Obtaining references does give you, and your clients, added security. References can add to your picture of a volunteer, helping you to identify their strengths and weaknesses, and occasionally alerting you to potential problems. They also help to confirm the volunteer is who they say they are. However you should bear in mind that some potential volunteers may not have been employed, or may have been out of employment for some time. In order to avoid creating barriers you will need to be flexible about who you will accept a reference from. As well as previous employers you could think about suggesting social workers, probation officers, religious ministers, tutors, people working in day centres etc that the volunteer attends or anyone else that they have an official relationship with. Some organisations actually decide that they want at least one reference to be a personal reference from a friend because these are the people who know the volunteer best.
Also think about the length of time you want the referee to have known the volunteer; if you ask for too long a period of time you will again be creating barriers for many people.
Bear in mind that if you have never had to provide a reference before it can be quite scary and seem very formal and off-putting. Explain to the potential volunteer why you take references, what you ask from the referee and how you use the reference. Application forms that just ask for two referees and don’t explain why or who would be suitable may well result in some people not taking their application any further.
Occasionally someone who is completely unable to provide a reference will want to volunteer for you, (such as an asylum seeker who has not been in the country very long). You will need to make a balanced assessment of the risks involved and decide whether there is a safe way of involving them in your organisation’s work. You may be able to adapt some of your procedures to accommodate the volunteer, for example involving them only in group activities for the first few months while you get to know them better. If you do try this option you will need to explain to the volunteer why they are being treated differently so that they do not feel singled out from the other volunteers.
Last reviewed: May 2009
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We have made every effort to ensure that this article was correct at the time of publication. It is intended as a summary of relevant issues to help you plan or develop your work with volunteers. Volunteering England is unable to accept liability for any loss or damage or inconvenience arising as a consequence of the use of this information.
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