A number of volunteers at Launceston's Old Umbrella Shop resigned after being told to sign a volunteer agreement where they were required to "...accept responsibility for health and safety of oneself, co-workers, volunteers, visitors and anyone who may visit a National Trust Tasmania property..."

National Trust Volunteer Engagement coordinator Wayne Bailey-Walford said the volunteer agreement was endorsed by Volunteering Tasmania "as best practice volunteer management, for the safety and welfare of all the National Trust Tasmania volunteers".

Volunteering Tasmania chief executive Lisa Schimanski said the body gave an "in-principle endorsement" to National Trust Tasmania's volunteer agreement in August 2018, but that covered "broad aspects" within the document.

"The specific content of clauses is something an individual organisation must consider itself, and will vary depending on the organisation, and the activities its volunteers undertake."

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Many organisations are using volunteer agreements to outline expectations, rights and responsibilities of volunteers and organisations, she said.

"It is often difficult when something such as this type of agreement is introduced to an organisation with such a strong, passionate and long-standing volunteer workforce," Ms Schimanski said.

"My sense is that this is about relationships. The National Trust may need to work to understand the views and concerns of their volunteers and work with their workforce to find a mutually agreeable solution to this issue.

"This is all about the conversation the Trust can have with its volunteers," she said.

Volunteering Tasmania has been contacted by "some National Trust Volunteers" about the agreement and "provided some advice", Ms Schimanski said.

Talking through concerns is the advice offered to both volunteers and National Trust, Ms Schimanski said, which is important "if the organisation is asking long-standing volunteers to sign up to a new way of engaging with the organisation".

"This is all about respectful relationships and good communication," she said.

Besides communication, one of the reasons cited is the more regulated environment organisations with volunteers are now contending with.

"Like any cultural change, National Trust needs to be patient and engage with its volunteer workforce in an open and transparent manner," Ms Schimanski said.

"Hopefully the Trust can continue to work in good faith with its volunteers to keep the amazing work of the Trust and its volunteers going well into the future."

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