Skip to main content
Create an account for suggestions personalised to you and your organisation
Create account
Guides
1 minute read

Volunteer health and safety: a handbook for community service organisations

Meeting National Standards and Strategy Seal Meeting National Standards and Strategy What's this?

This handbook provides guidance on work health and safety responsibilities when involving volunteers in community service organisations. The resource explains legal duties, common risks and practical approaches to managing health and safety for volunteers.

Benefits for volunteer managers

Understand legal duties and responsibilities under health and safety law

  • manage health and safety for volunteers
  • identify and manage volunteer?related risks
  • create safe systems of work and support wellbeing for volunteers.

How to apply this resource

Use this handbook to inform policies, procedures and risk management practices related to volunteer health and safety.

Downloads and sources

Visit source (opens in new tab)

More about the author

Victorian Government authority responsible for workplace health and safety regulation, guidance and enforcement.
info@worksafe.vic.gov.au Contact WorkSafe Victoria
Visit website (opens in new tab)
(opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)

Contribute to the Gateway

Leave feedback

Was this resource useful?

Make a Suggestion

If you find a great resource that isn't in the directory or want to provide feedback on the Volunteering Gateway, drop us a line!

More like this

Resources

Digital Marketing

This Digital Literacy series offers a number of videos and guides to help you learn common, devices, tools and methods for undertaking a range of key volunteer management activities using modern technology.
1 minute read
Digital Literacy Foundation, The Centre for Volunteering, The Knowledge Base
Resources

Developing Volunteer Roles

This article and guides help organisations develop effective volunteer roles
1 minute read
The Centre for Volunteering, Volunteering ACT, Volunteering Queensland, Volunteering SA&NT, Volunteering Tasmania, Volunteering Victoria, Volunteering WA, The Knowledge Base
Policies & Procedures

Developing a volunteer policy

Guide providing high-level information on how to develop a volunteering policy.
1 minute read
Volunteer Scotland
General
Volaby
Tech

Volaby

Volaby is an end-to-end volunteer and people management platform, enabling organisations to do more with less! Built from the collective voice of our volunteer managers using the platform, Volaby helps you automate and simplify the volunteer and manager experience to save time and scale impact.
Volunteer database Recruitment Rostering / scheduling Onboarding / training Volunteer performance/recognition Communication / engagement Task management Compliance Reporting Resource management Event management
FreddyMatch
Tech

FreddyMatch

FreddyMatch is a web-based platform that facilitates and optimises the process of volunteering. We help match organisations and volunteers based on their unique interests, skill sets, location and availability using the “FreddyMatch” algorithm.
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

Managing Volunteers in Grassroots Settings: The Basics 2 hours

Designed for grassroots organisations, this workshop introduces the fundamentals of managing volunteers across the volunteer lifecycle.
Volunteering Victoria
–
Free
scheduled

Managing Member Disputes and Board Conflict - Dec 2026

Learn how to prevent, manage and resolve disputes in not-for-profits. This practical webinar explores common conflicts, legal requirements, dispute resolution processes and governance tools, with expert guidance, resources, recording and slides included.
Justice Connect's Not-for-profit Law Training
–
Free
scheduled

Volunteering SA&NT Roadshow Workshop Limestone Coast

Connect with volunteer leaders, coordinators and community organisations to share challenges, solutions and good practice. Explore the National Standards, volunteer engagement tools and support from Volunteering SA & NT.
Volunteering SA&NT
–
Free