Good Practice Resources
The Volunteer Centre facilitates the development of good practice in volunteering through learning from the many organisations we work with.
The Volunteer Centre facilitates the development of good practice in volunteering. By ‘good practice’ we mean what you can do to make volunteering work positively both for the organisation involving the volunteer and for the volunteer. You can explore our good practice resources and recommended links below.You could also consider applying for the Sheffield Volunteer Standard, a locally developed quality mark recognising good practice in volunteer management.
If you have any questions or need further support on volunteering good practice, please email info@vas.org.uk
Inclusive Volunteering
Diversity
- Volunteers from overseas | NCVO
- Equity, diversity and inclusion in volunteering | NCVO
- Involving refugee and asylum seeker volunteers: Involving refugees & asylum seeker volunteers – Volunteer Centre Sheffield
Volunteers that Claim Benefits
Expenses
- NCVO – paying volunteer expenses
- Paying_volunteer_expenses_legal_pitfalls_and_examples_Final.pdf (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
- Expenses for asylum seekers/refugees: Good Practice Guidelines (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
- To find funders who will cover volunteer expenses see South Yorkshire Funding Advice Bureau (SYFAB).
Volunteer Recruitment
Getting Started
Whether you’re just starting a volunteer programme or reviewing one, this is a really helpful step-by-step guide. It functions as a checklist and workbook to make sure you’ve thought everything through and have all you need in place.
Writing Role Descriptions
- Writing volunteer role descriptions | NCVO
- See our nuts and bolts guide for more information on writing role descriptions: Nuts_Bolts_Guide_-_Getting_started_with_volunteers.pdf (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
- Example role descriptions: 6._Example_role_descriptions_.pdf (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
Recruiting Volunteers
- Recruiting volunteers | NCVO
- See our Nuts and Bolts guide for more information on recruitment including an example application form: Nuts_Bolts_Guide_-_Getting_started_with_volunteers.pdf (sheffield volunteer centre.org.uk)
Recruiting Trustees
Volunteer Inductions and Training
Volunteer Inductions and Training
- Running a volunteer induction | NCVO
- Training volunteers | NCVO
- NHS e-learning portal. Free e-learning for volunteers. It has an NHS focus, but is available for free for all volunteers.
- See our Nuts and Bolts guide for more information on induction and training including useful templates: Nuts_Bolts_Guide_-_Getting_started_with_volunteers.pdf (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
Support and Supervision
Supporting and Managing Volunteers
- Supporting and managing volunteers | NCVO
- Software for managing volunteer shifts or online rotas – Volunteer Centre Sheffield (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
Valuing and Developing Volunteers
Ending Volunteering Well
Volunteer Policies
Writing a Volunteer Policy
Writing a Volunteer Agreement
- Writing a volunteer agreement | NCVO
- See our Nuts and Bolts guide for more information about writing volunteer agreements Nuts_Bolts_Guide_-_Getting_started_with_volunteers.pdf (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
Keeping Volunteers and Others Safe
DBS checks
- Getting started with criminal records checks — NCVO Knowhow
- DBS checks
- DBS checks for asylum seekers – DBS Checks for Asylum Seekers – Volunteer Centre Sheffield (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
- DBS update service – DBS Update Service – Volunteer Centre Sheffield (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
- Flowchart showing regulated/non regulated activity: 1._Regulated_Activity_Flow_chart_for_DBS_-_Adults_and_Children_.pdf (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
Health & Safety
- Health and safety for volunteers: GP_Health_and_safety_for_volunteers.pdf (sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk)
Insurance
Safeguarding
If you have any questions or need further support on volunteering good practice, please contact vc@vas.org.uk.
Sheffield Volunteer Standard
The Sheffield Volunteer Standard is a locally developed quality mark giving independent recognition that an organisation manages a structured volunteering programme.
Nuts and Bolts
This guide gives a practical approach to involving volunteers and the video below introduces you to our way of developing inclusive volunteering roles.
DBS Checks for Volunteers
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is the service that processes all criminal record checks in England and Wales CRB checks are now called DBS checks.
DBS Checks for Asylum Seekers
Asylum seekers and refugees can get DBS checks processed although the process and establishing whether you have the right documents can be more complicated.
Translated Resources
There are occasions when it is worth using a translated document just to be certain that people fully understand. We use these documents regularly and hope that they will help you.