Summary of Good Practice Recommendations

Organisations have a responsibility to:

• ensure volunteers and interns do not replace paid staff positions

• budget time, money, resources, staff and space to meet the needs of volunteers and interns, including access provisions for d/Deaf and Disabled volunteers and interns

• develop a volunteer and internship policy that outlines recruitment, management and equity provisions for unpaid work

• consider ways to balance opportunities that flow from unpaid placements with opportunities for people from lower socio-economic backgrounds who are unable to undertake unpaid work

• consider the motivations of volunteers and interns and support them to reach their goals

• assign a dedicated manager or mentor to support volunteers and interns, and where possible, hire a volunteer coordinator 

• formalise the recruitment, induction, mentoring and development processes

• ensure volunteers and interns receive appropriate safety training and information

• meet workplace health and safety and insurance obligations

• provide feedback and/or references to volunteers and interns if requested 

• acknowledge and credit input from volunteers and interns

Volunteers and interns have a responsibility to:

• ensure that any commitments they make to unpaid work are reasonable and practical for them

• communicate clearly with organisations if they need to change or end the arrangement

Agreements should:

• outline benefits and expectations for all parties

• outline likely time commitments and confirm that volunteers may discontinue at any time 

• outline the timeframe for the project or position, including a stage for each party to review the progress