By Lauren Bailey-Barber, Volunteer Development Officer

Thinking about bringing volunteers into your organisation? Putting the right foundations in place before you begin recruiting can make all the difference.

Good volunteer management isn’t about creating paperwork for the sake of it. It’s about creating a positive experience where volunteers feel welcomed, supported and confident in their role from day one.

To help explain the different pieces of volunteer documentation, we like to think of it as building an ice cream. Some parts are the essential foundations, while others are the finishing touches that make the volunteer experience even sweeter.

But before we start building our ice cream, there’s one important thing to check first…

Before You Build Your Ice Cream: Check Your Insurance

Before recruiting volunteers or developing your volunteer programme, contact your insurance provider to make sure your volunteers are covered.

It’s worth asking:

• Are volunteers included under our current policy?
• What activities are they covered for?
• Are there any age restrictions or conditions on who can volunteer?

Having these answers from the outset helps protect both your organisation and your volunteers, giving everyone peace of mind before volunteering begins.

Once you’ve confirmed your insurance is in place, it’s time to start building your volunteer documentation ice cream.

The Cone: Volunteer Policy

Every great ice cream starts with a strong cone, and every successful volunteer programme starts with a volunteer policy.

A volunteer policy provides the foundations for volunteer involvement within your organisation. It explains how volunteers fit into your organisation, outlines your approach to volunteering and helps ensure everyone has the same understanding of how volunteers are recruited, supported and recognised.

Your volunteer policy might include information about:

• Recruitment and selection
• Induction, training and support
• Volunteer expenses
• Equality, diversity and inclusion
• Health and safety
• Raising concerns or resolving issues

Having a clear volunteer policy provides consistency and supports good practice as your volunteer programme grows.

Find out more: Developing a Volunteer Policy on VolunteerWiki.

First Scoop: Volunteer Role Descriptions

With your foundations in place, it’s time to think about the roles your volunteers will carry out.

Just like someone wouldn’t apply for a paid role without knowing what it involves, volunteers need a clear understanding of what they’re signing up for.

Your volunteer roles might be broad, such as a Community Centre Volunteer helping with a range of activities, or more specialised, such as a Social Media Volunteer, Fundraising Volunteer or Events Volunteer.

A good role description should explain:

• The purpose of the role
• Main tasks and responsibilities
• Any skills or experience needed
• Expected time commitment
• The support and training available

Clear role descriptions help attract the right volunteers while setting realistic expectations from the beginning.

Find out more: Creating a Volunteer Role Description on VolunteerWiki.

Second Scoop: Volunteer Agreement

Once your volunteer roles are defined, the next layer is the volunteer agreement.

Although it may look similar to a contract, it’s important to remember that a volunteer agreement is not an employment contract.

Instead, it sets out the shared expectations between your organisation and each volunteer.

It should explain:

• What volunteers can expect from your organisation, such as support, supervision and training.
• What your organisation asks of volunteers, including communication, reliability and following organisational policies.

Volunteer agreements help create a shared understanding and build a positive volunteering relationship from the outset.

Find out more: Volunteer Agreements on VolunteerWiki.

The Sprinkles: Volunteer Handbook

Once the essentials are in place, it’s time to add the sprinkles.

A volunteer handbook isn’t essential before you recruit volunteers, but it can make a big difference to the volunteer experience.

Rather than introducing new information, a handbook simply brings everything together in one place, making it easy for volunteers to find answers whenever they need them.

It might include:

• Contact details
• Information about your organisation
• Policies and procedures
• Expenses information
• Health and safety guidance
• Frequently asked questions
• Training opportunities

Everything included should already be available elsewhere—the handbook simply makes it more accessible and easier to navigate.

Find out more: Volunteer Inductions on VolunteerWiki.

The Cherry on Top: Volunteer Charter

Finally, we reach the cherry on top.

A Volunteer Charter isn’t one of the essential building blocks for getting started, but it is a fantastic way to demonstrate your organisation’s commitment to good volunteering practice.

A charter shows that your organisation values volunteers, understands their needs and is committed to creating a positive volunteering environment.

Rather than creating your own charter from scratch, you can become a Volunteer Charter Champion by signing up to Volunteer Scotland’s Volunteer Charter.

It’s a simple but powerful way to showcase your commitment to volunteers and best practice.

Bringing It All Together

Like building the perfect ice cream, creating a successful volunteer programme is all about building from the bottom up.

Start by making sure your volunteers are covered by your insurance. Then build strong foundations with a volunteer policy, add clear role descriptions and volunteer agreements, and finish with valuable extras like a volunteer handbook and a Volunteer Charter.

You don’t need to have everything perfect from day one, but investing time in these building blocks will help you recruit, support and retain volunteers, creating a positive experience for everyone involved.

If you’re thinking about involving volunteers for the first time, or reviewing your existing volunteer programme, CTSI is here to help. We can offer advice, guidance and practical support to help you build a volunteer programme that’s right for your organisation.