Our commitment: Political membership alone does not prevent volunteering. RFTUK roles must remain independent and cannot be used for party recruitment or advertising.
1. Purpose and scope
Right First Time UK Ltd (RFTUK) welcomes people who freely give their time to help with public information, campaigns, community engagement, research and other lawful activities. This policy sets practical expectations for safe, fair, flexible and genuinely voluntary involvement.
It applies to RFTUK Volunteers and to Founders, Directors, Campaign Leaders, Campaigners and authorised people who recruit, support or supervise them. Public Members, Subscribers, donors and petition supporters do not become Volunteers merely by supporting RFTUK.
2. Genuinely voluntary and unpaid arrangements
Volunteers are not paid for their time, are not promised work and are free to accept or decline activities, reduce their involvement, take a break or leave. No compulsory minimum hours apply. Genuine, reasonable, pre-authorised out-of-pocket expenses may be reimbursed.
RFTUK will not disguise obligatory or paid work as volunteering. If an arrangement becomes regular compulsory work or remuneration is offered for time worked, the correct worker, employee or contractor status and applicable legal rights must be assessed. Status depends on actual arrangements, not simply on the label in an agreement.
During RFTUK’s initial voluntary stage, Founder, Director and other organisational roles are intended to be unpaid merely for holding those roles, subject to the registered Articles of Association and properly authorised expenses. Future paid positions require lawful authority and sustainable funding.
3. Equal respect, distinct authority
Everyone is entitled to dignity, fairness and the opportunity to be heard regardless of title. Bullying, intimidation or a “rank culture” are unacceptable. Equal respect does not mean equal legal authority: statutory Directors retain their legal responsibilities, Campaign Leaders may have campaign-specific delegated authority, and Volunteers receive only role-appropriate permissions.
No Volunteer automatically becomes a Director, company guarantor, statutory Member, Campaign Leader or authorised representative. Decisions and appointments must follow the company’s registered Articles and applicable procedures.
4. Flexibility, accessibility and availability
Volunteering should fit around health, disability, neurodivergence, caring responsibilities, employment, study and personal circumstances. Volunteers can decline tasks, request written instructions or more time, ask to communicate differently, change activities or stop without unfair criticism.
RFTUK will consider practical adjustments, accessible formats, remote participation and reasonable accommodations appropriate to the role. No person should be treated as less committed simply because of their availability or disability.
5. Volunteer opportunities and applications
Roles may cover signposting, research, campaign support, administration, accessibility testing, website or social-media content, fundraising, community outreach, events and approved record management.
An application does not guarantee a role, appointment or access. RFTUK may decline or limit work where skills, capacity, conflicts, legal eligibility, safeguarding, insurance or cybersecurity controls are insufficient. Decisions should be relevant, proportionate and free from improper favouritism.
6. Role descriptions and volunteer agreements
Where appropriate, a written role description or Volunteer Agreement will explain purpose, contacts, support, boundaries, training, privacy, safeguarding, health and safety, expenses, insurance and what to do if problems arise.
For genuinely voluntary roles, these documents are intended to communicate expectations, not to create a contractual duty for the Volunteer to work fixed hours or for RFTUK to provide work. Serious safety and confidentiality requirements apply to activities the Volunteer chooses to undertake.
7. Induction, support and training
Volunteers should be told whom to contact for assistance and receive proportionate induction before receiving access or duties. Higher-risk work may require training in safeguarding, evidence checking, privacy, cybersecurity, fundraising, accessible communication, safety or public representation.
RFTUK may withhold access to a task until necessary training or approval has been completed. Guidance should be clear and available in accessible formats where reasonably practicable.
8. Expected conduct and boundaries
Volunteers must act respectfully and honestly, stay within their role, follow reasonable safety measures, protect confidential information, disclose relevant conflicts and promptly report significant safeguarding, data or security concerns.
They must not impersonate professionals or public officials; promise legal, financial or case outcomes; sign contracts or commit spending without authority; misuse branding; pursue private vendettas; knowingly publish false information; or obtain access to records out of curiosity.
9. Professional guidance and organisational representation
Volunteers may explain published procedures, organise documents, show official sources and signpost to appropriate specialists. They must not claim qualifications they lack or deliver reserved legal services, regulated advice, counselling, medical services or other professional work without the required authority and qualifications.
