Our advice and support around safeguarding practice and procedures is about safer recruitment and vetting in relation to volunteering, and is in line with local LSCP and SSAB procedures. Our local infrastructure partner, Community Action Sutton, can advise your organisation on developing your overall safeguarding policy. You can read Volunteer Centre Sutton's Safeguarding policy here.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding means creating a safe and welcoming environment where everyone is treated with respect. It’s about running your organisation in a way that prevents harm, bullying, harassment, abuse and neglect, and knowing how to respond if something goes wrong. Everyone has a role in safeguarding, and it should be part of everyday work. All charities have a duty to keep volunteers, staff, participants and donors safe.
How does it apply to your volunteer recruitment and vetting?
Firstly its about how you vet potential volunteers. Vetting can include applications, interviews, references and background checks such as DBS checks. These steps help organisations identify any risks before someone starts volunteering and reduce the risk of harm. A risk assessment of the volunteer role helps you decide what level of vetting is needed. By looking at the role, you can identify possible safeguarding risks, such as:
- working with children or vulnerable adults
- being alone with participants
- handling money or sensitive information
Once you understand the risks, you can put the right safeguards in place. This might include references, interviews, training, supervision or DBS checks.
You also want to make sure that your volunteers undertstand what safeguarding means and what the process is for reporting a concern. At Volunteer Centre Sutton, part of our volunteering training includes 2 short videos, one on safeguarding awareness for adults at risk and one on safeguarding awareness for children and young people.