Recruitment is Safeguarding’s First Filter
Volunteers should never be seen as “informal help.” Isabelle outlines that the same rigour applied to staff recruitment must extend to volunteers. That includes:
● Setting safeguarding expectations in adverts
● Shortlisting applications with equal care
● Conducting behavioural interviews and DBS checks
“Be clear about expectations in your adverts. That sets the tone and deters people who may not be appropriate.”
She also stresses the importance of codes of conduct and social media screening. Safeguarding continues after recruitment. Organisations must encourage volunteers to disclose life changes that might affect suitability.
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Volunteers Are Part of the Safeguarding Workforce
Isabelle describes how safeguarding leadership can be shared, not siloed. This includes:
● Giving volunteers role descriptors with clear boundaries
● Running integrated training with both staff and volunteers
● Involving volunteers in policy development and practice reviews
She shares a case study where a national charity transitioned from a single safeguarding officer to a distributed team of over 60 trained safeguarding volunteers, supported by paid staff. The shift from child protection procedures to safeguarding culture enabled the organisation to operate at scale while maintaining local trust and accountability.
“Treat volunteers and staff as one safeguarding team. Ask what needs to be done, not who gets paid to do it.”
Culture is Built, Not Assumed
In smaller organisations, safeguarding capacity often hinges on a few individuals. Isabelle advises:
● Naming a deputy safeguarding lead to cover absence
● Peer-linking with similar groups to share oversight
● Reviewing policies regularly using structured tools like SWOT or PESTLE
She encourages faith-based leaders to test safeguarding systems through different lenses - such as cultural fairness, power dynamics, and accessibility. And, for smaller organisations to team up with a local partner - share practices, swap peer reviews, and hold each other accountable, because an external eye can reveal blind spots and uncover areas for improvement.
Good safeguarding culture relies on clarity, shared responsibility, and willingness to adapt as threats and expectations evolve.
“You do not need to start big - but you do need to start deliberately.”
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What You Will Learn in the Full Episode
● Practical steps to strengthen volunteer recruitment and onboarding for safeguarding roles
● How to embed volunteers within safeguarding leadership structures
● Ways to review, test and improve your safeguarding culture using shared responsibility
Listen to Episode 10 of Faithful Safeguarding with Isabelle King wherever you get your podcasts. Or, if you prefer to read, explore the condensed interview version in our magazine series.