A Volunteer may speak on behalf of RFTUK only when expressly authorised for the activity, campaign, event or channel. A personal opinion must not be presented as an approved organisational statement.
10. Safeguarding, children and adults at risk
All Volunteers must follow RFTUK’s Safeguarding Policy and take concerns seriously. They must not personally investigate abuse, confront an alleged perpetrator where this could create danger, promise absolute secrecy, press people for traumatic disclosures or delay appropriate referrals to protect the organisation.
Work involving children or adults at risk requires role-specific safety controls, boundaries, supervision and lawful referrals. Private contact with a child on RFTUK business is prohibited unless a specific safeguarded arrangement is authorised. Family-court or sensitive child information must not be disclosed without a lawful basis.
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999 or the relevant emergency service. An internal RFTUK message is not a substitute for emergency help.
11. Criminal-record checks and safer recruitment
Checks must reflect the actual role and legal eligibility. In England and Wales, Standard and Enhanced DBS checks may only be sought where eligible; an eligible barred-list check requires the appropriate statutory basis. A proportionate Basic check may be considered where appropriate.
For Scotland or Northern Ireland, relevant Disclosure Scotland or AccessNI requirements must be assessed. A criminal record is not automatically a bar to volunteering: decisions should consider relevant risk, duties, fairness and applicable law.
12. Privacy, confidentiality and record access
Confidential information and personal data may be used only for authorised RFTUK purposes and shared on a need-to-know basis. Access to websites, databases, dashboards, emails, financial information, safeguarding reports and case records must follow least privilege.
Volunteers must protect passwords and MFA, avoid shared accounts, use approved systems and not send restricted case data to private accounts or devices without authorisation. Loss, suspicious access, phishing or accidental disclosure must be reported promptly.
Confidentiality continues after the role ends but does not prevent lawful safeguarding referrals, crime reporting, whistleblowing or legally protected disclosures.
13. Cybersecurity, AI and digital tools
Volunteers must not bypass access restrictions, install unapproved tracking or malware, share credentials or upload restricted data to unapproved third-party services.
AI-assisted tools may be used only within RFTUK’s approval, privacy, evidence and publication rules. Restricted court files, safeguarding reports, passwords, special-category data or confidential case material must not be entered into an external AI tool unless specifically assessed and authorised. AI output requires human verification before publication.
14. Health, safety, events and lone working
RFTUK will assess material hazards, activities and relevant legal duties proportionately. No Volunteer should be asked to enter dangerous situations, confront aggressive people or carry out an unsafe home visit, isolated meeting or event task.
Higher-risk work should consider location, supervision, access needs, travel, check-ins, emergency contacts, safeguarding concerns, crowd behaviour, weather, equipment and safe exit arrangements. Volunteers should stop unsafe activity and raise concerns promptly.
15. Equal opportunities and young Volunteers
Discrimination, harassment, victimisation and retaliation are not accepted. RFTUK welcomes different backgrounds and lived experiences and will consider reasonable adjustments and accessible volunteering arrangements.
Roles involving confidential cases, safeguarding responsibility, money, administrator access or formal representation are normally for adults aged 18 or older. Any suitable under-18 opportunity must be specifically designed and risk assessed with necessary consent, supervision, insurance and legal safeguards.
16. Expenses, recognition and insurance
Authorised and reasonable travel, postage, materials or other genuine out-of-pocket costs may be reimbursed under RFTUK’s Financial Controls & Expenses Policy; receipts or evidence may be required. Expense reimbursement is not payment for hours worked.
Genuine non-contractual recognition may include thanks, references, certificates, training, public acknowledgement with consent or occasional modest tokens. RFTUK must not promise money, gift cards or benefits per hour as a substitute for wages.
RFTUK should check appropriate cover for its activities before promising insurance protection; a Volunteer’s own vehicle must have any insurance required for its use.
17. Conflicts, gifts, fundraising and money
Volunteers must disclose material financial, personal, organisational, political or family interests that could affect a task. Relevant conflicts may be recorded, managed by assigning another reviewer or addressed by changing access.
RFTUK fundraising must follow approved methods; Volunteers must not pressure vulnerable donors, collect organisational money into private accounts without exceptional lawful written authorisation, or solicit loans, gifts or personal payments from people being assisted. Significant gifts are governed by RFTUK’s Gifts, Hospitality & Anti-Bribery Policy.
