National Standards for Volunteer Involvement

Building Strong Volunteer Programs

The National Standards for Volunteer Involvement (National Standards) are a best practice framework to guide volunteer involvement in Australia. They are an essential resource for Volunteer Managers.

The National Standards can be used flexibly, recognising that volunteering takes place in highly diverse settings and ways.

Content accessed through this site aims to meet these standards, or help Volunteer Managers reflect or achieve them in their programs. Content that aligns with the National Standards is indicated with a National Standards badge.

Content can also be filtered by each National Standard if there are specific resources you are looking for.

Why are the National Standards Important?

The National Standards provide Volunteer Managers with a foundation for best practice program design and implementation. They are supported by a suite of resources and tools to help you apply them in your role. Adoption of the National Standards has direct benefits to both your volunteers and your organisation, they:

• help improve the volunteer experience, ensure the wellbeing of volunteers and that their contributions are valued.

• provide best practice guidance and benchmarks to help you and your organisation attract, manage and retain volunteers.

• Support effective risk and safety practices.

• Showcase your commitment to responsible and ethical volunteer management.

There are eight standards:

1. Volunteering is embedded in leadership, governance and culture

2. Volunteer participation is championed and modelled

3. Volunteer roles are meaningful and tailored

4. Recruitment is equitable and diversity is valued

5. Volunteers are supported and developed

6. Volunteer safety and wellbeing is protected

7. Volunteers are recognised

8. Policies and practices are continuously improved

How Does Volunteer Gateway Support the National Standards?

The resources and information available on Volunteer Gateway are designed to be aligned with the National Standards. You'll see the National Standards badge displayed throughout the website to identify content that directly addresses specific standards.

Filtering by National Standards:

Looking for resources that target a particular aspect of volunteer management? Our search function allows you to filter content by the National Standard it addresses. This streamlines your search and ensures you find the most relevant resources to meet your specific needs.

Explore the Standards:

We encourage you to delve deeper into the National Standards and their supporting resources and tools via the Downloads and Sources below.