A Quick Guide For Creating A Volunteer Handbook

Whether you are recruiting volunteers for a festival, sporting event, conference, or nonprofit program, they will all have the same basic questions and training requirements. Every volunteer wants to know where to park, what to wear, and how to contact you. That’s where a volunteer handbook comes in handy. Rather than exchanging hundreds of emails answering the same basic questions, try creating a single document to do the work.

A volunteer handbook is a sign of relief for your volunteer team since it gives them all the information they need to show up and work. Think of a volunteer handbook as your FAQ and policy and training document – its goal is to inform and support your volunteers.

Creating your volunteer handbook

So now that you understand how valuable a volunteer handbook is to you and your volunteer team, it’s time to start thinking about what you need in it. Every event and organization will have unique requirements for a volunteer handbook, but we have compiled a helpful list to get you started.

1. A warm welcome letter

This section is your chance to welcome and thank your volunteers while explaining the purpose of the volunteer handbook. Take this opportunity to inspire your volunteer teams, such as sharing some quotes from past volunteers and their experiences. Show your appreciation and explain volunteers’ positive impact on your program, event, or initiative.

2. About us and mission statement

This section of your volunteer handbook introduces your new volunteers to your organization and mission. Explain how volunteers are needed to meet your organization’s goals and how outstanding volunteerism is to the culture of the event or initiative. This section should inform the volunteer who they are volunteering for and why their donation of time is worthwhile.

3. Leadership team

Here, you will introduce all your volunteers to the leadership team they will report to. We recommend using pictures in this section to familiarize your leadership team. It is also helpful to state the roles of each leader to help volunteers identify who is best to contact when an issue arises.

4. Code of conduct

This is your chance to clearly state your expectations and policies for your volunteers. Consider outlining things like dress code and standards of conduct and behavior.

5. Day of logistics

Try to provide volunteers with all the information they need to thrive when they arrive at work. View this as the FAQ section of the handbook. Here is where you can clearly state necessary logistical information, such as where to park, the meeting location, and what you provide for your volunteers (like lunch and swag bags).

6. Emergency plan

This is essential to your volunteer handbook since you must communicate your emergency plans to your volunteer team. This should outline various scenarios and what they must do if the circumstance requires them to act. We recommend making this document section accessible through your volunteer mobile app, allowing them to reference it if needed.

7. Map

A comprehensive map of your venue is handy for volunteers. A map will help volunteers find the location of each of their shifts and allow them to help guide attendees as well. A map is a must-have item for your handbook.

8. Volunteer roles

This section describes all your volunteer roles. The description should clearly outline the qualifications and duties to give your volunteers an idea of what they will do when they arrive.

9. Volunteer tools

In this section, you should outline the technology tools available to your volunteers and how they should use them. For example, hundreds of thousands of volunteers have used the Bloomerang Volunteer Mobile app to access their shift schedule, check in and out of shifts, access documents, and communicate with the leadership team.

Best practices for creating an effective volunteer handbook

A volunteer handbook should do more than just provide information—it should act as a sign of relief, helping your team feel supported, prepared, and deeply connected to your mission. These best practices will help you create a comprehensive resource that is both useful for your volunteers and easy for your staff to maintain.

Keep language simple and clear

Avoid overly formal language, internal jargon, or long blocks of text that can lead to confusion. Volunteers should be able to quickly find answers to their questions and understand instructions without hassle. Use short paragraphs, clear headings, and direct language that makes your expectations easy to follow.

Use visuals like maps and photos

Visual elements make your handbook much easier to navigate and more engaging to read. Include venue maps, parking diagrams, leadership team photos, and even screenshots of your volunteer tools. Providing visual guidance improves confidence and helps reduce those repetitive day-of questions.

Make mobile access easy

Since many volunteers will reference your handbook from their phones while on-site, ensure it is easy to open and navigate on mobile devices. Utilizing mobile-friendly formats like PDF downloads, shared links, or specialized app access will ensure maximum accessibility for your entire team.

Update the handbook regularly

It's vital to review your handbook before every major event, conference, or volunteer season. As logistics and staffing changes occur, your updates must reflect the most current information available. An outdated handbook can often create more confusion than having no handbook at all.

Include real examples and expectations

Instead of vague instructions, try to provide specific examples of what success looks like in your program. For instance, clearly state what volunteers should wear, how they should greet your attendees, or the exact steps to take if they are running late. Clear examples remove the guesswork and help volunteers feel more prepared and confident.

Gather volunteer feedback for improvements

Your current volunteers are an outstanding resource for improving your documentation. Take the opportunity to ask them what information was missing or what felt unclear. This feedback is essential to helping you create a more effective handbook over time.

Keep branding consistent

Your volunteer handbook should reflect your organization’s unique voice, values, and visual identity. Incorporate your logo and colors to create a polished experience that reinforces trust. A strong, professional handbook also helps strengthen your volunteers' connection to your mission.

Pair your handbook with volunteer management tools

Your handbook becomes even more powerful when paired with technology. For example, using Bloomerang Volunteer allows volunteers to access schedules and documents online or on their phones, creating a smoother experience and reducing repetitive administrative work for your team.

A well-designed volunteer handbook improves onboarding, strengthens retention, and helps your entire organization run more efficiently.

Conclusion

Now it’s your turn to start creating a fantastic volunteer handbook! We have created a free volunteer handbook template to get you started. Customize the template to show off your brand and communicate your unique requirements to your volunteers. Click below to download the template.