Define the contribution before matching a volunteer

A role is ready to discuss when its scope, supervisor, and first handoff are clear.

Describe what the volunteer contributes, what is outside the role, who supervises the work, and how the first assignment will be handed over. If a role raises a safeguarding or location-specific question, consult the applicable approved reference before making a decision.

Owner: The program's volunteer coordinator prepares the role description with the staff supervisor responsible for the work. Refer questions about an exception or a boundary to the responsible program function rather than making an informal extension of the role.

Prepare the role

A coordination sequence, not a substitute for approved procedures.

  1. 1

    Name the contribution

    Write the specific activity and the useful outcome. Avoid a broad request such as “help wherever needed.”

  2. 2

    Set the boundary

    State what the volunteer is not being asked to do and identify questions that require staff review.

  3. 3

    Identify the supervisor

    Name the supervising function responsible for briefing the volunteer and receiving questions or handoffs.

  4. 4

    Plan the first assignment

    Agree the task, context, starting point, and how the volunteer will reconnect with the supervisor.

  5. 5

    Check applicable references

    Where program or location requirements may apply, use the current approved reference and responsible-role handoff.

Make the role concrete

A fictional Harborlight event example shows the difference between an open-ended request and a scoped contribution.

Too broad: “Help at the event”

The request does not say what the volunteer will do, who gives direction, or where questions go.

  • No defined contribution
  • No named supervising function
  • No boundary for unexpected requests

Scoped: welcome-desk support

The volunteer welcomes arriving participants and directs questions they cannot answer to the event supervisor.

  • Contribution: greet arrivals and point them to the appropriate event area
  • Boundary: do not make decisions about program eligibility
  • Handoff: refer unlisted questions to the event supervisor