A Volunteer's Bill of Rights

Many organizations have what they call a “Volunteer’s Bill of Rights.”  While many of these “rights” are unenforceable under the law, they do carefully articulate an organization’s values and how those values are put into practice.  Having a “Volunteer’s Bill of Rights” and, more importantly, putting it into practice, is perhaps one of the most effective forms of recognition an agency can offer their volunteers. 

 

Here are a few links to organizations that publish their Volunteer’s Bill of Rights online. You'll also notice that most of these documents also include a volunteer’s responsibilities in their language as well.

 

I hope you find these examples inspiring and can see how having such a document in place is an excellent way for an organization to communicate how much they respect and value their volunteers.

Submitted by John Lipp

 

US Army Volunteer Corps

http://www.walterreed.amedd.army.mil/garrison/avc/BOR.html

 

Community Living Kawartha Lakes

http://www.communitylivingkl.ca/getinvolved/volunteers.htm#volunteerbillofrights

 

Volunteer Firefighters’ Bills of Rights

http://www.erie.gov/depts/community/fsd_resources/Volunteer%20Bill%20of%20Rights.pdf

 

Hospice of Waterloo Region

http://www.hospicewaterloo.ca/volunteering_rights.php

 

The Volunteer Center of San Francisco

http://www.thevolunteercenter.net/assets/Guide_03/07_Rights_Resps.pdf

 

 

John L. Lipp Consultants
Nonprofit Management * Corporate Social Investing * Executive Transition
468 Tehama, Suite #12
San Francisco, CA 94103
(510) 332-7911

JohnLippConsults@aol.com

 

 

5/27/08

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