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?)