Author: Dulcie

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National Volunteers’ Week: Guidance pack for VIOs

Volunteers’ Week is a national campaign which takes place between 1-7 June every year. It’s a chance to recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make to our communities and say thank you.

Volunteers’ Week is supported and celebrated by small grassroots organisations as well as larger, household-name charities, who together run hundreds of activities across the UK. These activities showcase and celebrate volunteers and the contribution volunteering makes to our communities. As a Kingston Volunteer Involving Organisation, we’re asking you to join us in thanking and celebrating the brilliant volunteers giving their time across our borough.

We have created this organisation campaign pack to support you with communications and volunteer engagement through NVW2023. You will find advice and recommendations for ways to give thanks to your volunteers, including social media templates. We hope you find it useful!

Download our guidance pack here: National Volunteers’ Week Organisation Campaign Pack

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Huge boost for volunteers and good causes as council recommissions Volunteering Kingston project

Residents, charities and community groups across the Royal Borough of Kingston will continue to benefit from a bespoke volunteer matchmaking service as Kingston Council recommissions Groundwork London to deliver the Volunteering Kingston project.

The project will continue to run from April 1st 2023 to 31st March 2026 with options to go to 31st March 2027 and 2028, bringing even more local volunteers and organisations together.

Groundwork is a federation of charities mobilising practical community action on poverty and the environment across the UK. It shares the council’s focus on creating vibrant, green neighbourhoods and strong communities.

Between 2018 and 2023, the Volunteering Kingston project built strong and lasting partnerships with local groups across the borough. It was instrumental in supporting the invaluable work undertaken by volunteers during the pandemic. Leveraging these strengths, Volunteering Kingston will be introducing more innovative and tailored services to enable people in every corner of the borough to participate in volunteering and serve the communities they call home. Some of these new developments include:

  • New training opportunities for new and prospective volunteers
  • ‘Pop-up’ and outreach activity in new areas
  • One-to-one training and best practice advice slots for organisations working with volunteers
  • A multi-partner approach to annual events and volunteer appreciation
  • Involvement in the borough’s Community Hubs project
  • A four-year volunteering strategy, co-produced with stakeholders

Sarah Whitby, Community Operations Manager at Groundwork London said:

“Volunteering Kingston is committed to creating a positive impact by continuing to play a vital role in bringing the community together and creating meaningful connections through volunteering. We’re delighted our stewardship of Volunteering Kingston since 2018 has been recognised by the new commission, and we look forward to further expanding opportunities and enhancing the experience volunteering gives all those who get involved.”

Leader of Kingston Council Andreas Kirsch said:

“Empowering people and strengthening our communities is a key focus for the council, and volunteering can play a vital role in this. The power of volunteers and volunteering has been clearly demonstrated in the local response to both the Covid pandemic and the current Cost of Living crisis. We are committed to supporting Kingston to be a thriving borough where opportunities to get involved in volunteering and make a real difference to your local community are accessible to all.”

If you live, work or study in the Royal Borough of Kingston, you can find a volunteer role by browsing our current opportunities.

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Volunteering Kingston’s Community Impact Continues: Renewed contract brings exciting new opportunities in the Borough

Groundwork London is pleased to announce that the Volunteering Kingston project has been recommissioned from April 1st 2023 to continue providing a Volunteer Centre service within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

Building on the strengths of the experience garnered between 2018 and 2023, including the work undertaken in the pandemic, Volunteering Kingston will be cascading out new services tailored to ensure all parts of Kingston Borough can volunteer and serve the communities they live in.

Sarah Whitby, Community Operations Manager at Groundwork London said “we are pleased our stewardship of Volunteering Kingston since 2018 has been recognised by the new commission, we look forward to further expanding the opportunities and enhancing the experience volunteering gives.

Browse our current volunteering opportunities!

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A bright future for young volunteers

In my pre-Christmas blog, I referenced how in the post pandemic period there had been a seismic shift in registrations away from “time-rich” volunteers and towards younger volunteers. That phenomenon is partly explained by health worries from the older volunteers and a new wave of enthusiasm for supporting the community from the younger end of the volunteering spectrum. This introduces a plethora of mediums we are able to use to communicate effectively with young people. Whether it is school assemblies, Fresher’s Fairs, the usual social media avenues or the latest apps, young people have never been as accessible as they are today. 

