A volunteer contact person is the key contact for volunteers at children’s centres, preschools and schools (sites).

Once you start volunteering, a volunteer contact person will make you feel welcome and will help you with any questions.

Who is likely to be a volunteer contact person

The site leader will choose the best person, or people, to do the work. Who is chosen can be different at every site. It might be a school services officer (SSO), a teacher or a principal or preschool director (site leader). It’s all about what works locally.

A volunteer contact person:

• is a staff person at the site – specifically, an employee of the Department for Education
• has a good understanding of the department’s volunteer policy and processes
• knows what your volunteer role
• is there to help you.

What they do and who they work with

The volunteer contact person works with the site leader and staff to help you and other volunteers. They do this role as part of their normal work duties. It isn’t a full-time job, but is done by someone who can be in regular contact with you and the site’s other volunteers.

A volunteer contact person:

• regularly contacts volunteers
• sets up meeting with volunteers
• helps deal with conflict or possible problems that volunteers might have
• reports to the site leader about any problems that might come up
• identifies possible training needs of volunteers
• makes sure the site leader is kept up-to-date about each volunteer's needs and availability
• organises volunteer recognition events.

Some of the things a volunteer contact person might do are:

• greets you when you start volunteering at the site
• takes you on a walk around the site and introduces you to staff
• keeps your volunteer records up-to-date
• lets staff and children know if you or another volunteer can’t make it in
• organises an occasional morning tea or other event to say thanks.

Management responsibility

A volunteer contact person is not responsible for overall management of volunteers – this is still the responsibility of the site leader. If there are any issues, the site leader will need to know.