Our Aims

Thanks for volunteering for Freegle. Freegle is run nationally, and in local communities, by volunteers. Here's what we aim to do, nationally and locally, and how we can all work together to make Freegle good for us and for members.

Freegle nationally is committed to:

• Providing the IT infrastructure to list and host local communities.
• Supporting all aspects of running a community, through email, national discussion forums and the Freegle wiki.
• Representing Freegle nationally and promoting freegling to national bodies and agencies.
• Running national social media and other publicity, and encouraging local freegling through ModTools promotional facilities.
• Providing policies, guidance and insurance for local events, to help communities run safely.
• Supporting all volunteers regardless of race, gender, age, sexuality, disability, religion, political belief, ethnic origin, marital status or nationality.
• Being open about how Freegle works, and keeping everyone well informed.
• Ensuring Freegle is run collaboratively, with all volunteers able to take part in decision-making.
• Encouraging volunteers to become official Members of Freegle.
• Supplying references for volunteers.

Local volunteers agree to run their community by:

• Following mandatory Freegle rules and aligning with best practice.
• Moderating their community using ModTools, working with fellow volunteers to keep it moderated at least daily, seven days a week.
• Helping members with problems and information in a consistently positive way.
• Keeping in touch nationally, joining in and engaging on Discourse.
• Not taking advantage of their position when personally freegling.

And it would also be great if local teams:

• Know the area their Freegle community serves, and take an interest in local and national environmental causes.
• Publicise their community to build membership - e.g. social media, press releases, stalls, events.
• Work with local councils or other relevant local bodies, businesses and charities, to increase freegling in the community.
• Keep in touch with neighbouring volunteer teams.

Links:

• Freegle Aims
• Best Practice
• Freegle Affiliation Policy
• Community Affiliation Requirements Policy
• National Volunteers Procedure
• Freegle Equality and Diversity Policy
• Freegle Health and Safety Policy
• Safe Home Working
• Can I make use of freegle
• http://freegle.in//joinfreegleltd
• Insurance
• Document Approval Policy

This document was originally called the Freegle Volunteer Agreement, and was adopted by the Board in August 2016. After a review in February 2022 on Development Group, the Board agreed to adopt this version and title.

An annual pop-up is presented on ModTools, reminding volunteers of these aims. This started in 2022. A brief discussion about this came up on Discourse in April 2026: discourse thread.