Firstly, welcome to Beyond Radio!

Hopefully, you've found this page because the link has been shared with you as we welcome you to our team.  If you've stumbled across this page by accident, don't worry - but the information here is only relevant to new volunteers that have been given access. 

If you haven't been asked to visit this page and you want to register your interest in joining the team, please see this page instead.

Getting started.

You should have a username and password for your station email account. That will give you access to your station emails and all of our volunteer systems so it's really important that you check to make sure it's working.

You can log in to your email account here.  Check that first, and if it's not working please get back to your station contact, as you will need this before working through this onboarding checklist.  Once you've got it up and running, come back here and move onto the next steps below: The Onboarding Checklist.

The Onboarding Checklist.

So, you registered your interest, we've managed to have a chat and you've been invited to join our team... next, it's time to get you properly set up as a station volunteer and to get your mandatory training completed.  The next few steps may take a little time - so it's best to get yourself prepared with a drink and perhaps something to take notes with.  There isn't anything overly difficult - it's just that we have to make sure you have all of the information you need to make your time volunteering with us as enjoyable as possible - and that means also making sure you understand all of the rules that as broadcasters, we have to follow.

The links below should open up in new browser windows - meaning this page will stay here and you can come back to it after completing each task.  But if you lose this page for any reason, don't worry - just follow the link in your welcome email again and pick things off where you left it.  This page is only a guide and you can revisit it at any time.

You will need your station email address and account password for most of the actions below - so make sure you know them, or have them to hand.

Ready to start?

1. We need all volunteers to understand that use of the station email system is subject to rules to protect them and the station.  You can read them here.
2. Like every organisation, Beyond Radio has a duty to protect any information or data that we collect or have access to.  Volunteers need to follow the station's data protection policy at all times and you can read that here.
3. Although you provided some information when you first registered your interest with us, we now need to collect more information about you.  You will also use this form to record that you have read and accepted the two policies you have just read (above). You can complete the personal information form here.
4. We need all volunteers to complete a DBS check - they used to be known as a CRB check,  You can find a copy of our policy here.  You will receive an invitation to your station email address from an organisation called Disclosure Services to complete an online DBS application.  The invite usually arrives within a couple of days of when we set up your email account. Please follow the instructions in the invitation carefully as the DBS system is complicated and it can be easy to miss something that will result in you being requested to complete the form again.  You will not need to pay for the DBS check, but we will need to arrange to see your ID once you have completed the online form.  Once you've completed the form, please let your station contact know.

Great! That's the form filling part done.  Now it's time to complete our onboarding training.

Broadcasting is great fun - and our team love doing what they do.  But, like most things in life, broadcasting is also full of rules.  Some of them are because of different laws or legislation.  Some of them are due to conditions set out in our license to broadcast - and some of them are simply because its how we operate the station.

To help you understand some of those rules and how they apply to you we have an online course that will introduce you to our Volunteer Handbook and then ask you to complete a short knowledge check.  It's nothing to worry about - it's multiple choice and you can retry to the quiz as many times as you need.  You will need to complete this before commencing any activity on-air at the station.

As a new volunteer, you will need to complete the course as you begin your volunteering journey with us.  You'll find the course on our eLearning site which can be found here.

Once you've completed and passed the knowledge check - please reach out to your station contact to agree on what the next steps will be.  It may be that you will need to complete other training but this will be agreed with you directly.

That's the first part of your station onboarding complete.  We're pleased to welcome you to the Beyond Radio family!

Just a helpful hint: You will find other courses available to you on the station's eLearning site, including hints and tips about using Myriad, the station's playout software.  These courses aren't compulsory but it's advisable to spend some time reviewing and using these courses and videos to learn more about the systems and our rules.