New HR Essentials Course for Third Sector Organisations
8th June 2026
Author: Fiona Davies, People & Safety Services Manager
We are excited to announce the launch of our first HR training course on the TSI Learning portal for community groups, volunteer organisations, and social enterprises in Scotland.
Developed by our People and Safety Service, this new course guides you through the requirements for employing staff in your organisation. It expands our online learning and support, helping third-sector organisations with their HR and Health & Safety responsibilities.
A Valuable HR Resource for the Third Sector
The TSI Learning portal is a key resource for board members, trustees, committee members, staff, and volunteers. It already offers a range of essential training tools, and the addition of our first HR course means organisations can now:
- Build confidence in employment law and HR compliance
- Improve people management practices
- Reduce organisational risk and liability
This course is particularly useful for organisations that are considering employing staff for the first time, as well as those in the early stages of becoming an employer. It is also a valuable refresher for anyone looking to strengthen their understanding of employment law.
HR Essentials – Employing Staff
Our new Employing Staff course introduces the key legal and practical requirements for employing people within a third-sector organisation.
It guides you through essential employment law and outlines the key steps you should take before recruiting your first employee.
While employing staff is an exciting milestone, it can also feel complex and overwhelming. Understanding your responsibilities as an employer is crucial – and this is where our People and Safety Service can support you. This course is the perfect starting point and typically takes under 2 hours to complete, so it’s easy to fit in.
What the Course Covers
The Employing Staff course is structured into clear, easy-to-follow sections to help you with:
- Legal responsibilities of employers
Understand your obligations and assess how they apply to your organisation - Types of employment contracts
Learn about different contract types, their key features, and when to use them - Essential HR policies and best practice
Explore legally required policies and what good practice looks like in the third sector
Who Will Benefit Most?
This course is particularly relevant for you if your role involves governance, leadership, or operational decision-making. It’s ideal for:
- Trustees and board members
- Managers and team leaders
- Committee members
Start Learning How to Employ Staff
To access the course free of charge, you’ll need a code:
- Email: peopleservices@gcvs.org.uk to request access.
- Or, if your organisation is based in Glasgow and registered with GCVS for our funded support programme, simply log in to find the code on your personal homepage.
To get started, please visit the TSI Learning portal, find the course, and enter your code.
Find my free code
This course is free if your organisation is registered with our funded support. Please log in to access the code on your ‘exclusive content‘ page.
Our People and Safety service is here to support you and provide professional guidance, training and resources. We offer subscriptions for HR and Health & Safety support, as well as recruitment services and consultancy.
This content was written by our team, with AI tools used only to support review and refinement.