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Version FY2026.0 This Policy was signed and approved by: Barbara Tagger, Deputy Superintendent on 12/1/2025 and should be reviewed and re-signed annually. The overarching policies and procedures to operate an effective, consistent volunteer program are documented in the National Park Service Director’s Orders #7 (DO-7) and the National Park Service Reference Manual #7 (RM-7). However, unique circumstances within parks and programs require local-level decisions. Each participating park or program must establish local policy, as an extension of DO-7 and RM-7, on its engagement of volunteers. Local policy should include the park or program’s standard operating procedures. Local policies are authorities delegated to the Superintendent/Manager of each park unit or program office for which they are accountable. Position management The Volunteer Coordinator shall create volunteer positions depending on the needs, plans, and resources of the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail (SEMO). The SEMO Superintendent will appoint or designate the Volunteer Coordinator, who will have their official government position description and performance appraisals updated to reflect their duties. The Volunteer Coordinator will work with Volunteer Supervisors (most often the Chief of the division or their designees) at SEMO to create volunteer positions with correct and up-to-date Service Descriptions (SD), Job Hazard Analyses (JHA) for the work to be performed before recruitment of volunteers can begin. Due to the familiarity of a volunteer position’s work, the Volunteer Supervisors will create and update volunteer SDs and JHAs for volunteer positions under the guidance and assistance of the Volunteer Coordinator annually. Volunteer Service Agreements (VSA, OF-301, and OF-301a) will be filled out by the volunteer and the Volunteer Coordinator to ensure proper completion of the paperwork. For long-term or recurring volunteer positions, performance appraisals are to be completed by the volunteer’s Supervisor at a midpoint and completion of a volunteer’s VSA, with a meeting with the volunteer about their performance and areas for improvement to be held at those points. A copy of the performance appraisal form will be included in SEMO’s Volunteer-in-Parks Handbook. Event volunteer positions will not require performance appraisals. If a volunteer completes any training for their position’s duties (e.g., Chainsaw Safety Training), a copy of the certificate or documentation from the volunteer’s Supervisor is to be placed in the volunteer’s Personnel Folder (see next). VSAs, SDs, JHAs, performance appraisals, training documentation, and any other notes by the volunteer’s Supervisor are stored in a Personnel Folder. Personnel Folders will be created, stored, and managed digitally by the Volunteer Coordinator. The digital storage will be done on the SEMO Microsoft Team created to handle Personally Identifiable Information in a protected channel’s document library. The Volunteer Coordinator will provide access to Volunteer Supervisors to provide Emergency Contact information and maintain up-to-date training documentation, performance appraisals, and notes within a volunteer’s Personnel Folder. These Personnel Folders will provide a record of past volunteers’ work and information as long as allowable under DO-7 and RM-7. Volunteer Personnel Folders will be protected no differently than an employee’s Personnel Folder. At the beginning of each Fiscal Year (FY), the Position Descriptions and Job Hazard Analyses for each volunteer position will be reviewed by the Division leaders and approved by the Volunteer Coordinator. Also, in compliance with DO-7 and RM-7’s record retention rules, outdated Personnel Records will be purged. At the end of each FY, the Volunteer Coordinator will terminate all VSAs left outstanding from that FY. See Termination below. Vulnerable populations (e.g., children/youth, court-ordered community service, inmates, etc.) DO-7 and RM-7 outline policy and procedure for court-ordered community service and inmates. SEMO is open to these opportunities and will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the Volunteer Coordinator, SEMO Executive Leadership, and Volunteer Supervisors. Youth (children under 18) can serve as volunteers if the Volunteer Coordinator and the Volunteer Supervisor agree, and only if the VSA (OF-301) is completed by the youth’s parents or guardians. Onboarding process All Volunteer in Parks openings will be posted on Volunteer.gov as well as HandsOn River Region by the Volunteer Coordinator.
