Policy Development

How to create effective policies for volunteer engagement -- both to guide volunteers in their work and also to integrate them into overall agency policy for all staff.

Related Topics: Legal Issues | Preparing for Volunteers
Be Directive, Linda Graff, Well-Centred, Volunteer Canada
Benefits of Policies for Volunteer Programs, Linda L. Graff, Graff and Associates
Clarifying Expectations on Both Sides, Eileen Hammond, 64-66, Directory of Social Change
Common Sense and Volunteer Involvement, Susan J. Ellis
Creating a Statement of Philosophy on Volunteer Engagement, Betty B. Stallings with Susan J. Ellis, Leading the Way to Successful Volunteer Involvement: Practical Tools for Busy Executives, Energize Inc.
Creating a System to Involve Staff as Volunteers, Steve McCurley, Rick Lynch and Rob Jackson, Chapter 10, pp. 245-46, Directory of Social Change
Do You Stick Your Neck Out When Advocating for Volunteers?, Susan J. Ellis
The Domino Effect of Setting Goals for Volunteer Involvement, Susan J. Ellis
Don’t Forget Volunteers as Part of the Solution to 2017 Nonprofit Challenges, Susan J. Ellis
The Fair Labor Standards Act and Other Obstacles to Progress, Susan J. Ellis
I'll Never Understand Why Executives Still Don't Understand, Susan J. Ellis
Letting Fear Prevent Volunteer Involvement is Too Risky, Jayne Cravens
Limiting Volunteers through Insurance Requirements, Susan J. Ellis
Mixed Messages to Volunteers Whom We’ve Asked to Be Friendly, Susan J. Ellis
Model Volunteer Handbook, Dr. Bill Wittich, Model Volunteer Handbook, Knowledge Transfer Publishing
The Rise of the Knowledge Philanthropist, Colleen Kelly & Lynda Gerty, pp. 28-29, Vantage Point
Should We Cap the Number of Hours a Volunteer May Serve Each Week?, Susan J. Ellis
Volunteers as the "Third Branch" of an Organization, Susan J. Ellis
The Wall of Executive Indifference, Susan J. Ellis
When the Ax Falls: Budget Cutting and Volunteers, Susan J. Ellis
Why Is It Labor Unions vs. Volunteers?, Susan J. Ellis
"Why?" Is More Powerful than #@#%!, Susan J. Ellis

Guide from Volunteer Canada on how to consult stakeholders in the development, design, delivery or review of services and programs.

, 2002, pp. 37

Produced by the National Centre for Volunteering (UK), this booklet examines how developing the right policies leads to a more diverse volunteer corps.

, 2002, pp. 20

When newspapers in England reported of serious breaches of trust between volunteers and their organisations in 2009, Volunteering England was prompted to set up the Volunteer Rights Inquiry to begin to understand the nature and scope of the problems experienced by volunteers and identify suitable remedies. This Interim Report goes into detail about the findings of the intensive set of hearings held.  In 2014, a Final report of the Call to Action Progress Group following the Volunteer Rights Inquiry was produced by NCVO.

, 2010, pp. 32
Community Development Policy (New Zealand)

NZ government site offering policy statements, reports,and other materials on volunteering as well as other community development,  including a study of Maori volunteering.

Minnesota Historical Society Policies and Procedures

Excellent sample document.

Templates - from Volunteer Scotland

Volunteer Scotland is developing and posting a variety of templates for volunteer resources managers to use as a starting point for creating their own forms. New templates continue to be added, but here's a sample of the contents: volunteer agreement template; diversity monitoring form template; volunteer exit questionnaire template; volunteer policy template.

Print and e-Books in Our Store

Book cover

Better Safe: Risk Management in Volunteer Programs

Demystifies risk management and sets out in plain language what every volunteer program needs to know about this sometimes scary, always critical subject.

Book cover

By Definition: Policies for Volunteer Programs

A walk-through of the importance of developing policies for and about volunteers, with clear examples and templates.

Book cover for From the Top Down

From the Top Down: The Executive Role in Successful Volunteer Involvement

Outlines the key executive decisions necessary to lay the foundation for successful volunteer involvement: policies, budgeting, staffing, employee-volunteer relationships, legal issues, cost and value of volunteers, and more.

book cover Measuring the Impact of Volunteers

Measuring the Impact of Volunteers

Presents the innovative Volunteer Resources Balanced Scorecard measurement and planning tool for aligning volunteer effort with organizational goals and effectively assessing the impact of that effort.