Good Practice Guidelines

How we Describe Volunteers and Volunteering

Volunteer Centre Colchester believes it is good practice to avoid certain expressions such as ”we use volunteers”. Who wants to be used! The liberal use of the term volunteering to cover a range of unpaid activities is not helping to keep volunteering valued and respected. In addition the accuracy of data is questionable if terms are interpreted in different ways.

Any Org Aims:

• To raise awareness of the importance of appropriate terms to describe volunteering activity.
  

• To encourage the adoption of terms which help keep volunteering special and distinct from work experience or unpaid work.
  

• To improve the accuracy of the data produced on volunteering activity.
  

• To comply with employment legislation
  

• To encourage the public perception of volunteering as something worthwhile and special.
  

• To protect volunteers who help alongside paid staff.
  

There are different occasions when we need to describe Volunteers and Volunteering e.g. Leaflets, Posters, Forms, Interviews, Training Presentations and Talks, Press releases.

NOT APPROPRIATE                                      MORE APPROPRIATE

Some terminology

Paid Work is undertaken by a contracted employee.
Unpaid Work is a requirement of a probation order or a limited work experience placement.
Volunteering is gifted time to benefit those outside the family with no expectation of payment.
Prospective Volunteer is someone who is introduced, involvement to be confirmed.