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Volunteer application form template

Recruit volunteers: roles, free times, why they want to help, references and an emergency contact, with a check only where a role needs one.

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Which roles interest you? (required)

Pick as many as you like.

Full name (required)

Phone (required)

City or town, and ZIP or postal code (required)

Are you under 18? (required)

26 questions · about 7 min · logic · file upload · signature

  • No sign-up to start
  • Unlimited responses on Free

Print it as a PDF Word version

Change the questions in Word, then print.

What you get back

Every response lands in your results the moment it is sent. Turn on email notifications and each one arrives like this, and the same answers become a row in your spreadsheet.

From PulseFormCreator

Subject New response to Volunteer application

Which roles interest you?
Event help on the day, Driving or deliveries
Full name
Tomás Reyes
Email
tomas.reyes@example.com
Phone
+447700900871
City or town, and ZIP or postal code
Bristol BS6 6DR
Are you under 18?
No

and 12 more answers

A sample email with made-up answers.
submitted_atWhich roles interest you?Full nameEmailPhoneCity or town, and ZIP or postal code
23 Sep 2026 09:41Event help on the day | Driving or deliveriesTomás Reyestomas.reyes@example.com+447700900871Bristol BS6 6DR

Export to CSV or Excel, or send responses to Google Sheets, Notion, Airtable, Slack or a webhook. All free.

What happens after someone submits

Set these up in the Workflows tab, and a new volunteer goes from the form to their first shift.

  1. Submitted

  2. Someone applies

    The thank-you screen offers a Book a time button for a short welcome call, with their name and email filled in.

  3. You place them in a role

    Tag them by role in People, then send each group its schedule in one bulk email.

  4. Orientation is set Pro

    Each new volunteer gets a calendar invite for orientation, which opens in any calendar app.

Set this up when you use the template

What this form asks, and why

The last column shows how often real volunteer application forms ask for it.

Question Why it is there Real forms
Which roles interest you? Required The coordinator’s first sort. Two roles bring up the check consent; driving brings up the license question. 21 of 25 forms
Full name Required One box for the whole name. 25 of 25 forms
Email Required For the schedule and orientation dates. 24 of 25 forms
Phone Required For a shift that changes on the day. 25 of 25 forms
City or town, and ZIP or postal code Required Enough to match people to a nearby site. 25 of 25 forms
Are you under 18? Required Replaces a date of birth, which 15 of 25 forms ask. 6 of 25 forms
Parent or guardian name Required Only when “Are you under 18?” is Yes Under-18s only. A guardian agrees before the first shift. 6 of 25 forms
Parent or guardian email Required Only when “Are you under 18?” is Yes Where the consent form goes. 6 of 25 forms
When are you usually free? Required The schedule in one grid. 14 of 25 forms
How often could you help? Required One-off helpers skip the references. 7 of 25 forms
When could you start? Required When you can book an orientation. 7 of 25 forms
Volunteering for required hours? Tell us how many, by when, and for whom For school, court or work hours: how many, by when. 3 of 25 forms
Why would you like to volunteer with us? Required The question coordinators interview from. 16 of 25 forms
Skills, experience or languages you could bring Finds the driver, translator or bookkeeper. 19 of 25 forms
Have you volunteered with us before? Returning volunteers skip the references. 7 of 25 forms
Is there anything we can do to make volunteering work for you? Asks what would help, not about health. 6 of 25 forms
Background check Required Only when “Which roles interest you?” includes “Working with children or young people” or “Supporting older or disabled people” Only for roles with children, older or disabled people. 9 of 25 forms
Do you have a valid driver’s license and a car you can use? Required Only when “Which roles interest you?” includes “Driving or deliveries” Only for driving roles. 7 of 25 forms
Already hold a check or clearance? Add a copy (optional) Only when “Which roles interest you?” includes “Working with children or young people” or “Supporting older or disabled people” A check they already hold can save weeks. 3 of 25 forms
Two references who are not relatives Required Only when “Have you volunteered with us before?” is not Yes and “How often could you help?” is not “One-off events only” Two, not relatives, for regular roles. 17 of 25 forms
Emergency contact name and relationship Required Taken now, because volunteers start within days. 15 of 25 forms
Emergency contact number Required Checked as a valid number. 15 of 25 forms
How did you hear about us? Which recruitment drive worked. 11 of 25 forms
Photos Unchecked and separate from the declaration, so saying no costs nothing. 1 of 25 forms
Declaration Required True answers, and your volunteer policies. 16 of 25 forms
Signature Required Typed or drawn; the date is recorded. 22 of 25 forms

What we left out

  • A criminal record question for everyone. On 68% of forms. In the UK a DBS check is open only to roles entitled by law, so ask consent only for those roles.
  • Health, medication and doctor’s details. On 9 of 25 forms. The support question asks what would help instead.
  • Social Security or National Insurance number. On 3 of 25 forms. Only a check provider needs it, and it asks for it itself.
  • A liability waiver. Folded into 4 of 25 forms, all US. A waiver is its own signed document.

