Bristol SU Volunteering Hub: Service Level Agreement

This document outlines the accountability and responsibilities for both Bristol SU and any organisation that partners with us and recruits volunteers using our service. It ensures that a commitment is made to ensuring good practice when working with students.

What you can expect from Bristol SU Volunteering

Bristol SU Volunteering will:

1. Provide a free and professional brokerage service where Bristol SU Volunteering advertises volunteering opportunities on behalf of the organisation to all current University of Bristol students once the completed online Organisation Registration Form has been received and approved and the terms outlined in this document are agreed to.

2. Promote volunteering as an extra-curricular activity which complements a student’s academic studies rather than constitutes a compulsory element of their course.

3. Notify you by email when we refer prospective volunteers to you.

4. Update information about your organisation and opportunities on the Bristol SU website when requested.

5. Invite you to Bristol SU Volunteering Fairs and other student engagement events.

6. Advise you about the best way to promote your volunteering opportunities within the University of Bristol and Bristol SU.

7. Provide assistance in targeting specific University of Bristol student groups or University of Bristol academic Schools and departments where relevant and appropriate.

8. Contact you regularly throughout the year and keep you up-to-date with other news and events at the University of Bristol and Bristol SU.

What we ask of all organisations recruiting volunteers via Bristol SU Volunteering

The organisation agrees to:

1. Provide volunteering opportunities which are appropriate for students, where levels of expectation are realistic and achievable alongside their studies and where voluntary activity will not replace the work of paid members of staff.

2. Notify Bristol SU Volunteering about all Bristol SU students who have volunteered with you and to ensure you have systems in place to enable you to do so.

3. Send out emails to and communicate with Bristol SU volunteers placed with you to inform them of support and services provided by your organisation and Bristol SU Volunteering.

4. Maintain open and on-going communication with Bristol SU Volunteering, regarding volunteer referrals and progress, and ensure that any issues and concerns are raised immediately.

5. To ensure Bristol SU Volunteering are your first point of contact to promote volunteer opportunities at Bristol SU or the University of Bristol.

6. Take responsibility for ascertaining a Bristol SU volunteer’s suitability for the volunteer role, and accept that Bristol SU Volunteering cannot guarantee an individual’s personal or professional credibility.

7. Accept liability for all Bristol SU volunteers placed with you, and to ensure that you are able to meet any liabilities through an adequate insurance policy or through other provision.

8. Have a health and safety policy and properly risk assess all volunteering activities and premises.

9. Have a named person who is responsible for the on-going supervision and support of volunteers.

10. Provide an induction covering a tour of the premises, introduction to colleagues, health and safety and explanations of tasks and role responsibilities.

11. Provide the necessary training for volunteers to carry out assigned tasks.

12. Have an equal opportunities statement or policy and to accommodate any support needs Bristol SU Volunteers may have, as is reasonably practicable.

13. Reimburse Bristol SU volunteers all reasonable out of pocket expenses in a timely fashion, upon receipt of the necessary documentation.

14. Keep Bristol SU Volunteering notified of any changes in your project that should be recorded on our database, including contact details, application deadlines, changes in policy and procedures, and volunteer roles.

15. Promptly reply to enquiries from prospective volunteers.

16. Treat personal information about Bristol SU volunteers confidentially and comply with data protection procedures.

17. Follow the organisations policies for dealing with any issues or concerns involving a volunteer, but to discuss with Bristol SU Volunteering the nature of the problem as soon as possible and to determine action to be taken.

18. Hold responsibility for undertaking DBS checks or seek references on volunteers if this is a requirement for the volunteer role.

19. Follow your organisations policies for the protection of children and adults at risk, but to inform Bristol SU volunteering as soon as possible if an allegation is made against a Bristol SU volunteer placed with them. To also inform Bristol SU Volunteering if an allegation is made by a Bristol SU Volunteer in order for the Students’ Union to support where required.

20. Ensure that all staff supporting student volunteers are made aware of this partnership agreement.  If there is a change of staff, it is your responsibility to pass this information on or to ask them to get in touch with us

21. Provide Bristol SU Volunteering with ‘good news story’ updates about our volunteers and exceptional work that they have completed.

22. Ensure the voluntary position is not a substitute for an employee and there is no payment in kind for the work.  

Policy updated: January 2019.