Purpose
At Earth Wisdom Ecotherapy CIC (EWECIC), our wider team plays an important role in supporting the safe, accessible and sustainable delivery of our services.
This agreement sets out the arrangements for self-employed contractors undertaking non-therapeutic work on behalf of EWECIC. It establishes clear expectations around professional conduct, confidentiality, safeguarding, organisational systems, payment and the delivery of agreed services.
This agreement does not apply to counsellors or psychotherapists providing therapeutic services under EWECIC’s Qualified Counsellor or Student Counsellor Service Agreements.
The specific role, services, fees and any additional requirements for each contractor will be set out in the attached Role Description.
Terms
A contractor is a self-employed individual engaged by EWECIC to provide agreed services.
Depending upon the role, this may include administration, practice management, communications, project work, group or workshop facilitation, forest bathing or nature-based activities, community outreach, operational support or other agreed services.
The contractor must have any qualifications, training, experience, professional membership, insurance or checks reasonably required for their particular role.
This agreement should be read alongside the Role Schedule and any relevant EWECIC policies and procedures.
Where questions arise, this Service Agreement takes precedence in matters of organisational governance, confidentiality and professional expectations.
Roles and Responsibilities
The contractor is responsible for carrying out the services described within their Role Schedule with reasonable care, professionalism and regard for the values and reputation of EWECIC.
Contractors are expected to:
undertake only work they are appropriately skilled, trained and insured to provide;
work within the boundaries of their agreed role;
communicate appropriately with EWECIC staff, clients, participants, partners and members of the public;
complete agreed tasks and records accurately and within reasonable timescales;
raise concerns, difficulties or conflicts of interest promptly;
maintain appropriate professional boundaries;
follow relevant EWECIC policies and procedures;
protect confidential and organisational information;
comply with safeguarding, health and safety and data protection requirements relevant to their work.
Where a contractor is unsure whether something falls within their role or level of responsibility, they should seek guidance from their designated EWECIC contact.
Professional Standards
EWECIC values openness, reliability, kindness and professional integrity.
All contractors are expected to contribute to a respectful working culture and to interact with colleagues, clients, participants, volunteers, partner organisations and members of the public with care and professionalism.
Feedback, concerns and disagreements should be raised privately and constructively through the appropriate management or organisational channels.
Contractors must not knowingly act in a way that compromises client or participant safety, breaches confidentiality, creates a conflict of interest or causes avoidable reputational harm to EWECIC.
Role Boundaries
Contractors must work within the limits of the role for which they have been engaged.
Unless separately qualified, contracted and authorised by EWECIC to do so, non-clinical contractors must not:
provide counselling, psychotherapy or clinical assessment;
offer clinical advice or make therapeutic decisions on behalf of EWECIC;
represent themselves as an EWECIC therapist;
take responsibility for clinical risk management outside their role.
Where a client or participant discloses information that raises a safeguarding, risk or welfare concern, the contractor should follow EWECIC safeguarding procedures and refer the matter to the appropriate Safeguarding Lead rather than attempting to manage it independently.
Safeguarding
All contractors must familiarise themselves with the safeguarding procedures relevant to their role.
Any safeguarding concern arising through EWECIC work must be reported promptly through the appropriate organisational safeguarding route.
Contractors should not investigate safeguarding concerns themselves unless this forms part of their formally agreed professional role.
Where the contractor works directly with children, young people or adults at risk, appropriate checks, training and role-specific safeguarding requirements may be included within the Role Schedule.
Confidentiality
All information relating to EWECIC clients, participants, staff, volunteers, contractors and partner organisations must be treated confidentially.
Information should only be accessed where necessary for the contractor’s role and should only be shared through authorised EWECIC systems and with individuals who have a legitimate need to receive it.
Contractors must not discuss identifiable client or organisational information through personal email accounts, personal messaging services, social media or other unauthorised platforms.
Confidentiality obligations continue after the contractor’s work with
EWECIC has ended.
Data Protection and Secure Systems
Contractors must comply with EWECIC data protection and confidentiality procedures when accessing or processing personal information.
Where access to systems such as Sessionly, organisational email, financial software, booking systems, cloud storage or other platforms is provided, this access is solely for the purposes of carrying out the contractor’s EWECIC role.
Login details must not be shared.
Information must not be copied onto personal devices, accounts or systems unless specifically authorised.
Any actual or suspected data breach, accidental disclosure, lost device or unauthorised access must be reported to EWECIC immediately.
Access to EWECIC systems may be removed when it is no longer required or when the contractor’s engagement ends.
Your existing counsellor agreement similarly places client information and organisational correspondence under EWECIC governance and requires compliance with UK data-protection requirements.
Records and Administration
Contractors are responsible for completing any documentation, records, reports, attendance information, timesheets, evaluations or other administrative requirements associated with their role.
Records should be accurate, timely and stored within the systems specified by EWECIC.
Where information is required for safeguarding, funding, monitoring, invoicing, continuity of service or organisational governance, contractors are expected to provide this within the requested timeframe.
Payment and Invoicing
The contractor will be paid at the rate set out within their Role Schedule.
