what to do if a complaint is received
- To make sure all complaints are investigated fairly and in a timely way
- To make sure that complaints are, wherever possible, resolved and that relationships are repaired
- To gather information which helps us to improve what we do
Definition of a Complaint
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction, whether justified or not, about any aspect of YLA.
Where Complaints Come From
Complaints may come from any person who has a legitimate interest in YLA. This includes members, stakeholders, partners, or beneficiaries.
A complaint can be received verbally, by phone, by email, or in writing.
This policy does not cover complaints from staff, who should use YLA’s Discipline and Grievance policies.
Confidentiality
All complaint information will be handled sensitively, telling only those who need to know and following any relevant data protection requirements.
Responsibility
Overall responsibility for this policy and its implementation lies with the Board of Trustees.
YLA Complaints Procedure
Publicised Contact Details for Complaints:
Written complaints may be sent to the Complaints Coordinator at YLA (which email?) Complaints should be marked private and confidential.
Receiving Complaints
Complaints may arrive through channels publicised for that purpose or through any other contact details or opportunities the complainant may have.
Complaints received by telephone or in person need to be recorded.
The person who is investigating a complaint by phone or in person should:
- Write down the facts of the complaint
- Take the complainant's name, address, and telephone number
- Note down the relationship of the complainant to YLA
- Tell the complainant that we have a complaints procedure
- Tell the complainant what will happen next and how long it will take
- Where appropriate, ask the complainant to send a written account by post or by email so that the complaint is recorded in the complainant’s own words.
Resolving Complaints
Stage One
In many cases, a complaint is best resolved by the person responsible for the issue being complained about. If the complaint has been received by that person, they may be able to resolve it swiftly and should do so if possible and appropriate.
Whether or not the complaint has been resolved, the complaint information should be passed to the Complaints Coordinator within one week.
The Complaints Coordinator is usually the CEO of YLA, unless the complaint is about the CEO, in which case the Complaints Coordinator will be a trustee of YLA. YLA can also ask an independent person or body to investigate a complaint.
On receiving the complaint, the Complaints Coordinator keeps a record of the complaint. If it has not already been resolved, they should investigate the complaint for themselves or delegate an appropriate person to investigate it and to take appropriate action.
If the complaint relates to a specific person, they should be informed and given a fair opportunity to respond.
Complaints should be acknowledged by the person handling the complaint within a week. The acknowledgment should say who is dealing with the complaint and when the person complaining can expect a reply. A copy of this Complaints procedure should be attached.
Ideally, complainants should receive a definitive reply within four weeks. If this is not possible because, for example, an investigation has not been fully completed, a progress report should be sent with an indication of when a full reply will be given.
Whether the complaint is justified or not, the reply to the complainant should describe the action taken to investigate the complaint, the conclusions from the investigation, and any action taken as a result of the complaint.
Stage Two
If the complainant feels that the problem has not been satisfactorily resolved at Stage One, they can request that the complaint is reviewed at Board level. At this stage, the complaint will be passed to the Chair of Trustees.
The request for Board level review should be acknowledged within one week of receiving it. The acknowledgment should say who will deal with the case and when the complainant can expect a reply.
The Chair of Trustees may investigate the facts of the case themselves or delegate a suitable person to do so. This may involve reviewing the paperwork of the case and speaking with the person who dealt with the complaint at Stage One.
If the complaint relates to a specific person, they should be informed and given a further opportunity to respond.
The person who dealt with the original complaint at Stage One should be kept informed of what is happening.
Ideally, complainants should receive a definitive reply within four weeks. If this is not possible because, for example, an investigation has not been fully completed, a progress report should be sent with an indication of when a full reply will be given.
Whether the complaint is upheld or not, the reply to the complainant should describe the action taken to investigate the complaint, the conclusions from the investigation, and any action taken as a result of the complaint.
The decision taken at this stage is final unless the Board decides it is appropriate to seek external assistance with resolution.
External Stage
If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of YLA’s complaints procedure, they may complain to the Charity Commission, at https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-charity
Variation of the Complaints Procedure
The Board may vary the procedure for good reason. This may be necessary to avoid a conflict of interest; for example, a complaint about the CEO should not also have the CEO as the person leading a Stage One review.
Monitoring and Learning from Complaint
Complaints are reviewed annually to identify any trends which may indicate a need to take further action.