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About this guide

Find out who this guide is for and how to use it

  • Safeguarding

Understanding the law on safeguarding

Find out about the key legal sources that we refer to in this guide

  • Safeguarding

Legal duties specific to charities

Legal duties that charities have to ensure good safeguarding

  • Safeguarding

Charities’ general duties of care

Find out where charities' duties of care can arise from and who they might affect

  • Safeguarding

A charity’s duty to have liability insurance

The key duties for charities and volunteer organisations regarding insurance

  • Safeguarding

A charity’s duty to report safeguarding issues

Find out about the Charity Commission's expectations for reporting incidents

  • Safeguarding

A charity’s duty to not discriminate or harass

The Charity Commission's recommended steps that your organisation can take

  • Safeguarding

Trustees’ safeguarding duties

Find out about the specific role that trustees can play in safeguarding

  • Safeguarding

Safeguarding children

Find out about the key Acts and treaties designed to protect children

  • Safeguarding

Overview

Key areas of law to be aware of if you or your organisation is responsible for safeguarding children or young people

  • Safeguarding

'Every day counts' as charities still wait for government support

  • Coronavirus

Government support for charities – NCVO reaction

At a time of crisis, charities want and need to be able to give their all to supporting people who need it most. They cannot do that if they have to suspend their work or close altogether.

  • Coronavirus

Voluntary sector will shrink following coronavirus

Volunteering rates have remained stable over the last few years. In 2018/19, 22% of people regularly volunteered with a group, club or organisation. While the pandemic is unlikely to influence the overall numbers of people volunteering in the UK, we will

  • Coronavirus
  • Involving volunteers

Dr Priya Singh set to be new chair of NCVO

  • Inside NCVO

NCVO consults staff on restructure proposals

  • Business planning and strategy

New research supports organisations to improve volunteer experience for minority groups

  • Involving volunteers

NCVO announces detailed plans for future offer to members, charities and volunteering

  • Involving volunteers

Statement from Priya Singh, chair, on behalf of the Board of Trustees

  • Equity, diversity and inclusion

Service Directory

Our Service Directory connect members with specialists who can save our members time and money. Each specialist has experience working with charities and voluntary organisations.

  • Finance
  • HR and recruitment
  • IT and data protection

What is divestment?

Learn about what divestment is and the aims and impacts of divesting from fossil fuels

  • Campaigning

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

Introduction to employment law

Understand your core legal responsibilities to your employees

  • Employing and managing staff

Understanding employment law

A short summary of your general legal obligations to paid members of staff

  • Employing and managing staff

Conditions of employment

A quick introduction to employment law on the conditions of employment

  • Employing and managing staff

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

Supporting good governance (4 x 0.5 days)

This course will help you implement structures and processes to support trustees, and ensure systems are aligned with your organisation’s purpose and objectives

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in charity governance (2 x 0.5 days)

This course has been created by The Social Justice Collective to help you understand, address and embed equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into your governance practice

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

NCVO member welcome and refresher session: July 2025

Being an NCVO member means being part of a community. Whether you've just joined us, or you're renewing your membership and need a refresher, join this session to meet and network with other members online

All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Charities and Volunteering

A chance to hear from regulators about their plans for the voluntary sector.

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.

Outcomes and impact measurement (1 day)

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

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