Community and volunteering
Write a handoff for the next volunteer
The next person needs facts. A good handoff lists finished tasks, open items with their current status, where supplies are kept, and one or two contacts likely to answer a question quickly.
A text to start with
Help me write a handoff note for the next coordinator of our community garden's tool shed. Completed: inventory of all hand tools, repairs on the two broken wheelbarrows, and restocking of gloves in sizes S and L. Remaining: the hose reel still needs a new coupling, and the fertilizer delivery for [month] hasn't been scheduled. Supplies are in the storage locker at [location]. Main contacts are [name, role] and [name, role]. Keep the tone practical.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.What to check before passing it on
Check the completed-tasks section against what you actually finished. If your notes are vague, the assistant may describe a partly done task as done, and the next volunteer would start from a wrong picture. Give each open item enough context for someone who was not involved, such as where the coupling was ordered or who quoted the delivery. Contact details should match what you supplied exactly.
Finishing the transition
For anything the next volunteer must decide rather than simply carry out, ask the assistant to add a brief note on the options you were weighing. Keep receipts, warranties and vendor contacts as separate attachments so the note stays short.