Volunteer Agreement
A Volunteer Agreement sets out the terms and conditions for your volunteers when assisting you in your business.
4.5 (31 reviews)
Last updated December 18, 2024
Under 5 minutes
Suitable for Australia
Written by
Edwin Montoya Zorrilla
Reviewed by
Damin Murdock
Document Overview
A Volunteer Agreement is essential when you are engaging volunteers to help out in your organisation. A Volunteer Agreement sets out the terms and conditions for your volunteers, ensuring that they are clearly defined. Apart from stating the obligations and responsibilities of the volunteer, it also sets clear boundaries when it comes to the handling of sensitive and confidential information.
The Legal Risk Score of a Volunteer Agreement Template
Our legal team have marked this document as low risk considering:
- The document does not provide any entitlement to statutory benefits such as annual leave or long service leave, which means volunteers may lack certain protections and benefits typically afforded to employees.
- Volunteers are required to keep all information related to the organization confidential, potentially limiting their freedom to use such information for personal or public benefit even after their volunteering period has ended.
- The agreement can be terminated by either party at any time without notice or reason, which may lead to a lack of job security and unpredictability for the volunteer.
Volunteer Agreement Checklist
Complete your free Volunteer Agreement with our checklist
Ensure Proper Signing
Both the volunteer and a representative of the organization should sign the document to ensure it is legally binding.
Maintain Copies
Keep a signed copy of the agreement for both the volunteer and the organization’s records to refer to in case of disputes or clarifications.
Follow Up on Declarations
Verify any declarations made by the volunteer, such as the absence or presence of a criminal record, especially if a police clearance is deemed necessary.
Review Confidentiality Obligations
Regularly remind the volunteer of their confidentiality obligations to prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information.
What does the Volunteer Agreement cover?
- Terms of the engagement;
- Volunteer duties and responsibilities;
- Authority;
- Expenses;
- Health and safety;
- Confidentiality;
- Termination of agreement; and
- a Volunteer Declaration.
Other names for Volunteer Agreement include:
- Volunteer Contract.
What is the difference between a Volunteer Agreement and an Internship Agreement?
Volunteers often work with the main purpose of benefiting someone else, such as supporting a community organisation or charity. Volunteers do not intend to create a legally binding contract and do not expect to be paid for their work. A Volunteer Agreement clearly defines the boundaries of the relationship to ensure it does not turn into an employment relationship.
An internship is typically a student or trainee, who will sometimes work without pay in exchange for skills, knowledge and experience with an industry. Unpaid internships are regulated by the Fair work Act 2009 (CTH) and the internship agreement express the obligations, rights and responsibilities of both parties.
Will this Volunteer Agreement work for a not-for-profit organisation?
Most non-for-profit organisations would obtain volunteer to help with daily operations of the organisation. Having a Volunteer Agreement in place would ensure the terms and conditions are clearly set out for the volunteer.
Is a Volunteer Agreement a legally binding contract?
A Volunteer Agreement is not intended to be legally binding between the organisation and volunteer and often does not require a signature. A Volunteer Agreement may be cancelled at any time by either party.
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