Managing Volunteers Appropriately and Responsibly

This section explains how to manage volunteers appropriately and responsibly. It clarifies that volunteers are not employees, but they are part of the team that helps deliver your services. Therefore, you need to outline the charities responsibilities around safeguarding, health and safety, and data protection, and focuses on building a respectful, well-managed relationship.

Volunteers Are Not Employees

Volunteers are not paid, and they are not covered by employment law in the same way as staff. That distinction matters, and it should be reflected in how you talk to them and what you expect of them. You need to be mindful that any language either verbally or written does not sound like it is contractual.

This doesn't mean volunteers are treated as less important. It means the relationship is different, and the language and expectations you use should reflect that difference rather than blur it.

Your Responsibilities Still Apply

A different relationship doesn't mean fewer responsibilities. Safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and insurance all apply to volunteers just as they would to anyone working within your charity.

Being clear on this from the start protects both the volunteer and the charity, and it's worth checking these areas are properly covered before a role begins, rather than assuming they're taken care of.

Be Clear About Roles, Boundaries and Support

Volunteers should know what's expected of them, where the boundaries of their role sit, and what support is available if they need it. Clarity here prevents the kind of misunderstandings that quietly erode a good relationship over time.

It also helps to be clear about how their contribution creates value. Volunteers who understand the difference their time makes tend to stay more engaged, and more comfortable with the role as it's been set out.

Getting the Relationship Right

None of this is only about meeting requirements. Safeguarding, insurance and clear boundaries matter because they're the right way to treat someone giving their time freely, not simply a box to tick.

A well-managed relationship, one that's respectful, properly supported and clearly defined, is what allows volunteers to contribute well, and to want to keep doing so.