Part of the difficulty volunteer managers face is the embarrassment factor. Unfortunately, it is often this embarrassment that prevents problems being dealt with at an early stage, when they could be resolved swiftly. Avoiding tackling a problem usually only results in it getting worse and increasingly difficult to deal with. Putting it off can also lower the morale of other volunteers and paid staff who see that the problem is not being resolved. If you take the bull by the horns as soon as a problem becomes apparent, in the vast majority of cases it can be sorted out satisfactorily and quickly through informal discussions.
Most grievances are the result of misunderstandings and bad communications.
However, should the circumstances be more serious, then the procedures outlined below ought to ensure that volunteers have their cases fairly heard. A disciplinary policy will need to take into account the size and commitments of the particular voluntary organisation. Larger organisations are likely to have their own disciplinary codes and procedures that reflect their own ethos. On the other hand, a full assortment of options such as written warnings, which are necessary in a system where hundreds of volunteers are deployed, would hamper the flexibility needed by a small community group. Here, mitigating circumstances can be discussed.