Risks abound in everyday life. From checking the water temperature before stepping into the shower to looking both ways prior to crossing the street, we live in a world of risks and decisions each day. Linda Graff, an Ontario, Canada based consultant, author and trainer notes, “How we manage identified risks is the issue.” At its simplest, “risk management is a discipline for identifying and controlling risks that exist.”

Where is the greater opportunity for risk in a volunteer program? From Graff’s perspective, it occurs primarily around the screening of volunteers—including interviewing, reference checking, and appropriate placement. “Organizations need to think carefully about what they are asking volunteers to do and conduct an assessment of each position,” she advises. From this assessment, the appropriate screening can be designed.

Training and supervision are critical for all volunteer positions. Again, these needs will differ depending on the position. At a minimum, all volunteers require an organizational orientation, a review of position skills and responsibilities, a briefing on policies and procedures, and a safety overview. Ongoing supervision is another important link in the risk management chain. Volunteers need to know what is expected of them and if they are meeting the expectations. Avoid unintended liability by providing explicit direction on what volunteers can do and what is against organization policy.