Volunteer Handbook: [Organisation name]

A handbook that tells volunteers what to expect from the organisation and what the organisation expects from them: mission, roles, onboarding, training, conduct, safeguarding, health and safety, confidentiality, expenses, recognition, concerns and leaving, with an acknowledgement form. Based on common volunteer-management practice. This is a format, not legal advice: volunteer status, safeguarding checks, insurance, data protection and health and safety duties differ by country and region, so have your final text reviewed against local law. Replace every [bracketed] value and every passage marked Example.

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Contents

1. Welcome
2. Mission and values
3. About the organisation
4. Volunteer roles
5. Recruitment and onboarding
6. Training and support
7. Code of conduct
8. Safeguarding
9. Health and safety
10. Confidentiality and data protection
11. Expenses
12. Recognition
13. Concerns and grievances
14. Leaving
15. Key contacts
16. Acknowledgement form

1. Welcome

[Example: Welcome, and thank you for giving your time. Volunteers deliver most of our reading sessions, run our libraries and represent us in the community. This handbook explains how we work together, what support you can expect and what we ask of you. Please read it before your first shift and keep it for reference. If anything is unclear, ask your supervisor; there are no silly questions.]

[Name], [Role]

2. Mission and values

Mission: [Example: Every child in [Region] reads with confidence by age nine.]

3. About the organisation

[Example: Founded in YYYY, we work in 120 schools across three districts with 25 staff and about 230 volunteers. We are governed by a volunteer board of trustees and funded by foundations, government grants and individual donors.]

• Programmes: [list with one line each]
• Locations: [offices, sites]
• Structure: [Example: volunteers report to a site supervisor, who reports to the volunteer manager]
• Website and policies: [link to full policies]

4. Volunteer roles

Volunteering is unpaid and voluntary. You can change role or reduce your hours by talking to your supervisor.

5. Recruitment and onboarding

Documents you will receive: this handbook, your role description, [code of conduct], [safeguarding policy summary] and [emergency procedures for your site].

6. Training and support

Support: [Example: a named supervisor at each site, a check-in after your trial period and every six months, and a volunteer forum each term].

7. Code of conduct

When you volunteer with us, we ask you to:

• treat everyone with respect, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation or background;
• arrive on time, sign in and out, and tell your supervisor as early as possible if you cannot attend;
• follow instructions from staff and site leads, and the rules of host sites such as schools;
• never be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while volunteering;
• avoid conflicts of interest and do not accept gifts above [value] from participants or families;
• not speak to the media or post on social media on behalf of the organisation without permission;
• not post photos of participants, and never of children, unless the organisation's consent process allows it;
• use the organisation's equipment and funds only for their intended purpose.

Breaches are handled fairly: we will discuss concerns with you first. Serious breaches, including any safeguarding concern, may lead to the end of the volunteering relationship and, where required, reporting to the relevant authorities.

8. Safeguarding

We are committed to keeping children and adults at risk safe. Everyone has a responsibility to act on concerns.

• Designated safeguarding lead: [Name, phone, email]
• Deputy: [Name, phone, email]
• Out of hours: [Number]
• Local authority or statutory contact: [Agency, number, as required by local law]

If you are worried about someone's safety:

1. If there is immediate danger, call [local emergency number].
2. Listen calmly; do not investigate, ask leading questions or promise to keep a secret.
3. Write down what you saw or heard, in the person's words, with date and time, as soon as possible.
4. Report to the designated safeguarding lead the same day using [form or method].
5. Do not discuss the concern with anyone else.

Good practice rules for working with children and adults at risk: [Example: always work in sight of other adults; never be alone with a child in a closed room; no private contact through phone or social media; no lifts in your car unless agreed in writing; follow the photography policy]. Full policy: [link].

9. Health and safety

• Before each shift: sign in, read site notices, know the fire exits and assembly point.
• Accidents and near misses: report to the site lead and record in the [accident book or form] the same day.
• First aid: first aiders at each site are listed on [notice board or app].
• Lone working: [Example: not permitted for reading buddies; event helpers check in by phone].
• Lifting and equipment: [Example: do not lift more than [N] kg alone; use trolleys provided].
• Wellbeing: tell your supervisor if a task feels unsafe or too much; you may stop at any time.
• Insurance: [Example: the organisation holds liability insurance that covers volunteers carrying out approved tasks; it does not cover personal property].

10. Confidentiality and data protection

You may learn personal information about participants, families, colleagues or donors. Please:

• use it only for your volunteering tasks and never share it outside the organisation;
• keep paper records locked away and do not take them home unless agreed;
• not store participant data on personal devices or personal accounts;
• report any lost data or suspected breach to [data protection contact] immediately.

Confidentiality has a limit: safeguarding concerns must always be reported (section 8).

Your own data: we keep your application, check results, emergency contact and attendance records to manage volunteering safely. See our volunteer privacy notice [link] for what we hold, why, for how long and your rights.

11. Expenses

We do not want volunteering to cost you money. We reimburse actual, agreed out-of-pocket expenses.

Claim with [form or app] within [N] days; payment within [N] days.

12. Recognition

• [Example: annual volunteer celebration and certificates for milestones of 1, 3 and 5 years]
• [Example: references for study or job applications after 6 months of volunteering]
• [Example: opportunities to train new volunteers or join planning groups]
• [Example: volunteer stories featured in our newsletter, with your permission]

13. Concerns and grievances

If something is not working for you, we want to know.

1. Informal: talk to your supervisor; most issues are resolved here.
2. Formal: if not resolved within [N] days, write to the volunteer manager at [email]; we will acknowledge within [N] days and respond within [N] days.
3. Appeal: if you are still unhappy, write to [executive director or board contact] for a final review.

Concerns about wrongdoing (fraud, abuse of position, serious risk) can also be raised through [whistleblowing route]. Safeguarding concerns always follow section 8.

14. Leaving

You can stop volunteering at any time. We ask that you:

• give your supervisor as much notice as you can, ideally [N] weeks;
• return ID badges, keys, equipment and any documents;
• complete a short exit conversation or survey if you are willing.

We will keep your records for [N years] in line with our retention policy and then delete them. If we ever need to end a volunteering relationship, we will explain why, except where legal or safeguarding reasons prevent it.

15. Key contacts

16. Acknowledgement form

I confirm that I have received and read the [Organisation name] Volunteer Handbook version [N], including the code of conduct, safeguarding, health and safety, and confidentiality sections. I agree to follow them while volunteering, and I know whom to contact with questions or concerns. I understand that this handbook does not create an employment contract.

Revision history

Standard and licence note

Based on common volunteer-management practice for nonprofit organisations (role descriptions, onboarding, code of conduct, safeguarding, expenses and recognition). This is a format, not legal advice; check volunteer status, background-check, safeguarding, insurance, data protection and health and safety requirements under the law that applies to you. Template licence: MIT.