What 25 real volunteer application forms ask

How often each field appears, from forms organizations use today. Part of the Form Field Index.

  1. Any phone or mobile number 100% (25 of 25 forms)
  2. Address 100% (25 of 25 forms)
  3. Name 100% (25 of 25 forms)
  4. Email address 96% (24 of 25 forms)
  5. Signature 88% (22 of 25 forms)
  6. Roles or areas of interest 84% (21 of 25 forms)
  7. Date beside the signature 80% (20 of 25 forms)
  8. Skills and experience 76% (19 of 25 forms)
  9. Criminal record question 68% (17 of 25 forms)
  10. Reference names and contact details 68% (17 of 25 forms)
  11. Signed declaration 64% (16 of 25 forms)
  12. Why they want to volunteer 64% (16 of 25 forms)
Read September 2026 · UK 14, US 11 · Sources
  1. Solid Ground · nonprofit (anti-poverty), US
  2. Nancy K. Perry Children's Shelter · children's shelter (nonprofit), US
  3. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation · state government agency, US
  4. City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department · city government, US
  5. Christ Journey Church · church, US
  6. The Parenting PATH · family support nonprofit, US
  7. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital · hospital, US
  8. Washington State University Extension 4-H · university extension youth program, US
  9. Family Y of Greater Augusta · YMCA, US
  10. City of Bryan · city government, US
  11. City of Scottsdale · city government, US
  12. Crisis (Coventry) · homelessness charity, UK
  13. The Salvation Army (UK and Ireland) · church and charity, UK
  14. Slough Borough Council · local council, UK
  15. Canterbury Cathedral · cathedral, UK
  16. Coventry Citizens Advice · advice charity, UK
  17. Age UK York · older people's charity, UK
  18. Nottinghamshire County Council (Family Hubs Service) · county council, UK
  19. Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · hospital, UK
  20. Healthwatch Cornwall · health watchdog charity, UK
  21. Ace of Clubs · homelessness day center charity, UK
  22. Can Do · children's additional-needs charity (SCIO), UK
  23. Age UK Hull and East Yorkshire · older people's charity, UK
  24. The Methodist Church in Britain · church, UK
  25. Friends for Leisure · charity (young people with disabilities), UK

How the form changes as people answer

Most people see a shorter form. These questions and screens only appear when an answer calls for them.

  1. When “Are you under 18?” is Yes

    shows “Parent or guardian name” and “Parent or guardian email”

  2. When “Which roles interest you?” includes “Working with children or young people” or “Supporting older or disabled people”

    shows “Background check” and “Already hold a check or clearance? Add a copy (optional)”

  3. When “Which roles interest you?” includes “Driving or deliveries”

    shows “Do you have a valid driver’s license and a car you can use?”

  4. When “Have you volunteered with us before?” is not Yes and “How often could you help?” is not “One-off events only”

    shows “Two references who are not relatives”

  5. When “Are you under 18?” is Yes

    shows the “Thanks, Tomás. One more step.” ending

Make it yours

  1. One form for every intake round

    Add ?program=Summer festival&round=2026-summer to the link. The heading names the program; both are saved.

  2. Stop when you have enough people

    Set Settings → Limit responses to the number you need, or a close time under Settings → Schedule.

  3. Keep a live roster

    In the Workflows tab, send each application to a Google Sheet: roles land in one cell, free times in another.

Good practice and the law

Questions about this template

What should I write on a volunteer application form?

Which roles appeal and why, what you have done that would help (paid work, study, caring and sport all count), and the time you can honestly give.

Do volunteers need a background check?

Only for roles that need one: a DBS check in the UK, a state or screening-company check in the US, a Working with Children Check in Australia. Name yours in the consent.

Can under-18s apply?

Yes. They give a parent or guardian’s email and finish on a screen that says a consent form is on its way.

Can I use it for a one-off event?

Pick “One-off event” above the preview: event shifts replace the weekly grid, and there are no references.

Which form do you need?

Not quite the job? One of these may fit, or browse all application forms.

Start with the volunteer application form template

Open it in the editor, list the roles you are filling this round and share the link.

Use this template

By , founder of PulseFormCreator. Updated 23 Sep 2026.