Face to face still has its place; we know that from a couple of recent visits to local schools and how the registration numbers rocketed in the days following that outreach. Not only do our team enjoy presenting to a Sixth Form assembly they also appreciate the feedback they get. Volunteering, as an experience, has to evolve constantly to the changing world we live in. On the digital side, the excellent work of our team ensures we maximise our reach and that effort is demonstrated by the profiles we receive. If there is a new digital app on the block we should take advantage of it, the days of Twitter and Facebook domination are over. 

Young people want more control over their time; the trend is towards bite-sized volunteering that makes a difference on the ground. Dozens of administration roles on our Team Kinetic base do not interest younger volunteers so volunteer centres need a full range of opportunities to entice applications. Similarly, Saturday shifts at a charity shop, whilst useful for those looking to experience work environments for the first time, are not attractive to these energetic young volunteers.  

I am not going to say everything in the garden is rosy when it comes to finding young people opportunities. Duke of Edinburgh opportunities for 13/14 year olds are very difficult to secure, mainly because the insurance industry makes life difficult for VIOs to be open to under 16s (and a few VIOs who mistakenly think safeguarding measures are too much bureaucracy) and work is needed to turn that around. Though, overall, it is a good period in the Volunteering sector for bringing in new blood, enthusiasm, and a wave of committed young people who will create a positive impact. The future is looking bright.

 

By Michael Green

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Volunteering over Christmas, from a younger heart. 

Volunteers

I don’t know about you but I can’t think of a Christmas that has had so little joy in the build-up (and I consider the two Covid pandemic Christmas’s). A combination of war in Europe, the cost of living, the state of play with the climate, and even the weather with the recent cold spell seem to be inviting us to have a pessimistic outlook on the festivities. You could say there is no point fighting reality or you could, as I’m about to suggest, think of things from the heart and let that bring a glimmer of joy to the end of 2022. 

Christmas is always an interesting time for volunteering and volunteers. It is during this period that society notices the contribution of volunteers and the voluntary sector the most. The massive efforts put in to ensure rough-sleepers get some relief. The reaching out to the lonely and isolated. The collecting of items to pass on to children who have very little. The food banks bulging with generosity being distributed widely (too widely for a first world country in the 21st century, some would say) to families in need. All these things can be seen and they remind us that we still have a population that wishes to contribute and assist. 

It is also a tradition that people offer themselves up quite at this time of year, engaging in the volunteering activities listed above: a sign that the spirit and drive of volunteering lives on regardless of the harsh realities of the year that is ending. This annual influx of volunteers is made possible by the meticulous organisation and preparation of homeless shelters, toy banks, food banks and befriending schemes. All of them need to plan months in advance to ensure volunteers are trained and DBS checked.  

If there is one part of 2022 that lifts my spirits it is the age demographic change that has taken place. Understandably there has been a noticeable drop in the cohort we used to call “time rich” (retired in old money) since the pandemic. Usually, this would be a cause for concern but actually what has happened is a younger cohort, one we were struggling to connect with pre-Covid, has stood up to more than compensate for the decline in older volunteers. This is a development that raises spirits across the age demographic, even the most jaundiced of volunteer managers will be heartened by this development. 

Of course, if we can persuade those with extensive life experience back into volunteering we would have the best of both worlds. Combining the enthusiasm of the young with the knowledge of the old. Imagine the successful delivery of all the vital tasks needed over Christmas and New Year and the goals that could be achieved this time next year. Volunteering is being reinvigorated by the young who are putting their hearts into it, that for me provides more to look forward to than any lack of enthusiasm generated by the headlines. Christmas 2022 can be enjoyed and all of us at Volunteering Kingston wish you all the joy there is for the festive period.  

