Guidelines

Working With Volunteers

Good Practice Volunteer Policies

It is good practice to have a set of statements about policy and procedures ensuring that staff and volunteers work in a consistent manner and all are clear about the organisational approach to important aspects of volunteering, especially where legal requirements are concerned. Ideally, policy statements should be short documents written in plain language so everyone can understand them clearly with signposting to more detailed supporting material if necessary for further reference. It is a good practice to include this information in staff and volunteer introduction packs and ensure that initial induction or training checks they have been received, read and understood.

Developing a policy should be a developmental process of research, consultation, distribution and evaluation;
	Consider the policies developed by other volunteer centres and volunteer involving organisations which can often be found or referenced on their websites.
	Involve as many people as possible in developing your own policies, this may include trustees, management, paid staff and existing volunteers.
	Ensure that your volunteers are insured
	Think about who the policy is aimed at and write a draft, agree a final version and distribute it (ensuring that the people who it will most apply to get a copy).
	Establish when the policy will be reviewed to evaluate and perhaps develop it further.

For more detailed Volunteer Policy enquiries click HERE; to email the Volunteer Centre Kensington and Chelsea’s Good Practice Officer or telephone on 020 8960 3722.

The Volunteer Centre Resource Library

We have a wide range of publications in our Resource Library that you can access at the office, click HERE for the full list.