Social safety
Knowledge Center: Living Together
Knowledge Center: Living Together
Social safety within your organization
A safe environment cannot be taken for granted—not even in volunteer organizations. Transgressive behavior, bullying, discrimination, or intimidation can occur anywhere. As an organization, you have a responsibility to prevent this and to address it should it happen.
A safe environment cannot be taken for granted—not even in volunteer organizations. Transgressive behavior, bullying, discrimination, or intimidation can occur anywhere. As an organization, you have a responsibility to prevent this and to address it should it happen.
What is social safety?
Social safety means that everyone feels welcome and safe within your organization—whether they are volunteers, visitors, or participants. It means they can be themselves, make mistakes, and raise issues without fearing the reaction.
A lack of social safety often manifests in subtle ways: people withdrawing, a tense atmosphere, complaints going unaddressed, or a culture where a select few always call the shots.
Establish a code of conduct
A code of conduct outlines what constitutes acceptable behavior within your organization—and what does not. It does not have to be a legal document; a few clear, written agreements suffice:
- How do we treat one another?
- What happens if someone fails to abide by the agreements?
- Where can you go to report an issue?
Discuss the code of conduct when onboarding new volunteers—not merely as a formality, but as a genuine conversation.
Appoint a confidential contact person
A confidential contact person is someone volunteers and participants can turn to when they want to discuss something—in confidence. This could be an internal volunteer, or an external individual or organization.
Having a confidential contact person lowers the barrier to raising concerns. Many people only approach a board member when a situation has already become serious; a confidential contact person offers a more accessible intermediate step.
Clearly communicate who the confidential contact person is and how to reach them.
Respond quickly to warning signs
If someone makes a report or signals that something is amiss, take it seriously. Act on it. Organizations that dismiss or downplay complaints do not solve problems—they exacerbate them.
That does not mean you have to pass judgment immediately. However, listening, taking the matter seriously, and agreeing on a next step is always the minimum requirement.
Create an open culture
The safest environments are those where people can openly speak their minds—even when it is uncomfortable. This does not happen on its own; it requires leaders and coordinators to lead by example.
Ask questions, invite feedback, and respond without becoming defensive. These are small things that make a big difference in an organization's culture.