Unless otherwise agreed, contractors are responsible for submitting accurate invoices containing the information reasonably required by EWECIC.
Payment relates to the completion of the agreed service and any associated documentation or deliverables forming part of that assignment.
Where required records, timesheets, reports or other agreed deliverables remain outstanding, EWECIC may defer payment relating to the affected work until these have been completed.
Expenses will only be reimbursed where agreed in advance and supported by appropriate receipts or evidence where required.
The contractor is responsible for their own tax, National Insurance and other liabilities arising from their self-employed work.
Cancellation and Non-Delivery
Any role-specific cancellation arrangements will be set out within the Role Schedule.
Contractors should give as much notice as reasonably possible where they are unable to undertake agreed work.
Where illness, emergency or another unexpected circumstance prevents delivery, the contractor should notify their EWECIC contact promptly so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Payment will normally only be made for work delivered unless an alternative arrangement has been agreed in advance.
Health, Safety and Risk
Contractors are expected to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their work.
They must follow EWECIC health and safety, lone-working, outdoor-working, venue and risk-management procedures relevant to their role.
Where contractors lead outdoor groups, workshops, events or other activities involving additional risk, any role-specific responsibilities for risk assessment, weather decisions, emergency procedures, participant safety or equipment will be identified within the Role Schedule.
Contractors should report accidents, incidents, near misses and safety concerns promptly.
Insurance, Qualifications and Checks
Where professional insurance, public liability insurance, qualifications, professional registration, DBS checks or specialist training are required for a role, the contractor must maintain these for the duration of the engagement.
Evidence may be requested by EWECIC.
The contractor must notify EWECIC promptly if any required qualification, registration, insurance or clearance expires, changes or becomes subject to restriction.
Conflicts of Interest
Contractors should disclose any personal, professional or financial interest that could reasonably affect their work for EWECIC.
Potential conflicts should be discussed with EWECIC so that appropriate boundaries or arrangements can be agreed.
Contractors must not use confidential information, organisational contacts or opportunities obtained through EWECIC for undisclosed personal or commercial benefit.
Partner Organisations
Relationships developed with external organisations through EWECIC remain organisational relationships.
Contractors must not independently enter into professional, commercial or paid arrangements arising directly from an EWECIC partnership, referral or introduction without first discussing this with EWECIC.
Where a partner approaches a contractor directly regarding additional work connected with an EWECIC relationship, the contractor should inform EWECIC before accepting that work.
Community Representation
Where a contractor is representing EWECIC at an event, workshop, meeting or community activity, they are expected to represent the organisation professionally and within the boundaries of their role.
Contractors should not make commitments on behalf of EWECIC relating to funding, partnerships, fees, future services, contracts or organisational policy unless authorised to do so.
Intellectual Property
Materials, policies, systems, programme structures, branded resources and organisational content created by or specifically for EWECIC remain the property of EWECIC unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Where a contractor creates materials specifically as part of paid EWECIC work, ownership and permitted future use may be clarified within the Role Schedule where necessary.
Existing independently developed materials belonging to the contractor remain theirs unless an alternative arrangement has been agreed.
EWECIC branding, logos and materials must not be reproduced or used externally without permission.
Equipment, Accounts and Organisational Property
Any equipment, keys, access cards, documents, devices, accounts or other resources provided by EWECIC remain organisational property.
These must be used appropriately and returned when requested or when the contractor’s engagement ends.
Any copies of confidential organisational information held outside EWECIC systems must also be securely deleted or returned at the end of the engagement.
Ending the Agreement
Either the contractor or EWECIC may end the arrangement by providing the notice specified within the Role Schedule.
Where no specific notice period is stated, four weeks’ written notice will normally apply to ongoing roles.
Where work is assignment-based, either party may choose not to enter into further assignments once existing agreed commitments have been completed.
EWECIC may end an engagement immediately where there is serious misconduct, a significant safeguarding concern, serious breach of confidentiality or data protection, fraud, serious professional misconduct or another substantial breach of this agreement.
Before leaving, the contractor must complete any reasonably outstanding work, documentation or handover necessary for continuity and return any EWECIC property or information.
Independent Contractor Status
This agreement is intended to record an independent self-employed contractor relationship.
EWECIC is not obliged to offer a minimum amount of work and the contractor is not obliged to accept every assignment offered.
Individual assignments, projects or areas of responsibility will be agreed according to organisational need, contractor availability and the relevant Role Schedule.
Nothing within this agreement gives the contractor authority to enter into contracts, incur expenditure or make commitments on behalf of EWECIC unless explicitly authorised.
The contractor remains responsible for their own tax and National Insurance obligations and any other responsibilities associated with their self-employed status.
Your existing counsellor agreement uses the same general model: self-employed practitioners, no guaranteed minimum volume of work and assignments agreed individually.
Review and Changes
EWECIC may periodically update organisational policies and procedures.
Where a significant change affects the nature, fee or scope of the contractor’s agreed services, this should be discussed and recorded in writing.
Role Schedules may be updated by mutual agreement without requiring the entire Service Agreement to be replaced.
