Safeguarding training for volunteers

Volunteers are often the unsung heroes in child-focused organisations – whether they’re helping in schools, sports clubs, or community groups, they’re at the heart of what we do. But when it comes to safeguarding, passion and dedication aren’t enough. Volunteers need proper training to ensure children stay safe.

However, providing effective training has its own set of challenges – high turnover, limited time, and resource constraints can all make it hard to prepare every volunteer.

In this blog, we’ll explore why safeguarding training is essential for volunteers, what it should cover, and how your organisation can overcome obstacles to deliver it successfully.

Why volunteers need safeguarding training

Volunteers often come from a wide range of backgrounds. That’s why safeguarding training is so important – it cuts through individual experiences and ensures everyone is on the same page about what’s acceptable and what needs addressing.

Without proper training, volunteers might rely on their own upbringing or past experiences with children to assess risks. But these don’t always match today’s realities. Children now face new challenges, from blended families and mental health issues to substance abuse and economic hardship.

Safeguarding training helps volunteers recognise their blind spots and biases. They also need to understand the risks of technology. Online predators, cyberbullying, social media, and exposure to harmful content are real dangers that not all volunteers may be fully aware of. Training helps bridge that gap.

Additionally, safeguarding training shows volunteers how to set and maintain appropriate boundaries, especially with children who may be more vulnerable. With the right tools, volunteers can learn to spot subtle warning signs – like changes in behaviour, appearance, or social withdrawal – that could indicate a problem.

What are the key elements of safeguarding training for volunteers?

Every effective safeguarding programme should give volunteers the skills to:

Spot signs of neglect, abuse, or exploitation
Understand appropriate boundaries to protect both children and themselves
Respond to any disclosure a child makes, handling it sensitively and appropriately
Know the correct channels and processes for reporting concerns
Protect children in digital environments

The challenges of providing safeguarding training to volunteers

While the need for safeguarding training is clear, it’s not without its challenges. If you encounter any of the following, don’t be alarmed – it’s common!

High turnover of volunteers

Volunteers come and go – sometimes because of changing commitments or realising the role isn’t the right fit. Constantly training new volunteers can take up resources and may lead to inconsistent safeguarding knowledge.

Time constraints

Volunteers often juggle multiple commitments, and you may have different people available at different times. These factors can make scheduling safeguarding training sessions tricky. Balancing training with getting volunteers into active roles can lead to rushed or skipped sessions.

Cost and resource limitations

Not every organisation has the budget for high-quality safeguarding training from certified trainers, especially if you’re a small group or mostly run by volunteers.

Volunteer attitudes towards training

Some volunteers may see safeguarding training as a tick-box exercise, leading to disengagement. Long-term or older volunteers might also resist learning new skills or updating their knowledge.

Varied backgrounds and experience

Your volunteers may come from diverse backgrounds with different levels of experience. This makes designing a one-size-fits-all programme challenging. Additionally, language and literacy barriers can hinder full engagement with safeguarding materials.

Training retention and follow-up

If volunteers don’t apply safeguarding knowledge immediately, they may forget important details. Refresher training can be hard to arrange when resources are tight.

Adapting to new safeguarding challenges

New safeguarding risks, especially online, emerge all the time. Keeping volunteers updated on these developments can be difficult.

Your organisation’s role in supporting volunteers

Despite the challenges, there are ways to support your volunteers and ensure they feel confident in their safeguarding roles:

Provide flexible training options: Not everyone can attend in-person sessions, so offer a mix of online and in-person training to accommodate different schedules. Short, focused modules can help volunteers stay engaged without taking up too much of their time.
Make training engaging and relevant: Keep your volunteers interested with interactive elements like quizzes, real-life scenarios, or group discussions. Highlight the personal impact safeguarding has on both children and volunteers to show why it’s so important.
Recognise volunteers’ efforts: Acknowledge volunteers who complete training with certificates or shout-outs in newsletters. Positive feedback can go a long way towards keeping volunteers motivated and showing them their commitment is valued.
Offer refresher courses: Regularly scheduled refresher sessions ensure everyone stays up to date. Keep them short and targeted so they fit easily into busy schedules, and include updates on new safeguarding risks, especially in the digital world.
Provide easy access to resources: Make safeguarding policies, reporting channels, and procedures easily accessible through an online portal or printed handbooks. Having this information at their fingertips helps volunteers feel supported and prepared. (Here’s a recent blog about effectively communicating your safeguarding policies).
Tailor training to different needs: Every volunteer is different, so customise the training to fit their backgrounds and experiences. Offer additional support for those who might face language or literacy barriers.

The impact of safeguarding training for volunteers

Safeguarding training isn’t just a box to tick – it’s a powerful tool that helps volunteers protect the most vulnerable in our communities and uphold the values of your organisation.

Yes, there are challenges, but they don’t need to hold you back from collaborating with volunteers. With the right approach, safeguarding training can be more than a requirement. It can be the foundation of a volunteer programme that truly protects and uplifts children, and that strengthens your services and mission.

Want to take your volunteer programme to the next level? Contact Karen today to learn more about how our safeguarding consultancy services can make a real difference to your organisation.