Choosing staff, volunteers and trustees

This NCVO guide walks organisations through how to apply safeguarding principles at every stage of bringing new people on board, covering role descriptions, interviews, references, disclosure and barring checks, induction, and training. It sets out three core principles: matching processes to the level of risk, tailoring requirements to each role rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, and reviewing arrangements at least annually. The guide signposts further resources for specific contexts, including NSPCC Learning's safer recruitment steps for those working with children, Ann Craft Trust guidance on regulated activity with adults at risk, and Unlock's guide on working with people with a criminal history. It is relevant to any civil-society organisation, with particular emphasis on smaller or lower-risk bodies that may not follow a full safer-recruitment framework.