Keeping Volunteers Safe: Restarting your Volunteer Programme

Figure 2: Volunteer Management Model (Volunteer Scotland, All Rights Reserved)

All courses developed by Volunteer Scotland are based on the volunteer management model (Figure 2) a model which represents the perspective of a volunteer as they pass through the different phases of their volunteering ‘journey’. Volunteer Scotland developed the model with volunteers and those who support volunteers.

This course covers the first two quadrants “thinking about volunteering” and “getting started”, in the model above. In each section, we will ask you to consider some key issues that we feel are relevant to our current situation and the wellbeing of volunteers. You will explore and reflect on these in your context and then develop an appropriate action plan for your situation.

Throughout the course, you will encounter the phrase ‘appropriate to your context’. This course recommends that at every stage, how you involve, manage or support your volunteers needs to be proportionate. For example, where formality is required, it should be provided; where it is not required, then formal procedures and structures are not appropriate. When a volunteer is returning, it may be that a formal briefing report is not appropriate for all volunteers. However, you still want to have a plan about how to communicate. It may be something written or video summary of what to expect when they return to volunteer with you. Please look at Involving Volunteers for more guidance on how to develop practices that are proportionate within your practice.