Building a Safe Volunteer Program
Design a volunteer program that protects the people you serve — before anything goes wrong.
For: Nonprofit leaders and volunteer coordinators
What you’ll learn
- Apply the "identify, screen, inform, educate, supervise" framework to your own program
- Assign a risk level to every volunteer role and match screening depth to that risk
- Layer your screening — application, interview, references, background check, identity verification
- Write a code of conduct, supervise consistently, and respond to incidents the right way
Screen your volunteers for $5
VolunteerBadge runs FCRA-compliant background checks for just $5 — with identity verification built in. No monthly fees, no contracts.
Create a free account →Course outline
- 1
Safety is a system, not a background check
5 min
- 2
Assess the risk of every role
6 min
- 3
Screen in layers
7 min
- 4
Inform: policies, role descriptions & a code of conduct
6 min
- 5
Educate & supervise over time
6 min
- 6
Respond to incidents the right way
5 min
- 7
Putting it together: build your program
5 min
Sources & further reading
- Nonprofit Risk Management Center — Employee and Volunteer Screening: What You Need to Know
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Within Youth-Serving Organizations
- Praesidium — Screening Out Offenders
- SECURA Insurance — Considerations for Screening Employees and Volunteer Staff
This course is educational and provides general information about the Fair Credit Reporting Act and volunteer-screening best practices. It is not legal advice. Laws vary by state and change over time — consult a qualified attorney about your organization’s specific obligations.