Skip to main content

What are you looking for?

Enter keywords to search across resources, guides, training, tools, and more.

Create an account for suggestions personalised to you and your organisation

Factsheets
1 minute read

Complaints Handling Factsheet

Meeting National Standards and Strategy What's this?

Introduction

Complaints are a fact of life for most charities, and how you deal with them is crucial. It's about having a clear process for addressing concerns raised by anyone involved with your organisation, from staff and volunteers to service users and donors.

Summary

Effective complaints handling can:

  • Improve your services and programs

  • Boost your reputation and community standing

  • Increase support from existing and potential donors

  • Save money by preventing future problems

It's also a chance to learn and improve your practices, showcasing good governance. Poor complaints handling can damage your reputation and finances.

Benefits for Volunteer Organisations & Managers

  • The guide, model policy and procedure, provides a step-by-step approach to handling complaints, making it easier for volunteer managers to address issues.

  • A fair complaints process fosters trust and shows volunteers their concerns are valued.

  • Effective complaints handling builds public confidence in your charity's work, attracting more volunteers and supporters.


Downloads and sources

More about the author

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) is the national regulator of charities.

Contribute to the Gateway


More like this

Information

Engaging Newly Arrived Migrants

This article explains how volunteering helps new migrants in Australia connect, learn & contribute. It includes resources to help recruit and support migrant volunteers.
1 minute read
The Knowledge Base, Volunteering ACT, The Centre for Volunteering, Volunteering Queensland, Volunteering SA&NT, Volunteering Tasmania, Volunteering Victoria, Volunteering WA, Canterbury City Community Centre - Skills Training and Resource Service, Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)
Migrants, General
Guides

National Strategy for Volunteering

The National Strategy for Volunteering (2023 – 2033) is Australia’s blueprint for a reimagined future for volunteering. It provides a ten-year roadmap to work collectively towards the Strategy’s vision: to make volunteering the heart of Australian communities
1 minute read
Volunteering Australia
General
SEEK Volunteer
Tech

SEEK Volunteer

SEEK Volunteer helps connect people to volunteering opportunities that enrich their communities, lives and careers.
Recruitment
Rosterfy
Tech

Rosterfy

Rosterfy is an end-to-end volunteer management software solution, that helps organisations streamline their volunteer management and engagement. Rosterfy offers automated solutions to manage volunteers efficiently.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Task management Compliance Reporting Resource management Social media Event management
Better Impact
Tech

Better Impact

Better Impact offers a comprehensive software solution for volunteer program management, to simplify administrative tasks and enhance volunteer engagement across every stage of the volunteer lifecycle.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Compliance Reporting Social media Donations
scheduled

Rethinking Volunteer Recruitment

Take a second look at volunteer recruitment with the Sector Development Coordinator, Tony Ward
The Centre for Volunteering
Free
scheduled

Volunteer Recognition

Join us online for a free workshop to discuss: Practical ideas and tips to recognise our amazing volunteers; create a volunteer recognition plan; Acknowledging volunteers in an appropriate and respectful manner; Communicating how volunteers add value; Measuring volunteer impact
Volunteering SA&NT
Free
scheduled

Plain and Easy English Language - Part 2 (31 July 2025)

People with intellectual and cognitive disability are often overlooked in the pursuit of website accessibility. This 2 part workshop, facilitated by The Centre for Accessibility Australia, will provide tools in optimising online content for readability to significantly improve access to information.
Volunteering Victoria
Free