Client safety: Volunteer management

When staffing is tight, volunteers can be a lifeline. But without a clear plan, relying on them may create more risk than relief. That’s why smart volunteer management is essential, not just for efficiency, but for safety and sustainability.

Volunteers can fill critical gaps, yet they often lack the training or accountability of paid staff. To reduce risk, avoid placing them in roles that require licensed professionals or involve high-responsibility decision making. With the right structure, volunteers can contribute safely and effectively.

• Define roles clearly: Start with clear role descriptions, just like job postings. This helps volunteers understand expectations and lets them self-select into roles that match their skills. Offering different levels of involvement can also attract a broader range of support. 
• Screen thoughtfully: Go beyond background checks. Include interviews, reference checks, and documentation, especially for volunteer drivers, who carry the same liability as employees. And don’t forget volunteer protection laws vary by state, so legal compliance matters. 
• Provide structure and oversight: Provide a handbook, review it one-on-one, and check in within the first 60 days. Volunteers need clear guidance on boundaries, emergency protocols, and mandatory reporting. Keep records just like you would for staff, it protects everyone. 
• Set expectations early: Implement a Volunteer Code of Conduct that outlines expectations around behavior, confidentiality, boundaries, and professionalism. Have volunteers sign it during onboarding to reinforce accountability.
• Prioritize safety: Match tasks to each volunteer’s abilities and ensure they understand expectations. If a volunteer isn’t a good fit, have a respectful and consistent process for ending the relationship—guided by clear expectations, defined behaviors for dismissal, and progressive discipline when appropriate.

Turn awareness into action

Volunteers are a powerful resource, but only when managed with intention. With the right structure, they don’t just fill staffing gaps, they strengthen your mission. By prioritizing clarity, safety, and accountability, leaders can ensure that volunteer contributions are both meaningful and sustainable. Effective volunteer management transforms good intentions into lasting impact, while minimizing risk and protecting everyone involved.

Resources

• Support this conversation: Volunteer management: Strategies for success
• Human services resources: Risk management for human services organizations
• Youth serving resources: Risk management for youth-serving organizations