Free · Certificate included

Volunteer Interviewing

Run interviews that reveal fit, motivation, and any red flags.

32 min Intermediate 7 modules Pass 80%

For: Volunteer coordinators and managers

What you’ll learn

Run the interview as part of a layered screening and risk-management process
Ask structured, behavioral questions that reveal motivation and fit
Recognize red flags and high-risk responses before placement
Match a candidate’s motivation to the right role and set clear expectations
Document the interview consistently and fairly for every candidate

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Course outline

1
The interview is a safety tool
Most coordinators treat the interview as a friendly chat to see if someone is "nice." It is much more than that.
5 min Quiz
2
Why structure beats a friendly chat
A "let’s just talk and see how it feels" interview feels warm — and predicts almost nothing.
5 min Quiz
3
Behavioral questions: past behavior predicts future behavior
The single most useful principle in screening comes straight from MinistrySafe: the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.
6 min Quiz Interactive
4
Red flags and high-risk responses
An effective screening interview is designed to elicit high-risk responses — and you have to be trained to notice them.
6 min Quiz
5
Matching motivation to the right role
Screening is not only about keeping the wrong person out — it is also about getting the right person into the right seat.
5 min Quiz Interactive
6
Setting expectations and the welcoming-but-discerning tone
The best screening interviews hold two things at once: they are genuinely welcoming and quietly discerning.
5 min Quiz
7
Documentation, decisions, and a fair process
What you write down matters as much as what you ask.
5 min Quiz Interactive

Sources & further reading

VolunteerBadge Academy courses are provided free for general educational and informational purposes only. Every course is researched from reputable, authoritative sources (cited on the course), but VolunteerBadge and ScreenForge Labs, LLC make no representations or warranties of any kind — express or implied — as to the accuracy, completeness, currentness, reliability, or suitability of the content for any purpose. Content may contain errors or omissions and may become outdated, and laws, regulations, standards, and best practices vary by jurisdiction and change over time. This material is not legal, medical, mental-health, clinical, financial, safety-certification, or other professional advice, and completing a course or earning a certificate creates no professional relationship, license, accreditation, or endorsement and is not a substitute for training, certification, supervision, or policies required by law, your organization, your insurer, or a licensing body. Always follow your organization's own policies and applicable law, use your own judgment, and consult a qualified professional (such as an attorney, licensed clinician, or medical provider) about your specific situation. In an emergency, call 911 (or, for a mental-health crisis, 988). To the fullest extent permitted by law, VolunteerBadge and ScreenForge Labs, LLC disclaim all liability for any loss or harm arising from reliance on this content or participation in any course.