What are the different routes for volunteers in Croydon? 

People in Croydon typically get involved in volunteering through three main routes: 

• They register interest in an opportunity through CVA’s Volunteer Centre website, the national Volunteering website D0-IT or Simply Volunteer London website (with or without support). 

• Going direct to a local group or organisation and offering to help out – can also happen through word of mouth or social media promotion. 

• They sign up to organisations like Red Cross or NHS volunteering or directly approaching other large national charities like MacMillan. 

To promote a non-urgent volunteering opportunity with CVA’s Volunteer Centre, submit an opportunity registration form or see our Finding Volunteers Page to sign up and manage your own organisations profile. Alternatively, contact us to discuss this in more detail.

How are volunteering opportunities promoted in Croydon?

Opportunities registered with CVA’s Volunteer Centre are promoted on our [website], through our social media channels, via our fortnightly newsletter and through our 1-2-1 volunteer advisors.   

What if the organisation I work for promotes its opportunities on its website? 

Agencies like the Red Cross and NHS have channels to promote opportunities, although they advertise some volunteer roles via CVA’s Volunteer Centre. 

There is absolutely no reason why your opportunities can’t be advertised on multi websites; once on our website, it has a unique web link that is easily shared, so more people will see it. 

What else do I need to do to recruit volunteers?

Good planning and preparation are essential when involving volunteers to clarify expectations and enable a positive experience for everyone involved. Whatever the opportunity, we recommend that volunteer-involving organisations in Croydon put the following things in place: 

• Public liability insurance and a volunteering policy. 
• A role description and volunteering agreement for each volunteer role. 
• Risk-assessments for each volunteer role, a Safeguarding Policy and work within GDPR legislation. 

Most larger organisations that involve volunteers will already have a volunteering policy. If you work for Croydon Council, you should speak with your head of dept. for more information. Similarly, the NHS has its own policies and procedures for volunteer involvement and a dedicated voluntary services team that usually oversees NHS volunteering. 

Volunteering activity that sits with Health and Social Care Partnerships is more complicated regarding which policies and procedures apply, so guidance should be sought from a service manager in the first instance.  

Is volunteering admin and paperwork necessary? 

Volunteering is not a legally defined process in the same way that employment is, but it can and should be underpinned by certain formalities. Having the correct procedures in place makes volunteering safer and more accountable for everyone involved. Clearly defining roles and boundaries is essential to ensure compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR, as well as to uphold safeguarding responsibilities. Establishing these parameters helps maintain accountability, protect sensitive information, and support a safe and secure environment for all stakeholders.  

Are there examples of risk assessments? 

Yes, for risk assessments you can go to HSE where you can download templates. You will find on CVA’s website [resource bank] a full range of templates that can be used and adapted as necessary for your project or organisation. You may also find it interesting to look at NAVCA website, which explores many different volunteering related issues from an organisational point of view.  

Can I get advice from those who manage volunteers? 

Yes. Our Volunteer Organiser’s Network, which meets every three months, is a great place to network with other volunteer managers (paid and unpaid) and share ideas around best practices in volunteering. To sign up to the forum please email Karen.chillman@cvalive.org.uk.