These sample volunteer agreements are a starting point to help you draft an agreement that suits your organisation. We hope you will discuss and consult on the sample agreements and feel free to adapt them to suit your needs. The first agreement is more formal and detailed than the second one.
A volunteer agreement helps both the organisation and its volunteers by making expectations clear. Both agreements incorporate current thinking on what is good practice in managing volunteers. They also address the unlikely possibility of volunteers being considered employees in the eyes of the law.
A volunteer agreement is usually part of a set of documents, which includes a volunteer policy and volunteer role description (like a job description). Advice on drawing up such documents is available from the online Good Practice Bank or by contacting the Information Service at Volunteering England.
Further information on good practice in managing volunteers can be found on our website and in our publications.
Sample volunteer agreement one
This Volunteer Agreement describes the arrangement between [name of organisation] and you. We wish to assure you of our appreciation of your volunteering with us and will do the best we can to make your volunteer experience with us enjoyable and rewarding.
Part 1: the organisation
Your role as a volunteer is [state nature and components of the work] and starts on [date]. This work is designed to [state how the work benefits the organisation]. You can expect [Name of organisation]:
1. Induction and training
• To provide thorough induction on the work of [voluntary organisation], its staff, your volunteering role and the induction and/or training you need to meet the responsibilities of this role. The Volunteer Handbook provides full details of the organisation.
2. Supervision, support and flexibility
• To explain the standards we expect for our services and to encourage and support you to achieve and maintain them;
• To provide a named person who will meet with you regularly to discuss your volunteering and any successes and problems;
• To do our best to help you develop your volunteering role with us.
3. Expenses
• To repay these expenses following procedures in the Volunteer Handbook:
– Travel to and from home to [the place of work] and during your work: see the Volunteer Handbook for rules on methods of travel and car mileage allowances
– Meal allowance to a maximum of £[ ] with a receipt and £[ ] per day without. [To be eligible you must work around meal times or for at least [ ] hours a day].
– Specialist clothing where this is required and provided by you.
– Actual cost of crèche, childminding fees or other dependant costs incurred in order to be available for voluntary work.
4. Health and safety
• To provide adequate training and feedback in support of our health and safety policy, a copy of which is in the Volunteer Handbook.
5. Insurance
• To provide adequate insurance cover for volunteers whilst undertaking voluntary work approved and authorised by us
6. Equal opportunities
• To ensure that all volunteers are dealt with in accordance with our equal opportunities policy, a copy of which is set out in the Volunteer Handbook.
7. Problems
• To try to resolve fairly any problems, grievances and difficulties you may have while you volunteer with us;
• In the event of an unresolved problem, to offer an opportunity to discuss the issues in accordance with the procedures set out in the Volunteer Handbook.
Part 2: the volunteer
We expect you:
• To help [name of organisation] fulfil its [services];
• To perform your volunteering role to the best of your ability;
• To follow the organisation’s procedures and standards, including health and safety and equal opportunities, in relation to its staff, volunteers and clients;
• To maintain the confidential information of the organisation and of its clients;
• To meet time commitments and standards agreed to and to give reasonable notice so other arrangements can be made when this is not possible;
• To provide referees as agreed who may be contacted, and to agree to a police check being carried out where necessary.
This agreement is binding in honour only, is not intended to be a legally binding contract between us and may be cancelled at any time at the discretion of either party. Neither of us intend any employment relationship to be created either now or at any time in the future.
Sample volunteer agreement two
Volunteers are an important and valued part of Global Campaigns. We hope that you enjoy volunteering with us and feel a full part of our team.
This agreement tells you what you can expect from us, and what we hope from you. We aim to be flexible, so please let us know if you would like to make any changes and we will do our best.
We, Global Campaigns, will do our best:
• to introduce you to how the organisation works and your role in it and to provide any training you need. The initial training agreed is [ ].
• to provide regular meetings with your manager so that you can tell us if you are happy with how your work is organised and get feedback from us. Your manager’s name is [ ].
• to respect your skills, dignity and individual wishes and to do our best to meet them.
• to pay your travel and meal costs up to our current maximum*.
• to consult with you and keep you informed of possible changes.
• to insure you against injury you suffer or cause due to negligence*.
• to provide a safe workplace*.
• to apply our equal opportunities policy
• to apply our complaints procedure if there is any problem
I, [name of volunteer], agree to do my best:
• to work reliably to the best of my ability, and to give as much warning as possible whenever I cannot work when expected
• to follow Global Campaigns’ rules and procedures, including health and safety, equal opportunities and confidentiality.
*More details on these issues are provided in the volunteer handbook.
Note: this agreement is in honour only and is not intended to be a legally binding contract of employment.
Last reviewed: May 2006
For more information, please contact:
Volunteering England Information Service
Information@volunteeringengland.org
Freephone/textphone: 0800 028 3304 (10.30am -12.30pm and 2-4pm Monday to Friday)
www.volunteering.org.uk/
Volunteering England
Regent’s Wharf
8 All Saints Street
London N1 9RL
- Access all of Volunteering England’s Information Sheets
- For more information on managing volunteers, please visit
The Good Practice Bank