 

By Michael Green

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The importance of looking forward

All the challenges of the last few weeks have rather counter-intuitively generated a sense of ambition within the Voluntary and Community Sector that also motivates volunteers. Respect for and contribution to local communities is now wider, it is more action-orientated and has more traction than that bygone age called 2019.

Looking at Kingston as a borough, how it performed, came together, and responded to challenges (lockdowns, needs, vaccinations, new levels of poverty previously hidden etc.) gives us a clear picture of how important it is to maintain and build on the partnerships and successes of our collective work. That includes the volunteer experience. To get there I have laid out a wish list, but first, a caveat: this list is what a possible future could look like albeit relying heavily on reasonable funds, resources and partnerships to make it a reality and success. The purpose of promoting these possibilities is to invite comments and stimulate alternative suggestions.

  • Hubs, e.g. in pubs/shops/community spaces. Take a model of community space as promoted in the 2021 report on Surbiton Resilience “Every-day life in Surbiton” and replicate where practicable across the borough. Volunteers are attracted to helping in their micro-local locations, this would be a brilliant stimulus to that.
  • Food Heroes. Embed the foodbank street collection system that sprung up locally during the pandemic into the fabric of the borough so that it survives and thrives going forward
  • Time-bank/Skills exchange. Create a borough-wide system with a focus on stimulating volunteering in women whose first language is not English. This would both increase volunteering numbers and be a massive boon to the volunteer experience of a significantly socially isolated part of our community.
  • “Friends of” groups. Expand existing groups for parks/open land/under-utilised green spaces, which is being demonstrated by successful models in other localities. Friends of groups tend to tap into individuals not engaged in their communities already.
  • Bringing together a range of volunteer-led sporting activities/clubs under one banner that stimulates physical activity. Sports volunteering could add so much positive value to public health campaigns. This model could equally apply to the local smaller arts and culture groups.
  • Kingston Stronger Together Hub. Evolve it into a Kingston Council funded “Sustainable Volunteering” Hub, requiring both the Council and partners to be involved. Sustainability projects for volunteering by definition will change the borough landscape positively.
  • A social action portal. Create a web-based interface that advertises all social action activities locally no matter how small/micro in nature. This would be really helpful in attracting younger people to activities.

This list is not definitive, as they say, “other pipe-dreams are available” but I commend them to your thinking if, like us at Volunteering Kingston, re-imaging the Volunteer Experience is important to you.

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The Power of Youth: Case study of a volunteer

Volunteering and community go hand in hand and, this year, NVW coincides nicely with the Month of Community, which brings together organisations with a range of events in order to encourage us all to think about and join in with activities happening in our local communities.

The overarching theme of NVW is A Time to Say Thanks, with a day dedicated to the Power of Youth. In honour of this specific day, we have spoken with Bjar, a student volunteer. We thought Bjar would be an excellent example of the contribution young people bring to the volunteering community.

As a student, an artist, and an employee, Bjar still finds time to volunteer at the William Morris Gallery, in Lloyd Park.

As a Walthamstow resident, Bjar visited the nearby gallery and after the recommendation from a member of staff signed up with Legends of the Forest to begin a new volunteer journey. This was an ideal volunteering opportunity for Bjar since it related to their artistic interest. Not only that, the gallery-based role could provide the skills and experience that would benefit career prospects in the area.

When asked, what inspired you to volunteer? Bjar answered, when I was getting more into art, I decided to see if it was possible to volunteer at the William Morris Gallery to gain some experience that was related to what I would like to do in the future.

As a Visitor Volunteer at the gallery, Bjar covers 4 hour sessions with a break for a snack. Speaking to visitors, answering their questions and handing out leaflets, as well as engaging children in challenges in which they can win prizes, keeps the role interesting and varied.

Bjar says, the best thing about the volunteer experience is “being around an inspirational environment” and since Bjar hopes for art to feature in a future career, it feels like “starting a process and moving forward”. To sum up volunteering, Bjar says, it provides the opportunity for inspiration and learning.

Young people, like Bjar, play an essential role in the volunteering community, bringing different energies and skills with them. Legends of the Forest encourages people from all generations to get involved in their community, as everyone can support and learn from each other. Volunteering is highly rewarding and can provide crucial experience to young people looking to start a career and help build their CV as well as the opportunity to form new and lasting friendships.

