So you’re thinking of recruiting some volunteers? Here’s a useful checklist to run through before you actually put the advert out there, taken from guidelines-on-managing-volunteers
- Why are you recruiting volunteers?
- Is the organisation at all levels in favour of volunteers – are there any worries over redundancies, job substitutions, falls in standard, role conflict etc.?
- Have you a budget for volunteers? Is it based on realistic costings?
- Do similar organisations you know involve volunteers? What is their experience?
- Have you looked at legal implications, confidentiality and safety?
- Are there specific problems that volunteers may face, e.g. safety or health risk, liability for giving wrong advice?
- Volunteers bring new dimensions, new skills and enthusiasm. Can your organisation cope with change?
- Have you allocated staff or existing volunteers, such as your Trustees,
- Time to manage volunteers long-term and in the start-up phase? (Ideally the role of volunteer co-ordinator should be undertaken by a single member of staff for continuity).
- Will your staff (volunteer co-ordinator) require further training for the role?
- Have you estimated the staff time required and cost to train and manage volunteers?
- Have you sufficient space available and sufficient equipment etc. to accommodate volunteers?
- How will the client group react to volunteer involvement – ask them?
- Have you thought about your volunteer policy and what will be included within it?
- Have you taken specialist advice (contacted your own national headquarters etc and your local Volunteer Centre?)