What do I need to know?
Before embarking on a volunteering opportunity, there are some things you may find it helpful to know.
Volunteering England has a range of Information Sheets designed to help answer your questions and provide you with further information.
- Thinking about volunteering?
(56.8Kb) (PDF)
This Information Sheet aims to answer some of the more general questions that potential volunteers have about volunteering. - Who is allowed to volunteer?
(59.9Kb) (PDF)
This Information Sheet covers people in receipt of state benefits, children and young people, older people, ‘vulnerable’ people and ex-offenders. - Accepting volunteers from outside the UK
(44.1Kb) (PDF)
This Information Sheet covers people from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), refugees and asylum seekers, and those outside of the EU and EEA. Please note that this Information Sheet has been written for Volunteer Managers. If you have further questions regarding a specific case, please contact the UK Border Agency directly. - Volunteering and state benefits
(50Kb) (PDF)
This Information Sheet is written for Volunteer Managers, and explains the rules and regulations around volunteering whilst receiving state benefits in more depth. - Accreditation of volunteering
(130.9Kb) (PDF)
This Information Sheet lists the main sources of accreditation for volunteering. This may be of particular interest for those looking to gain a certificate to mark their volunteering achievment or to enhance their CV. - Careers in the voluntary sector
(66.1Kb) (PDF)
This Information Sheet lists the main ways of finding job vacancies within the voluntary and community sector (also known as the 'third sector'). - If things go wrong
(72.2Kb) (PDF)
This Information Sheet explains the courses of action open to you if things don't work out with your volunteering opportunity.
Funding questions
If you want to find funding for a volunteering opportunity or project, then you may find the following Information Sheets helpful:
- Fundraising resources
(65.6Kb) (PDF) - Trust Fundraising
(55Kb) (PDF)





