Frequently asked questions

Visit the organisation's Give Time page and complete the short application form. Your coordinator will review it and send you a welcome message when you're approved.

Your application goes to the coordinator for review. Once approved, you'll receive a confirmation and can log in to browse and sign up for shifts. If your organisation has an onboarding checklist, you'll need to complete it first.

On iPhone: open give-time.org in Safari, tap the Share button, then "Add to Home Screen". On Android: open the site in Chrome and tap "Add to Home Screen" when prompted. Adding the app gives you push notifications and a faster full-screen experience.

Once you're logged in and approved, go to Browse. Tap "Sign up" on any shift with open slots. Your request goes to the coordinator — you'll receive a notification when it's confirmed or declined.

Your sign-up request has been received and is waiting for the coordinator to confirm it. Once confirmed, the status changes to Confirmed and you're on the team for that shift.

The shift shows as Full. You can still join the waiting list — if someone cancels, the coordinator can approve you. You'll receive a notification if a spot opens up.

Usually yes. Most organisations let any approved volunteer sign up for any shift, including ones starting at short notice. Some hold last-minute critical slots for experienced volunteers — if you see a shift you cannot sign up for, your coordinator can assist.

Open the shift detail page and tap Cancel. Please cancel as early as possible so your coordinator can find cover. A brief reason is helpful. Your coordinator will be notified automatically.

Your coordinator can assign you to a shift directly — for example if you signed up as flexible or were on a waiting list. You'll receive a notification. If you cannot make it, tap "Can't make it" on the shift page.

Some organisations require you to complete an onboarding checklist before signing up. Log in and go to Onboarding (or check the alert on your dashboard) to see what's outstanding. Common steps include reading a volunteer guide, completing an induction, or waiting for a background check to clear.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is a background check required by some organisations — particularly those working with vulnerable adults or children. Your coordinator will guide you through the process and let you know when it has cleared. The app records the result and expiry date; it does not submit or run checks directly.

Your coordinator will receive a renewal reminder before the expiry date. Once expired, any gate linked to your DBS check will re-lock until a new check clears. Your coordinator will guide you through renewal — you won't need to do anything in the app until they record the new result.

Go to Onboarding (via the link on your dashboard or the Help tab). Complete each step listed. Steps you can do yourself have a "Mark done" button. Steps marked "Team" or "External" (like a DBS check) are confirmed by your coordinator and update automatically once cleared.

Go to Profile in the app and toggle "Push notifications". On iPhone, also check Settings → Give Time → Notifications. Push notifications require the app to be installed via Safari on iOS.

Go to Profile (bottom navigation) and edit your nickname. This is the name other volunteers and your coordinator see in the community feed and shift lists.

Push notifications on iPhone require iOS 16.4 or later and the app must be installed to your home screen via Safari (not Chrome). If you previously denied permission: go to Settings → Safari → Advanced → Website Data, find give-time.org, delete it, then revisit in Safari and allow notifications.