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Help and guidance

Our help and guidance content includes step-by-step guides, downloadable templates and interactive tools to help you run your voluntary organisation

Setting up

Learn about the practical steps you need to take to set up your own organisation

  • Setting up

Deciding to set up a new charitable organisation

Access our guidance to help you decide if you should set up a new charity, voluntary organisation or community group

  • Setting up

Choosing your legal structure

What you need to consider when choosing your legal structure and the main characteristics of different legal structures

  • Setting up

Understanding charity status and registration

Find out what charity status is and if you need to register as a charity

  • Setting up

Understanding social enterprise

Find out about social enterprises and their associated legal structures

  • Setting up

A charity's governing document: What it should include

Find out what information should be included in your charity's governing document

  • Setting up

Running a charity

Guidance and tools to help you run your charity or voluntary organisation

  • Employing and managing staff
  • Setting up
  • Closing down

Employing and managing staff

Practical guidance to help you recruit, manage and develop paid members of staff, including a useful introduction to employment law

  • Employing and managing staff

Employing staff essentials

Familiarise yourself with the essential aspects of employing paid members of staff

  • Employing and managing staff

Governance round-up: July 2023

Recent governance news, resources, research, events and more

  • Governance

Applications open for £76m Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund

Find out if your organisation is eligible for new funding up to £75,000

  • Funding and income
  • Responding to crises

Consumer Duty: What is it and how will charities benefit?

Learn how new banking rules will affect your charity or voluntary organisation

  • Financial management

Volunteering round-up: August 2023

The latest news, events and opportunities for people managing or supporting volunteers

  • Involving volunteers

Governance round-up: August 2023

A round-up of the latest guidance from the Charity Commission, recent governance news and upcoming training and events

  • Governance

Impact round-up: Summer 2023

Senior consultant, Sandy Chidley, runs through some recent work on ethical evaluation and shares useful evaluation events and training opportunities

  • Impact and evaluation

The inside track: September 2023

A round-up of what’s happening in Westminster that might impact charities. This month sees a Labour reshuffle, an update on new APPG rules, and a look ahead to party conferences

  • Government and politics

Volunteering round-up: September 2023

The latest volunteering news, resources and dates for your diary

  • Involving volunteers

Practical support bulletin: September 2023

Resources, free events, support and guidance on the big issues affecting small charities

  • Financial management
  • Funding and income
  • Responding to crises

Government policy and funding round-up: September 2023

An update on our influencing work, government policy and funding announcements

  • Government and politics
  • Funding and income

Help and support with requesting DBS checks

How to request and process DBS checks

  • Safeguarding

Checks for people working overseas

Guidance on what checks you need to complete for people working overseas

  • Safeguarding

Checks for trustees

Guidance on additional information you need to consider when carrying out DBS checks for trustees

  • Safeguarding

Keeping information safe

Steps you need to take to keep data safe once DBS checks have been carried out

  • Safeguarding

When someone has a criminal record

Guidance on what to do if a staff member or volunteer has a criminal record

  • Safeguarding

What you need to know about whistleblowing

Find out about whistleblowing, and the policies your organisation should have in place.

  • Safeguarding

Deciding to whistleblow

Questions you might ask yourself if you're thinking of raising a concern.

  • Safeguarding

Challenges and issues in whistleblowing

Find out about different types of concerns and ways they can be reported.

  • Safeguarding

Why does language matter?

Find out why it's useful to stay up to date with safeguarding terminology

  • Safeguarding

Common terminology

Find definitions of some of the most common safeguarding terminology

  • Safeguarding

Designated safeguarding leads in charities (1 day)

This one-day training course provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of safeguarding leads in charities in England

Outcomes and impact measurement (1 day)

Learn how to create an evaluation plan to better understand and demonstrate the difference your work makes

Mentoring and coaching skills (0.5 days)

This course provides an introduction to the key differences between mentoring and coaching. You’ll learn how to use both skills effectively to develop and support staff, volunteers and clients

Theory of change for strategic planning and evaluation (1 day)

Learn how to create your own theory of change and narrative. This course will challenge you to think critically about what you're doing and why

Charity finance skills (1 day)

This course will help people with little or no financial background to feel confident in managing day-to-day charity finance

Charity trustee induction and refresher (2 x 0.5 days)

This course will give trustees an overview and understanding of charity governance, regulation and best practice

Authentic leadership (1 day)

This practical one-day course for aspiring and existing charity leaders will strengthen your understanding of authentic leadership, so you can lead with integrity and impact

Member forum: The Civil Society Covenant

Learn more about the Civil Society Covenant, and the steps to implement it, in this free event.

Strategic planning: tools for decision making (1 day)

This course will introduce processes and tools to help ensure that decision-making is responsive to your environment and focused on the most important issues affecting your organisation

Managing conflict and ending volunteering well (0.5 day)

This course will help you to manage conflict and problem solve with your volunteers, and navigate the process of ending volunteering well.