 

If you are interested in volunteering, view our wide range of available roles.

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Nothing about us without us – the importance of involving disabled volunteers

Then Barbara met Alan

Many people will have seen the recent programme on the BBC, Then Barbara Met Alan, which explores the history of the disability rights movement and the phrase ‘Nothing about us without us’. It highlights the importance of disabled people living their own lives and the patronising attitudes that charities can have towards disabled people.

What do you think of when you think of a disabled volunteer?

  • A teenager with a learning disability looking for work experience.
  • An autistic parent who wants to use their perspective to help families with autistic children.
  • A wheelchair-using CEO who wants to give their business expertise to help struggling charities tackling food poverty.
  • A person with an anxiety disorder who wants to meet new people and make friends.
  • A marketing executive with chronic asthma who wants to join an environmental campaign.
  • A visually impaired accountant who wants to volunteer as they’ve been told it will help them get a promotion.
  • A deaf student who volunteers at a charity shop because they’re obsessed with vintage fashion.

Disabled volunteers volunteer for as many different reasons as non-disabled volunteers. Take our volunteering service in Waltham Forest, for instance, 13% of volunteers self-declare as disabled or say that they need additional support. That’s a lot of volunteers who are excited to give their time.

If you think of disabled volunteers as one type of person or with one set of needs, then you’ll be missing out on a lot of talent, enthusiasm and perspectives.

For organisations that want to involve disabled volunteers, here are some top tips:

  • Learn about the social model of disability and challenge your thinking about where the limits of disabilities are. For example, when you see someone wearing glasses do you think of them as ‘disabled’?
  • Take care that you use modern, up-to-date language. See this guide for some suggestions.
  • Look carefully at the required skills and experiences for your volunteering roles – what is essential and what is a ‘nice to have’. If you have an autistic volunteer who does not use the phone, but would be excellent at other parts of the role, consider making adaptations.
  • Consider having versions of your role descriptions in large print, audio recording, BSL interpretation and Easy Read form.
  • Provide information for others to make decisions, rather than deciding for them. So, if your building has a step, do not say “not accessible to wheelchair users” but rather “there is an 8cm step”. The volunteer can then decide for themselves.
  • Allow volunteers to give their time from home if possible.
  • Consider, if able, providing travel expenses for taxis.
  • Use disabled people to stock recruitment photos.
  • Money is tight, but when making funding applications consider how you can ask for things that make you more accessible and inclusive.
  • Be willing to have an honest and open conversation about disability and the needs of your volunteers.
  • Accept that sometimes a volunteer’s disability may mean things take longer or are done in different ways.
  • Have a clear code of conduct which lays out clear expectations. Do not tolerate abuse or discriminatory ‘jokes’.
  • Get in touch for specialist support and advice (emails below): Waltham Forest (Legends of the Forest), Volunteering Barnet, or Volunteering Kingston

If you are disabled and interested in volunteering, we’d love to hear about your experiences and how we can improve our service. Please get in touch with one of Groundwork London’s volunteering services: Waltham Forest (Legends of the Forest) – wflegends@groundwork.org.uk, Volunteering Barnet – enquiry@volunteeringbarnet.org.uk, or Volunteering Kingston – enquiry@volunteeringkingston.org.uk.

 

Molly Sweeney, Volunteer Development Coordinator – Legends of the Forest

 

You can find out more about how you can get involved in this year’s Volunteers ’Week on the official page here.

In the meantime, if you are looking to volunteer and start a new exciting journey today, you can discover all our available roles below:

Volunteering Kingston

Legends of the Forest, Waltham Forest

Volunteering Barnet

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The Future of Volunteering

Volunteers together

When thinking about the future of volunteering, honestly, I get quite excited. This isn’t just because I work in this sector, or because I am a volunteer myself, it’s because I have started to see a greater understanding and appreciation for volunteers over the last few years.

