Overview
The Best Practice Guidelines developed by Volunteering New Zealand (Tūao Aotearoa) provide a practical framework for organisations that engage volunteers. Designed primarily for small to medium-sized community organisations, the guidelines outline seven key practice areas that support the entire volunteer lifecycle: recruiting and engaging volunteers, welcoming and onboarding, volunteer support and leadership, training and development, feedback and recognition, celebrating volunteer impact, and supporting volunteers when they exit. Each practice area includes key principles, examples of good practice, and guidance on what volunteers need to have a positive and meaningful experience.
Benefits for Volunteer Managers
For Volunteer Managers, coordinators and leaders, the guidelines provide a structured tool to assess current practices, identify strengths, and prioritise areas for improvement. They help managers reflect on “what good looks like” at each stage of the volunteer journey and access relevant resources to strengthen volunteer engagement and retention. By adopting the guidelines, Volunteer Managers can create more consistent, inclusive and volunteer-centred experiences, leading to stronger relationships with volunteers and improved programme outcomes.
Benefits for Volunteer Involving Organisations
For Volunteer Involving Organisations (VIOs), the guidelines offer a sector-recognised benchmark for effective volunteer engagement. They can be used by boards, leadership teams, advisors, funders and donors to understand and strengthen an organisation’s volunteer capability. Developed collaboratively with the community sector and informed by the contributions of more than 400 people across Aotearoa New Zealand, the guidelines represent a broad consensus on best practice. Organisations that implement the framework are better positioned to attract, support and retain volunteers while demonstrating a commitment to quality volunteer management and meaningful community impact.
