Documentation and Records

Disclaimer: This article is general information only, not legal advice. If you are unsure, always consult with a legal professional regarding your needs.

The national standards for documentations and records requires organisations to develop and control all documents and records relating to the operations of its volunteer management system.

As a practical result of documenting policies, procedures and processes, organisations frequently identify and address areas where breakdowns in internal communications are occurring. 

Documentation also supports improvement in other ways. When policies and procedures are documented, an organisation can reliably monitor its performance, collectively involve others in making improvements, and formally capture improvements to help ensure that the gains are maintained.

The basic requirements of this standard centre around ensuring that:

• The personnel records of volunteers are validated and kept confidential;
• All documents and records are identified, collected, filed, maintained and disposed of in a systematic and orderly fashion; 
• Relevant documents, including revisions, are made available to all volunteers; 
• Procedures are established to control all documents, including how changes are to be made to those documents.
  

More information about the National Standards for Volunteer Involvement is available through Volunteering Australia