The pandemic changed a lot of things for a lot of people, come of which is overwhelmingly positive. A stronger sense of community and supportive environment blossomed, supporting those most in need and this, for me, is the true beauty of volunteering. So many people who potentially hadn’t been touched by the world of volunteering saw how powerful it really is. People who had never previously needed to access services supported by volunteers soon came to rely on them.

Volunteers delivered food to houses across the nation and many organisations developed befriending services to speak to those who were isolated with no contact or company. Even if you didn’t directly come across volunteers in the pandemic, you will have known someone who did, seen them on the news or heard about them from one of your neighbours. Volunteers became an essential part of the community during the pandemic, something that I see living on now.

People who had never volunteered before but wanted to help, who may have been furloughed and had new time on their hands, took to supporting vaccination centres and developed what I like to call the ‘buzz’ that is volunteering. I think if you have ever volunteered you will understand what I mean by that; the joy that you feel. The sense of fulfilment and community that surrounds you can never be replicated. When volunteering myself or speaking to volunteers, there is rarely a grumble or a moan about the hot day, the need to stay just that little bit longer or the sometimes not so exciting sandwiches. Volunteers give their time because they want to. Being a part of something bigger excites and intrigues them which creates this amazing bubble of wonderful characters.

The pandemic has shown us the full power of volunteering. Many individuals have fallen in love with it, while others have continued to do what they have always done. This excitement and drive to volunteer is still evident, people have seen and felt the benefits not only for themselves but for those around them. As more people work from home, change careers, and have new priorities, now couldn’t be a better time to dip your toes into volunteering. Volunteering offers new skills and experiences, increased confidence and the opportunity to help put a smile on someone else’s face.

I am excited to see where this new energy behind volunteering goes and I look forward to meeting so many new and exciting characters along the way.

Thank you to all of those who supported efforts throughout the pandemic, and before! And best of luck to all those joining this amazing community of people.

 

Parker Hollants, Volunteer Officer – Legends of the Forest

 

You can find out more about how you can get involved in this year’s Volunteers ’Week on the official page here.

In the meantime, if you are looking to volunteer and start a new exciting journey today, you can discover all available roles through Groundwork London’s volunteering services below:

Volunteering Kingston

Legends of the Forest, Waltham Forest

Volunteering Barnet

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The importance of celebration in a troubled time

Volunteers Week 2022

This year, National Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June) coincides with an extended celebration of the 70th year on the throne of Queen Elizabeth II. Manifesting itself with a four-day bank holiday weekend, the country will no doubt dig deep into its reserves of unity to ensure a celebratory mood. Not only this, but these events have fallen in the month of June, which is dedicated to celebrating Communities.

National Volunteers’ Week (NVW) is all about gratitude and so it should be. If ever there was “a time to say thanks”, the theme of this year’s NVW, to volunteers and the groups that come together in our communities, it is now. The contribution of volunteers has ensured our society remained functioning over the past two years of peaks and troughs.

The thought of celebrating may not be appealing right now, while the demand for foodbanks reaches a new peak, being positive whilst millions of displaced Ukrainians look for safety and money is tighter than usual. Personally, whilst I understand this thinking, I believe greater hurdles calls for a greater need for trumpet blowing. June 2022 and the co-incidence of NVW, Communities Month and the Jubilee is one such occasion.

Groundwork London’s volunteering services in the London Boroughs of Kingston, Barnet and Waltham Forest will be celebrating National Volunteers’ Week to show our appreciation to volunteers who have dedicated their time and effort to support their communities. We are working with others to ensure “a time to say thanks” continues later into the month. Events will be held in each Borough to not only mark our appreciation but to be central in strengthening bonds that bind individual volunteers, volunteer-involving organisations and the statutory sector locally. Keep your eyes peeled it will be celebratory and if circumstances allow, fun.

 

You can find out more about how you can get involved in this year’s Volunteers ’Week on the official page here.

In the meantime, if you are looking to volunteer and start a new exciting journey today, you can discover all our available roles through Groundwork London’s volunteering services below:

Volunteering Kingston

Legends of the Forest, Waltham Forest

Volunteering Barnet