Created on 07 Jun 2026, Updated 16 Sep 2026 13:15

Volunteer handbooks

Volunteer handbooks provide essential information and resources to your volunteers in an organised, accessible format. They help ensure volunteers have the knowledge they need to perform their roles effectively and understand event policies and procedures.

What are volunteer handbooks?

Handbooks are information documents you create to share important details with your volunteers. They can include:

• Event policies and procedures
• Safety guidelines and emergency protocols
• Role-specific instructions and expectations
• Maps, schedules, and contact information
• Code of conduct and dress requirements
• FAQs and troubleshooting guides

Handbooks can be general (available to all volunteers) or team-specific (only visible to volunteers assigned to particular teams).

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Creating a handbook

To create a new handbook:

1. Go to Volunteer management → Handbooks
2. Click Add handbook
3. Fill in the handbook details:
   • Name – A clear, descriptive title (e.g., "Security team procedures" or "Event safety guide")
   • Description – A brief summary that appears in the handbook list
   • Content – The main handbook content using the rich text editor
   • Links – Optional related links with titles and URLs
   • Teams – Select which teams can access this handbook (leave empty for general handbooks available to all volunteers)
   • Status – Set to Active to make it visible to volunteers
   • Weight – Optional priority number (lower numbers appear first)
4. Click Save

Formatting handbook content

Use the rich text editor to format your handbook content:

• Headings – Structure content with clear section headings
• Lists – Use bullet points or numbered lists for easy scanning
• Bold and italic – Emphasise important information
• Links – Add hyperlinks to external resources
• Images – Include diagrams, maps, or photos where helpful
• YouTube videos – Embed video content directly in handbooks

For large files and images: Use the Links section to reference documents stored on external cloud storage platforms (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.) rather than embedding them directly. This keeps handbooks loading quickly and makes it easier to update files without editing the handbook.

Keep content concise and well-organised. Break long documents into sections with clear headings.

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General vs team-specific handbooks

General handbooks are visible to all volunteers for the event. Use these for:

• Event-wide policies and procedures
• General safety information
• Overall event schedules and maps
• Code of conduct
• Contact information for event organisers

Team-specific handbooks are only visible to volunteers assigned to those teams. Use these for:

• Role-specific instructions
• Team procedures and workflows
• Specialised equipment or safety requirements
• Team schedules and meeting points
• Team-specific contacts

A single handbook can be assigned to multiple teams if the information applies to several groups.

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Managing handbooks

Editing a handbook

1. Go to Volunteer management → Handbooks
2. Find the handbook in the list
3. Click the handbook name or the edit icon
4. Make your changes
5. Click Save

Viewing a handbook

Click the view icon (eye) next to any handbook to see how it appears to volunteers.

Deleting a handbook

1. Find the handbook in the list
2. Click the delete icon (bin)
3. Confirm the deletion

Note: Deleting a handbook is permanent and cannot be undone.

Organising handbooks

Use the Weight field to control the order handbooks appear:

• Lower numbers appear first (e.g., 1, 2, 3)
• Handbooks with the same weight are sorted alphabetically
• Leave weight blank for handbooks that don't need specific ordering

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How volunteers access handbooks

Volunteers can view handbooks relevant to them through their volunteer portal:

1. Volunteers receive a unique link to their volunteer portal (sent via email or notification)
2. In the portal, they click the Handbooks menu item
3. They see two sections:
   • Event handbooks – General handbooks available to all volunteers
   • Team handbooks – Handbooks specific to teams they're assigned to
4. Clicking any handbook opens it in a modal window for easy reading

Volunteers only see:

• Active handbooks (status = Active)
• General handbooks for their event
• Team-specific handbooks for teams they're assigned to through confirmed shift assignments

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Best practices

Keep it current

• Review and update handbooks regularly
• Update information when event details change
• Remove outdated handbooks after events

Make it scannable

• Use clear headings and short paragraphs
• Include bullet points and numbered lists
• Highlight critical information

Be specific

• Provide concrete examples and instructions
• Include contact details for questions
• Add maps, diagrams, or photos where helpful

Organise logically

• Group related information together
• Use consistent formatting across handbooks
• Create separate handbooks for different topics rather than one long document

Test volunteer access

• View handbooks as they appear to volunteers
• Check that team assignments are correct
• Verify links and images work properly

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Common use cases

Event safety handbook (general)

• Emergency procedures and contacts
• First aid locations
• Evacuation routes and assembly points
• Incident reporting process

Team procedures handbook (team-specific)

• Step-by-step task instructions
• Equipment locations and usage
• Team check-in procedures
• Shift handover process

Volunteer welcome guide (general)

• Event overview and schedule
• Parking and transport information
• Meal arrangements
• What to bring and wear

Role-specific guide (team-specific)

• Detailed role responsibilities
• Common scenarios and how to handle them
• Escalation procedures
• Team-specific contacts

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Troubleshooting

Volunteers can't see a handbook

• Check the handbook status is Active
• Verify the event is correctly set
• For team handbooks, confirm volunteers are assigned to the correct teams
• Ensure volunteers have confirmed shift assignments (pending assignments don't grant access)

Handbook appears in wrong order

• Adjust the Weight field (lower numbers appear first)
• Check other handbooks' weights for conflicts

Content doesn't display correctly

• Use the rich text editor formatting tools
• Avoid pasting content directly from Word (use "Paste as plain text")
• Preview the handbook to check formatting

Links don't work

• Ensure URLs include http:// or https://
• Test links after saving
• Use the Links section for better organisation