❖ Heads up! This article is only intended for Sustain Site Managers.
By the end of this article, you will be able to:
Use User Groups to control who can access specific volunteer Opportunities
Set up restricted access using join questions and private Opportunities
Understand important limitations of Opportunity privacy
What are User Groups?
User Groups let you control access to volunteer Opportunities by grouping users based on shared requirements, such as:
Certifications or licenses
School, club, or organizational affiliation
Court-mandated or special-status volunteers
Any requirement that must be met before volunteering
You can use User Groups to:
Limit Opportunity access to specific users
Work with a clearly defined audience (e.g., students or clubs)
Collect required information before allowing access
Four Steps to Restricted Opportunity Access
1. Create your User Group
Go to Volunteerism > User Groups.
Enter a clear, descriptive name (for example, Certified Lifeguards or Court-Mandated Volunteers).
(Optional) Add a Private Description for Site Managers.
2. Add join questions
Join questions help you screen users before they gain access.
Examples include:
Uploading a certification or license
Confirming an affiliation or requirement
Users must complete these questions before joining when they are invited to the group.
3. Add users to the group
You can add users in two ways:
Invite users (recommended): ensures users complete join questions first
Manually add users: bypasses join questions
User Group leaders (if assigned) can also help manage membership.
4. Link private Opportunities
Create or edit a volunteer Opportunity.
Set the Opportunity’s Privacy to Private.
Associate the Opportunity with the appropriate User Group.
Only members of the User Group can view and respond to the Opportunity.
Important limitations to know
Private Opportunities still have shareable URLs.
If a Site Manager shares the link outside the User Group, non-members can still access it.
Privacy settings alone do not block access through shared direct links.
Best practices:
Share private Opportunity links only with intended users
Use join questions, approvals, or qualification rules for additional control
Shift Customization and Volunteer Enrollment
To manage how volunteers sign up, go to Additional Options when creating or editing a shift. From there, you can:
Enable team sign-ups
Adjust shift visibility and capacity
Fine-tune other enrollment settings
This helps tailor shift setup to match your Opportunity and User Group needs.
FAQ
Q. Do User Groups automatically block access to shared links?
A. No. Users can still access a Private Opportunity through a shared direct link. Use controlled link sharing and qualification checks for added security.
Q. Should I invite users or add them manually?
A. Inviting users is recommended, so they must complete the join questions before gaining access.