Empowering organisations to offer good quality volunteering opportunities is at the heart of what Volunteer Centre Salford does.

Our long term vision is:

• Salford is a place that fully values its volunteers and their contribution
• There is an improved standard of volunteering experience for all people who volunteer

Investing some time to thinking through how you involve volunteers can help to ensure that volunteering is a rewarding experience for both the volunteer and the organisation.

Volunteer Centre Salford can offer advice and information on good practice when involving volunteers in the following ways: 

Developing an effective volunteer programme in your organisation Identifying areas in your volunteer management that need development using the Volunteer Good Practice Guidelines Support in developing volunteer policies, handbooks and role descriptions Advice on how to increase the diversity of your volunteers Advice on recruiting and retaining volunteers Opportunities to recognise and thank your volunteers through the Salford 100 Hour Volunteer Recognition Scheme and the Annual Heart of Salford Awards Ceremony Opportunity to demonstrate your organisations commitment to volunteering by signing up to the Salford Volunteer Charter Bespoke training in volunteer management Quarterly forum for volunteer managers/co-ordinators

Good Practice Guidelines

Volunteer Centre Salford have produced some Good Practice Guidelines to give you an introduction to the following areas:

1. Drawing up a Volunteer Policy
2. Recruitment and Selection
3. Safer Recruitment
4. Management of Volunteers
5. Support and Development of Volunteers
6. Payment of Expenses
7. Volunteers Who Claim Unemployment and Related Benefits
8. Exit Policies

Download your copy of the Good Practice Guidelines.

For more in depth support or to discuss any aspect of involving volunteers please contact Claire Roberts on 0161 787 7795 or email claire.roberts@salfordcvs.co.uk

Volunteering Health Check

We are launching our Health Check this Volunteers' Week to promote good practice in volunteering in Salford.

This Health Check is to help you identify where good practice is being achieved in relation to involving volunteers and where you could develop further. We can help and support you with any of the areas listed in the Health Check. Download the Health Check here.

Volunteer Expenses Fund

As a result of reduced funding, growing numbers of volunteer-involving organisations are finding themselves unable to provide volunteer expenses, which in turn can prevent some people from being able to afford to participate in volunteering activities. The Salford Volunteers Expenses Fund is designed to support good practice in volunteer-involving organisations and make volunteering more accessible to a wide range of local people. Small voluntary and community organisations in Salford can apply to in order to meet the cost of paying out volunteer expenses. For more information on this quarterly fund visit our grants pages.

DBS Checks

Salford CVS is a registered Umbrella Body and is able to help groups and organisations through the process of applying for DBS checks on volunteers. Salford CVS can support your organisation to identify which (if any) of your volunteer roles require DBS checks, and at what level. Your organisation may also be eligible to apply to the Volunteer Expenses Fund to cover to cost of DBS checks. Find out more about our DBS check service.

Volunteer Charter

The Salford Volunteer Charter is a formal document that sets out the rights and responsibilities of volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations. The Charter outlines the key principles underpinning the ethos of volunteering. As a result of reduced funding, growing numbers of volunteer-involving organisations are finding themselves unable to provide volunteer expenses, which in turn can prevent some people from being able to afford to participate in volunteering activities. View the charter and sign up here.