4.Volunteers
This section contains standards on working with volunteer fundraisers where their activity is known to your organisation. The code distinguishes between ‘in-aid-of’ and ‘on-behalf-of’ volunteers. For more information about the different kinds of volunteer fundraising arrangements, please see our guidance on volunteers.
Some in-aid-of volunteers may fall within the definition of a commercial participator, in which case section 6 Fundraising partnerships will also apply to these volunteers.
The Charities Act 1992 and Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 give charitable institutions the right to apply for a court order to prevent unauthorised fundraising if:
- any person is using fundraising methods that the charitable institution objects to;
- the charitable institution believes that a person is not a fit and proper person to fundraise on their behalf; or
- the charitable institution does not want to be associated with a particular promotion.
4.1 Standards that apply to all volunteers
In this section, ‘you’ means a charitable institution.
You must provide in-aid-of and on-behalf-of volunteers with training and support that is appropriate to the relationship they have with you.
The training for on-behalf-of volunteers should include:
- how to fundraise legally and safely;
- handling and processing donations;
- what should and should not be included in fundraising materials; and
- the behaviour expected of volunteers and where they can access support and guidance.
If you become aware of an in-aid-of volunteer’s fundraising activity beforehand, you must take all reasonable steps to make sure they:
- use the expression ‘in aid of’ when describing the fundraising they are doing for your charitable institution, to distinguish their fundraising from yours;
- know they are responsible for organising all aspects of their fundraising and you will not accept any liability relating to it; and
- can find information on how to fundraise legally and safely.
You must not pay volunteers for fundraising, but you can cover their reasonable expenses.
National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO): Paying volunteer expenses
In Northern Ireland: Volunteer Now: Guidelines for providing volunteers’ out of pocket expenses and claim form
If you know about a volunteer’s fundraising beforehand, you must make sure there are proper arrangements in place for money to be transferred to you quickly and efficiently.
4.2 Specific considerations when working with on‑behalf-of volunteers
In this section, ‘you’ means a charitable institution.
You must carry out appropriate checks to make sure that on-behalf-of volunteer fundraisers are suitable to represent your charitable institution.
The governing bodies of charitable institutions have a general legal duty to protect their reputation and those who benefit from their work. The Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) expects charity trustees to carry out appropriate checks to make sure that people working for or representing the charity are suitable. You can check the criminal records of any staff and volunteers aged over 16 by asking for a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. For any role which involves contact with children or vulnerable adults you should consider asking for a more detailed check, known as a higher-level DBS check.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, the Police Act 1997 and legislation made under these acts describe which level of DBS check you are allowed to ask for. This depends on the person’s role or the activities they will be carrying out. You must only ask for checks if you are legally allowed to do so, using The Disclosure and Barring Service (in England and Wales), Disclosure Scotland or Access NI (Northern Ireland).
Under the House to House Collections Act 1939, if volunteers are carrying out house-to-house collections on your behalf, you are legally required to carry out due diligence to make sure that each volunteer is a ‘fit and proper person’.
More information:
Cabinet Office: National exemption order scheme
Fundraising Regulator: Due diligence and fundraising