Complaints Japan Christian Link 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. JCL’s policy is to: provide a fair complaints procedure which is clear and easy to use for anyone wishing to make a complaint; publicise the existence of our complaints procedure so that people know how to contact us to make a complaint; make sure everyone at JCL knows what to do if a complaint is received; make sure that complaints are investigated fairly and in a timely way; make sure that complaints are, wherever possible, resolved and that relationships are repaired; gather information which helps us to improve. Definition of a complaint A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction, whether justified or not, about any aspect of JCL – administration, a staff member, process or service – resulting from JCL’s failure to meet the individual’s expectations. This policy does not cover complaints from staff, who should refer to JCL’s Grievance Procedures. Confidentiality All complaint information will be handled sensitively and will be shared only with those who need to know. All applicable data protection regulations will be followed. Complaints Handling Procedure We want to make it easy for you to contact us and provide feedback or make a complaint. These are the ways you can get in touch with us: You can call us on (+44) 01732 455453. You can email us on [email protected] You can write to us at Japan Christian Link, PO Box 68, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 2ZY. In all instances where a complaint is made we will contact you within 5 working days of receiving the complaint. If you provide us with a telephone number and/or email address we will contact you by either of those means to discuss the matter further and to record all necessary details. Wherever possible, we will seek to resolve the matter immediately. However, if the issue is more complex and an investigation is required, we will do the following: The person who receives a complaint will: Record full details of your complaint. Record the complaint in our Complaints Register. Note down the relationship of the complainant to JCL, e.g., donor, beneficiary, literature buyer, etc. Take all steps necessary to investigate the matter. Contact you again within 15 working days of receiving the complaint to advise you of our findings or to give you an update on progress. Continue to keep you informed until the matter is resolved to your satisfaction or until all appropriate steps (in JCL’s opinion) to resolve the matter have been taken. JCL’s Director of Operations will handle all complaints and, if necessary, will escalate these to the JCL Council (JCL’s governing body) depending on the complexity or seriousness of the issue. In the event that the complaint relates to the Director of Operations, the complaint will be handled by the Director of Mission. Resolving complaints Our commitment to you is to address each complaint in a sensitive, fair, transparent, equitable, professional and unbiased manner. We will operate at all times from the premise that anyone is entitled to express his or her views on our services and that those views should be taken seriously where this is warranted. We will not, however, tolerate any abusive or discriminatory language or behaviour towards any of our staff, and may decline to investigate a complaint further in such circumstances. Stage 1 In many cases a complaint is best resolved by the person responsible for the issue in question. 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, details of the complaint will be provided to the Director of Operations within five working days of receipt. On receiving the complaint, if it has not already resolved, the Director of Operations will investigate it and take appropriate action. If the complaint relates to a specific person, they will be informed and given a fair opportunity to respond. Complaints are to be acknowledged by the person handling the complaint within five working days. The acknowledgement should say who is dealing with the complaint and when the complainant can expect a reply. A copy of this complaints procedure should be attached. Ideally, complainants should receive a definitive reply within 15 working days. If this is not possible because for example, an investigation has not been completed, a progress report should be sent within 15 working days 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 (subject to JCL’s Privacy Policy) any action taken as a result of the complaint. Stage 2 If the complainant feels that the problem has not been satisfactorily resolved at Stage 1, they can request that the complaint is reviewed by the JCL Council. The request for Council review should be acknowledged within five working days of receipt. The acknowledgement should state who will deal with the case and when the complainant can expect a reply. The JCL Council may investigate the facts of the case themselves or delegate a suitable person to do so. This may involve reviewing the case and speaking with the person who dealt with the complaint at Stage 1. If the complaint relates to a specific person, they should be informed and given a further opportunity to respond. Ideally complainants should receive a definitive reply within 30 working days. If this is not possible, a progress report should be sent with an indication of when a definitive 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 JCL Council decides it is appropriate to seek external assistance. External Stage As JCL is a registered charity, the complainant may complain to the Charity Commission or another appropriate regulator at any stage. Information about making a complaint to the Charity Commission or other regulators can be found on their website at: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-charity Review of Complaints Received All complaints received will be shared with the JCL Council at its regular meetings. Through this process we aim to improve our services and to ensure that any lessons learned are implemented. Review of this Policy This policy will be reviewed by the JCL Council every 3 years. Adopted by the JCL Council on 5th March 2021 Next Review: by 31st March 2024 Manage Cookie Preferences