Care After Combat Email Domain Structure & Volunteer Communications Policy
At Care After Combat, we operate two distinct communication environments to support the different needs of our organisation. As our work involves both a core team of employed staff and a large national network of volunteers, we use a structured domain approach to ensure security, clarity, and appropriate access across all teams.
Primary Domain – careaftercombat.org
The careaftercombat.org domain is used exclusively by our employed staff and operational leadership.
Email accounts on this primary domain are used for:
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Organisational management and governance
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Case management and safeguarding
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Communication with statutory bodies and partner organisations
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Internal administration, policies, and reporting
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Activities requiring elevated security and controlled access
This domain holds the highest level of access to internal systems, documentation and data protection controls.
Volunteer Subdomain – vm.careaftercombat.org
To effectively support our expanding volunteer network, Care After Combat operates a dedicated subdomain: vm.careaftercombat.org.
This subdomain is used specifically for:
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Verified volunteer email accounts
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Volunteer onboarding and training
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General communications between volunteers and regional coordinators
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Access to limited, role-appropriate systems and information
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Keeping volunteer communications clearly separated from staff systems
Using a subdomain allows us to maintain strong security boundaries while still providing volunteers with professional, organisation-branded email addresses.
Why We Use a Subdomain for Volunteers
The separation between careaftercombat.org and vm.careaftercombat.org supports:
1. Security & Data Protection
Volunteers operate with restricted access. A separate subdomain ensures safeguarding and compliance with data-handling requirements.
2. Operational Clarity
Staff and volunteers fulfil different roles. Distinct domains avoid confusion in communication, permissions, and access levels.
3. Organisational Scalability
A dedicated volunteer subdomain ensures we can issue and retire accounts efficiently as volunteer numbers change.
4. Brand Consistency with Clear Role Identification
Volunteers represent Care After Combat publicly. Branded subdomain addresses allow clear identification while distinguishing volunteers from core staff.
Summary
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careaftercombat.org = Employed staff & organisational leadership
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vm.careaftercombat.org = Registered volunteers and coordinators
This structure helps us maintain a secure, scalable, and professional communication system aligned with our operational needs and safeguarding responsibilities.