Welcome kit for volunteers

Educational garden / conservatory garden

Introduction

The new volunteers in the Conservatory of Heritage Vegetables of Béarn receive and are asked a prepared welcome kit / portfolio that include the description of the functioning, the charter of volunteers and ethics value before they start.

Activity Topic

Environmental education, social cohesion

Organisation

Conservatoire des legumes Anciens du Béarn

Legal Status

Non-profit organisation

Year of Establishment

2013

Location

3bis Route du Bois, 64510 ASSAT, France

The CLAB started in 2013 to help adults in reintegration gain skills in vegetable growing. By the end of 2014, the association decided to turn the garden into an educational space for schools and the public. In 2019, CLAB reached nearly 4,000 people, raising awareness about the importance of plant diversity.

What began with just five people in 2013 has now grown into an association with almo st 400members, including 30 dedicated volunteers. CLAB regularly hosts events and training sessions and is involved in other projects like the Erasmus+-funded Gardeniser initiative. It also provides civil service opportunities and even sells products made from its garden harvest in its on-site shop.

Activity Description

Aims and Outcomes

Sometimes there can be difficulties when a community garden is welcomig new volunteers. Indeed, misunderstandings can quickly generate problems if the newcomer is not aware of all the stakes and rules. Most of the gardens have documents such as internal rules, charter of volunteers and ethics charter, but not all gardens present them spontaneously to the new volunteers. To facilitate this, it is important to gather the documents not only in a single place, but also in a single portfolio and needs to be read when people are joining the garden. This is why the CLAB established this practice in 2024.

Concretely, the new volunteers receive the documents as pdfs when they discuss about their commitment with the garden. The membership form was updated after the creation of the portfolio to ensure that people are aware of the rules, ethics and values: by signing the membership register form, they acknowledge that they read them (or were explained, as not everyone takes the time to read all the rules). This ensures that in case of problems the garden can „protect“ itself, while it can prevent further issues when people know the rules.

In terms of outcomes, as this new practice is new, there is no clear conclusion yet but no problems were met so far by the gardens or its team of volunteers. But the volunteers are very happy to have had access to this document. The internal rules took months to be written, after many meetings, so this might be the reason of the clarity it provides.

Advantages and Benefits

A welcome kit with a charter is a great way to introduce new volunteers to the community garden. It helps them understand the garden’s purpose, values, and how everything works, so they can feel comfortable and get involved more easily. It also sets some basic guidelines to make sure everyone is on the same page and working together smoothly.

Having this information from the start makes it easier for new volunteers to find their place and feel like part of the team. It also helps avoid confusion by clearly explaining roles, expectations, and practical details. When people feel informed and included, they’re more likely to stay engaged and committed to the project.

The charter also plays a big role in building a strong sense of community. It encourages teamwork, respect, and cooperation, while also offering a way to handle any issues that might come up. Plus, when volunteers feel welcome and supported, they’re more likely to stick around, which helps keep the garden growing and thriving over time.

Required Competences and Skills

Creating a welcome kit with a charter and ethics values for the new volunteers in a community garden, as well as for the “oldest ones” requires good communication, organization, and teamwork. This welcome kit needs indeed to explain the garden’s mission, values, and expectations in a simple, welcoming way so new members feel informed and included. Paying attention to details is also very important when it will come to the creation of guidelines, rights and responsibilities. A well-structured, easily readable document makes a big difference. Keeping the tone friendly and inviting helps reflect the group values. Collaboration is important too. Gathering input from other volunteers ensures the charter truly represents the group, and being open to feedback makes it even better. Understanding volunteer engagement also helps. The charter should not only set clear expectations but also inspire participation.

Evaluation

To assess how well the welcome kit is working for community garden volunteers, it can be useful to gather feedback on how clearly it explains roles, expectations, and safety guidelines. Observing sign-up rates, volunteer retention, and their confidence in tasks could also provide insight. Volunteer satisfaction is another area to consider, along with whether the kit helps volunteers feel more connected to the community, as well as the reduction of conflicts and misunderstandings if the chart was created to this end.

Conclusions

A well-designed welcome kit is crucial for making sure volunteers feel informed, prepared, and connected to the community garden’s mission. By clearly laying out expectations, roles, and safety guidelines, the kit ensures everyone knows what to do and how to do it safely. It also helps volunteers feel welcome, creating a positive and inclusive environment from the start. The kit goes beyond just an introduction—it builds a strong foundation for long-term involvement. When volunteers feel confident in their roles and part of something meaningful, they’re more likely to stick around and stay engaged. This contributes to the garden’s overall success, making operations run more smoothly and encouraging a supportive community.

Project Number: 2023-1-FR01-KA220-ADU-000153638

The objective of the Gardeniser Academy project is to support the development of community gardens in Europe by offering online training contents tailored to the needs and expectations of gardeners all over Europe.

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

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