Risk Toolkit: How to take care of risk in volunteering: a guide for organisations draws on the results of research carried out by the Institute for Volunteering Research for the Volunteering Hub, with funding from the Home Office. When we surveyed organisations that involve volunteers, a third said they found the language and terminology of risk management baffling and 98 per cent were interested in a good practice guide. While around four-fifths practise risk management in some form, many are not sure whether they are doing the right things.
The Risk Toolkit responds to those findings by explaining the risks associated with volunteers and proposing how to deal with them. It is a resource for any organisation that involves volunteers – whether in the voluntary, statutory or private sector – and aims to simplify risk management for organisations just getting to grips with risk. It offers:
- Information: the main risks, legal liabilities, insurance.
- Advice and guidance: setting up and implementing systems.
- Methods and templates: techniques, tools and forms.
- Case studies: examples of organisations’ good practice.
- Further sources: places to find out more.
The toolkit emphasises that ‘risk’ is not inherently bad and that risk-taking is an essential part of volunteering. Women’s refuges, hospices, environmental action, HIV/AIDS campaigning, work with former offenders, and international aid - these are all areas in which volunteer-involving organisations have been a powerful force for change because they were not afraid of taking risks. And risk is a vital element of the sports, adventure, play and recreation sector.
The Risk Toolkit says, however, that when it comes to involving volunteers things can go wrong and these may be preventable. Taking care of risks enables organisations to focus on opportunities and benefits.
The following research reports are available:
Getting a Grip (2005):a literature review of around 200 UK, North American and Australian sources.
Reasonable Care? (2005): the findings of surveys of over 500 organisations and more than 1,000 volunteers and non-volunteers.
Cautionary Tales (2006): case studies of risk management in twelve volunteer-involving organisations.
On the Safe Side (2006): a published summary of the research. Available from Volunteering England.
