Safeguarding Training for Volunteers
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Safeguarding Training for Volunteers
Many organisations benefit from the support of volunteers, who willingly offer their skills and time without financial gain. This is especially prevalent in the third sector, including charities and community organisations, where volunteers help expand services, reach more people and provide expertise at a lower cost.
However, volunteers often develop close relationships with service users, sometimes even closer than regular staff, which could lead to unintended risks. Because of this, it’s essential that organisations implement safeguarding procedures and deliver safeguarding training for volunteers to ensure safety for all.
What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding focuses on protecting the well-being of vulnerable groups, such as children and adults at risk. Organisations that regularly interact with such groups must enforce safeguarding measures to prevent abuse, neglect or exploitation. Legal requirements and formal safeguarding policies help outline these responsibilities, but it’s equally important that volunteers, not just staff, understand and follow them. Safeguarding training for volunteers should be specific to their roles and updated regularly to stay aligned with legislation and best practices.
This article explores the steps organisations must take to safeguard both volunteers and the individuals they work with. This includes providing safeguarding training for volunteers, conducting risk assessments, ensuring volunteers understand safeguarding policies and implementing safer recruitment and support systems.
Conducting Safeguarding Risk Assessments
A detailed risk assessment is the first step towards managing safeguarding risks. Organisations should evaluate the roles volunteers play, where these roles are carried out and the nature of their interactions with others. After identifying any potential risks, organisations can establish strategies to mitigate them effectively. These risk assessments should be documented, shared with volunteers and supported by comprehensive safeguarding training for volunteers.
Developing Safeguarding Policies
Effective safeguarding relies on robust policies that clearly define procedures for protecting vulnerable people. These policies should outline the organisation’s safeguarding commitments and ensure volunteers understand their responsibilities in maintaining these standards.
Volunteers must be fully aware of how to report safeguarding concerns, whether they witness or suspect something and understand the process for documenting incidents. These policies, ideally communicated through safeguarding training or written materials, must be regularly updated to reflect current legislation and safeguarding practices.
Delivering Safeguarding Training for Volunteers
Safeguarding training for volunteers should be an integral part of any safeguarding framework. This training should cover several important areas:
- Recognising Abuse and Neglect: Volunteers should be trained to identify the early signs of abuse or neglect and know how to act in safeguarding situations.
- Reporting Procedures: Understanding the proper channels for reporting concerns, along with the importance of confidentiality.
- Supporting Vulnerable Individuals: Volunteers should learn how to provide immediate care and long-term support strategies, including emotional and practical assistance.
- Legal Frameworks: Volunteers need to be aware of the legal safeguarding frameworks that underpin their role.
Implementing Safer Recruitment Practices
To minimise risks, organisations should adopt a safer recruitment process when bringing volunteers on board. This includes:
- Detailed Role Descriptions: Clear descriptions outlining the skills and safeguarding responsibilities required for each role.
- Background Checks: Conducting checks to ensure volunteers meet the necessary standards for working with vulnerable individuals.
- Structured Interviews: Assessing volunteers’ attitudes towards safeguarding through careful interview processes.
- DBS Checks: Carrying out the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks based on the role’s responsibilities.
Supervision and Support Systems for Volunteers
Ongoing support is essential to maintaining effective safeguarding practices. Organisations should offer regular supervision and provide volunteers with access to additional safeguarding training as needed. This helps create an open environment where volunteers feel confident in discussing any concerns they may have. Also establishing a buddy system, where volunteers are paired with other staff members for extra support is another useful method of fostering a supportive atmosphere.
Conclusion
Volunteers play an important role in many organisations and it’s essential that they are fully integrated into safeguarding processes. This can be achieved by ensuring they receive proper safeguarding training for volunteers and the organisation conducts appropriate risk assessments, adheres to safer recruitment practices and provides continuous support. As a result, organisations can safeguard vulnerable individuals and uphold the highest standards of safety across their operations.
Our online safeguarding courses give you the tools to establish strong safeguarding practices across your organisation, including ensuring volunteers are adequately trained.
If you would like more help choosing the best course for yourself or your organisation, you can get in touch with our friendly customer service team by calling us on 01327 552030, emailing us at hello@smarthorizons.co.uk or using the contact form on our website.