Team toolkit: templates for volunteer teams, groups and talks

Everything on this page is free to copy into whatever your team already uses: a spreadsheet, a shared document, a printed sheet on the hall noticeboard. Each template comes from one of our longer pieces, linked underneath it, where you will find the reasoning and the common mistakes.

A volunteer rota layout

One row per date, one column per role, a name in every cell, and a backup column so nobody has to find their own cover at 9 pm on a Saturday.

Date	Welcome (2)	Setup	Refreshments	Kids room (2)	Backup	Lead on the day
Sun 4th	Ana, Joel	Marcus	Priti	Dee, Sam	Lou	Trevor
Sun 11th	Kim, Ruth	Abe	Joel	Dee, Hal	Ana	Mo
Sun 18th	Ana, Ted	Marcus	Wen	Sam, Hal	Kim	Trevor

Under the table, write the swap rule in one sentence ("Swap with anyone on the list, then tell the lead on the day") and the lead's contact. The full method is in a volunteer schedule people actually keep.

Sign-up sheet wording

People say yes to a small, clear, time-limited ask. Put these four lines at the top of any sign-up sheet:

What: Setting out chairs and tables for the spring supper
When: Saturday, 4:30 to 5:30 pm (one hour, then you are free)
Who to ask: Trevor, or reply in the team chat
What you need to know: no experience needed, wear shoes you can lift in

Then one line per slot, with the number of people needed in brackets. Retention starts here: see how to keep volunteers coming back.

A one-page meeting agenda

Team meeting, Tuesday 7:00 to 8:00 pm, hall side room
Purpose: agree the autumn rota and one change to Sunday setup

7:00  Welcome and one-line check-in (everyone, 10 min)
7:10  Decisions needed (lead, 25 min)
        1. Autumn rota: confirm the draft sent Friday
        2. Setup: move the welcome table to the side door?
7:35  Updates, written in advance, questions only (10 min)
7:45  Who does what by when (5 min)
7:50  Anything that cannot wait (5 min)
8:00  Close on time

Send it two days ahead with the decisions written as questions. More shapes for different meetings are in our meeting agenda template.

Minutes in five lines

Most volunteer teams do not need a transcript. They need to remember what was decided and who promised what.

Item	Decided	Who	By when
Autumn rota	Draft confirmed, Hal added to setup	Trevor sends final	Friday
Welcome table	Trial at side door for 4 weeks	Kim	Next Sunday
Kids room	Second adult on every slot	Dee checks the list	Before the 4th

Send the minutes within a day, in the body of the message rather than as an attachment.

A ten-minute talk outline

Open (1 min): one picture or moment, then the single sentence you want remembered
Block 1 (2 to 3 min): the problem, with one example people will recognise
Block 2 (2 to 3 min): what to do, in one or two steps
Block 3 (2 min): what it looks like on an ordinary week
Close (1 min): repeat the sentence, give one small next step, stop

Write the opening and closing out in full and learn them; speak the middle from three words on a card. The full method is in how to give a ten-minute talk without reading it.