18. Political independence and lawful personal views
Membership of, employment by or lawful volunteering for a political party does not by itself prevent a person from volunteering with RFTUK. Individuals retain their personal political opinions and their right to express lawful views outside RFTUK roles.
When acting for RFTUK, a Volunteer must not use RFTUK accounts, events, mailing lists, campaigns, materials or branding for party or candidate recruitment, endorsement, fundraising or telling voters how to vote. Relevant conflicts must be disclosed. This does not prevent factual, evidence-based scrutiny of public bodies and political positions through an authorised RFTUK campaign.
19. Complaints, speaking up and fair review
Volunteers can report bullying, safeguarding failures, financial misuse, discrimination, safety issues, privacy breaches, conflicts or governance concerns. Where reasonably possible, reports must be considered through a route independent of the person complained about.
RFTUK will not retaliate for a genuine concern raised in good faith. This voluntary commitment does not mean that every Volunteer has statutory whistleblowing rights reserved for qualifying workers. Disagreements should normally be addressed fairly, with an opportunity to explain, unless immediate protective steps are needed.
20. Suspension, leaving and access removal
RFTUK may temporarily restrict duties or system access while serious safeguarding, cybersecurity, fraud, confidentiality or conduct concerns are assessed. Such action is precautionary, not automatically a finding of wrongdoing.
Volunteers may leave at any time. RFTUK may also end a role where there is serious misconduct, lack of work, safety concerns, loss of appropriate trust or the arrangement ceases to be genuinely voluntary. Where appropriate, reasons should be explained respectfully.
At the end of a task or role, RFTUK information, keys, equipment and documents must be returned or securely handled, and access credentials and permissions removed promptly.
21. Paid work and appointments are separate
Volunteering does not guarantee paid employment, Campaign Leader appointment, directorship or statutory company membership. Any later position requires its own lawful appointment and, where paid, proper worker, employment or contractor arrangements consistent with the registered Articles of Association.
22. Volunteer records and retention
RFTUK may retain proportionate applications, contact records, training, expenses, role history, access permissions and necessary safeguarding or conduct information. Records must be protected and reviewed under the Privacy Notice, Data Protection & GDPR Policy and Records Retention & Destruction Policy; confidential records are not retained indefinitely simply for convenience.
23. Parent Contribution Service (PCS)
PCS is an RFTUK service, not a separate company. Volunteers may help only where a specific role and safeguards have been authorised. Access to parent accounts, messages, child information, agreements or payment records must be limited to what is necessary.
Volunteers must not mediate between parents, enforce contributions, contact a parent through unauthorised channels, or disclose private records. Under the stated PCS model, RFTUK does not itself receive, hold or transfer parent-to-parent contributions; the PCS service-access fee is separate from those contributions.
24. Accountability, related policies and review
Directors provide governance oversight within the registered Articles of Association. This policy should be read with RFTUK’s Safeguarding, Equality & Reasonable Adjustments, Financial Controls & Expenses, Information Security, Data Protection, Complaints, Conflict of Interest, Records Retention, Lobbying & Political Independence and other applicable policies.
The policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where volunteering, DBS rules, safeguarding, employment status, technology or RFTUK activities materially change.
Appendix A — Volunteer start-and-exit checklist
For those allocating work, confirm each applicable item before high-trust or higher-risk involvement.
- Role: Is the task genuinely voluntary, appropriate and clearly explained?
- Availability: Has the person been told they may decline tasks or take a break?
- Boundaries: Are permitted actions and prohibited activities understood?
- Safeguarding: Have risks, reporting routes and relevant checks been assessed?
- Access: Are systems, data and permissions limited to the task?
- Training: Is induction, supervision or training needed before access?
- Safety: Are location, lone working, events and emergency needs assessed?
- Expenses: Are allowable expenses and approvals clear?
- Conflicts: Have material conflicts, including political conflicts, been disclosed?
- PCS: If relevant, is PCS access specifically authorised and restricted?
- Exit: Is there a plan to return information and revoke access afterwards?
Official guidance
- GOV.UK — Volunteers’ rights
- GOV.UK — Pay and expenses
- GOV.UK — Minimum-wage eligibility
- DBS — Eligibility guidance
- HSE — Managing health and safety for Volunteers
Contact
Questions about volunteering, accessibility, role boundaries or safeguarding reporting arrangements can be raised using the Contact Us page. Complaints may also be sent to complaints@rightfirsttimeuk.com. In an emergency, call 999.