Each opening will be listed for as long as deemed necessary or circumstances allow by the Volunteer Coordinator. Applicants must submit their applications through Volunteer.gov or HandsOn’s website, which will be sent to the Volunteer Coordinator. If an applicant is a good fit for a long-term or recurring volunteer position, they will be contacted and interviewed by the Volunteer. An applicant’s references may be contacted at this time to further ascertain fitness for the volunteer position. If an applicant is accepted, the Volunteer Coordinator will work with the volunteer to ensure that the PD, JHAs, and VSA are signed correctly, and will then arrange for a new volunteer’s orientation and training. For any volunteer position that requires the volunteer to work without a Federal employee present in a Federal area, working with children, using Government computers, and/or Department of the Interior network access, the selected candidate will undergo the relevant background investigation before actively working in their position. Orientation and Training Orientation will be performed by the Volunteer Coordinator to introduce the volunteer to volunteering, volunteering for SEMO, and the NPS. Training of the volunteer related to specific tasks and duties will be performed by the volunteer’s Supervisor, who will work with the volunteer to ensure they are able to complete their tasks to work independently. Uniforms, inventory, and disposal At SEMO a uniform shirt will be provided by the Volunteer Coordinator during Orientation and Training for long-term volunteers, short-term volunteers will be issued a uniform shirt if there is a specific need. The volunteer uniform will need to vary depending on the duties to be performed, and the shirt as well as the volunteer’s personal clothing shall be appropriate to the volunteer's work.
An inventory of all Volunteer-in-Parks items purchased with Federal funds will be conducted by the Volunteer Coordinator on an annual basis. This inventory is to be contained in a locked area for loss prevention. This includes uniform parts purchased with VIP funds for volunteers. If an item in the inventory is broken, worn out, or no longer needed the Volunteer Coordinator will dispose of the property. In the case of uniform parts, the part will have the Volunteer in Parks insignia removed and donated to charity, used for cloth projects, or disposed of properly. Housing At SEMO there is no government housing or RV slabs which can be used for volunteer housing. Due to this reality volunteers from the local communities are encouraged to participate in the volunteer programs. If a non-local wishes to volunteer, they may be able to do so virtually if the position and need allows, or if in-person the volunteer will have to provide their own housing at their own expense. Allowable expense types and limits for reimbursements No reimbursements for personal expenses made by volunteers will be allowed, except for situational circumstances which must be agreed upon with the Volunteer Coordinator and SEMO Administrators beforehand. Limited liability and/or thresholds for volunteer use of personal property The use of a volunteer’s personal property shall be avoided, except for situational circumstances which must be agreed upon with the Volunteer Coordinator and SEMO Administrators beforehand. Volunteer logging of hours Volunteers will log the hours volunteered at the front desk of each Interpretive Center in a folder. The Hours sheet will consist of spaces to fill out the volunteer’s name, hours worked for which day, and under which division the hours were worked (e.g. Interpretation, Administration). Virtual volunteers will keep a log of their hours which will be emailed monthly to the volunteer’s Supervisor. Awards and recognition Volunteer awards and recognitions will be made by the Volunteer Coordinator in thanks for the service provided by the volunteer. These awards and recognitions may vary depending on funding, schedule, and staffing limitations. Volunteers will be invited to participate in all staff meetings and celebrations and given recognition when possible. Below is a list of volunteer hours and awards that can be earned:
Termination As outlined in RM-7 the volunteer, volunteer’s Supervisor, or the Volunteer Coordinator can terminate the VSA by simply notifying the other party. At SEMO the Volunteer Coordinator shall terminate VSAs under consideration of the volunteer’s Supervisor. In the absence of a designated Volunteer Coordinator, the volunteer’s Supervisor can terminate a volunteer’s VSA. All VSAs are to be dated for the time the volunteer is to work during that FY, starting no earlier than the first day of that FY with an ending date no later than the last day of that FY. At the end of the FY, the Volunteer Coordinator will end all outstanding VSAs and issue new VSAs for the next FY for continuing volunteers. After terminating a volunteer’s VSA the Volunteer Coordinator will total the number of hours volunteered, sign the Termination Section of the VSA, digitally store a copy in that volunteer’s Personnel Folder along with any notes, and mail the terminated VSA to the volunteer via certified mail. |
Last updated: December 2, 2025