Information and resources for LGBT organisations

Volunteering on a shoestring (not another toolkit!)

“We don’t have the time to come up with policies and procedures”

“We don’t have the capacity to manage volunteers”

We’ve listened to your comments and here are the results. Volunteering on a shoestring (not another toolkit!) is The Consortium’s toolkit for small LGBT organisations who don’t have the time or money to involve volunteers according to ‘best practice’.

Q: How does it work?
A: There are four parts to Volunteering on a Shoestring:

Volunteering on a Shoestring (not another toolkit!) A short, easy to use, step-by-step toolkit for LGBT organisations wanting to involve volunteers. To download it, click here.
20 steps to involving volunteers on a shoestring A follow-on from the toolkit, 20 steps to a great volunteering programme. To download it, click here
Case studies Working with LGBT organisations (Allsorts, Antidote, Derbyshire Friend, FLAG Forum for Lesbians and Gays, GMFA and LGF), we have created some case studies for you to see how they have put together their volunteering programmes. Read about why they involve volunteers, how they do it on a budget and the massive impact their volunteers make. To download the case studies, click here
Policies, procedures and guidance sheets We know you don’t have time to come up with policies, procedures and forms, so we’ve done this for you. We’ve created a downloadable volunteering handbook which you can adapt and give to your volunteers, guidance sheets on volunteering procedures and a number of template forms and procedures. You can either adapt them to suit your organisation or just insert your organisation’s name into the appropriate gaps, print them off and use them straight away.

Volunteer handbook click here

Guidance sheets:
Recruitment – click here
Progress reviews – click here
Giving constructive feedback – click here
Problem solving – click here
Induction – click here

Template policies and procedures
Application form – click here
Budgeting form – click here
Confidentiality Procedure - click here
Equal opportunities form – click here
Exit interview form – click here
Expenses procedure – click here
Expenses claim form – click here
Health & Safety - click here
Problem solving procedure – click here
Risk assessment form – click here
Role description form – click here
Timesheet – click here
Volunteering Policy - click here

Please note: You do not need to use all of the policies, procedures and advice. It is intended to be a pick ‘n’ mix, take what suits your organisation, leave the rest. For those of you who want a very formal volunteering programme, you should find enough guidance in this toolkit. For those of you who want an informal one, you will be able to overlook much of it.

Regional reports – We are in the process of writing reports on LGBT youth involvement in different regions of England. We will be able to compare and contrast the experiences of different regions and collate good practice. Watch this space...

Personalised support
The Consortium can offer personalised support to LGBT organisations around volunteering. For information on developing programmes suitable for young LGBT volunteers, contact Darren Vella on darren@lgbtconsortium.org.uk 020 7064 6509 For general volunteering development support, contact Emma on emma@lgbtconsortium.org.uk 020 7064 6505.

Looking for Volunteers?

If you are interested in involving young LGBT volunteers in your organisation, please contact Darren at the above email address. If you interested in involving LGBT volunteers over the age of 25, please contact Emma at the above address.

Thu 04 Dec 2008 | 19:57