Enabling safe and effective volunteering during coronavirus (COVID-19)

This guidance aims to help organisations and groups understand how to safely and effectively involve volunteers during the pandemic.

By: Joe Palmer / 19 November 2020

COVID-19-Actions

This guidance is for people who run volunteer-involving organisations or groups, or manage volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering yourself, or are an existing volunteer, read guidance on how to volunteer during the coronavirus pandemic and on how to help others safely.

This guidance applies to England. There is different guidance on volunteering in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Voluntary organisations and groups can find further information on how they can safely and effectively support the country during the outbreak.

Who can volunteer

Anyone can volunteer during the coronavirus pandemic. However, there are restrictions on where and how volunteer roles can be completed.

People who can volunteer from home should do so. Read NCVO guidance on supporting your volunteers to volunteer from home.

People can volunteer outside their home, including within a workplace, if:

they are unable to volunteer from home
they don’t need to self-isolate
they are not classified as clinically extremely vulnerable
they follow social distancing guidance, or COVID-secure guidance if volunteering in a workplace
their workplace has not been ordered to close, if the role takes place within a workplace

This also applies to people who are clinically vulnerable, including those 70 and over. As people in these groups could be at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus, they should be especially careful and may need additional support to follow social distancing rules and minimise contact with others.

Clinically extremely vulnerable people who wish to volunteer should volunteer from home. They are advised to not volunteer outside their home.

It should always be a volunteer’s personal choice whether they wish to volunteer, including outside their home. A volunteer should not be compelled to volunteer outside their home by their organisation or group.

Workplace closures

As of 5 November, the government has ordered certain workplaces to close or to stop specific activities. This includes some workplaces and activities which involve volunteers. You should read the guidance on workplace closures. Your organisation or group must close your workplace or stop certain activities if required to under the government’s orders.

Volunteering in groups and around others

While volunteering, people can meet in groups of any size from different households, indoors or outdoors. Volunteers who meet in groups or with others from outside their household or support bubble should be especially careful to follow social distancing guidance and observe the following key behaviours:

HANDS - Wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds.
FACE - Wear a face covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
SPACE - Stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings or increasing ventilation indoors).

When volunteering in a workplace or where social distancing is difficult, then the workplace must be COVID-secure.

Travelling to volunteer or while volunteering

People can travel to volunteer or while volunteering in England. They are advised to walk or cycle where possible, and to plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport.

People wishing to travel into another nation in the UK to volunteer need to check the restrictions of that nation before doing so. Read guidance on coronavirus restrictions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Face coverings

People must wear a face covering by law in some public places unless they have a reasonable excuse for not wearing one (for example, if they have an illness, impairment or a disability).

Volunteers in retail, hospitality and leisure settings must also wear a face covering.

Volunteers should also wear a face covering indoors if they will be in:

an enclosed public space
a place where they cannot stay 1 metre apart from other people
a place where they will come into contact with people they do not usually meet

Read guidance on how your organisation can dispose of business waste, including face coverings and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Coronavirus testing for volunteers

Some volunteers will be classified as being in essential worker roles due to the nature of the services they are providing. Volunteers in essential worker roles are prioritised for coronavirus testing.

Ensuring volunteers and their workplaces are safe

Organisations and groups have a duty of care to volunteers to ensure as far as reasonably practicable they are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.

Your organisation or group should:

take steps to ensure your workplace is COVID-secure in line with HSE guidance
display a notice in your workplace to show you have followed the necessary steps in ensuring it is COVID-secure.

Organisations and groups should assess the risks around volunteering roles and activities and take steps to keep volunteers safe. This should include:

the physical environment in which the volunteering activity takes place
the role’s activities and tasks
the individual needs of the person undertaking the role

Organisations and groups should read guidance on working safely during coronavirus. This guidance relates to several areas of work where volunteers are often involved. The guidance sets out that volunteers should be afforded the same level of protection to their health and safety as others, including workers and clients.

You can also read guidance on:

Safeguarding volunteers

Your organisation or group should think carefully about how it safeguards its volunteers and everyone who comes into contact with them. Volunteers should be recognised throughout your organisation or group’s safeguarding policies. Safeguarding should also be considered throughout your policies relating to volunteers.

Read information on how DBS guidelines have changed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Organisations which are employers should read guidance on DBS checks for employers.

You can also read guidance on:

If you run a mutual aid group or community group you can read:

Insurance and volunteers

You should carefully consider which type of insurance cover you need to protect your volunteers and your organisation or group. Read NCVO guidance on insurance and volunteers.

Volunteer drivers who are helping those in need during the pandemic do not need to contact their insurer to update their documents or extend their cover. Read guidance on insurance for volunteer drivers from the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

Volunteers who claim benefits or who are ‘furloughed’

People who receive benefits can volunteer while receiving their benefits, as long as they continue to meet all the conditions of the benefit they get. Read guidance on volunteering and claiming benefits.

Employees who are furloughed through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme can, during the hours they are on furlough, volunteer for another employer or organisation. During the hours they are on furlough, employees are not permitted to volunteer for their own employer or an organisation linked or associated to their employer. Read guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.