Category: Organisations

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Reflections on partnership

partnership

As National Volunteers’ Week 2022 looms on the horizon, I have found myself pondering the nature of partnership and specifically how adversity drives organisations (and people) to answers they otherwise would not have found. Specifically, from a Volunteering Kingston perspective, it manifested itself with the partnership that became Kingston Stronger Together (KST). As we tip-toe back to a world where pandemic viruses are not all-embracing and other issues become dominant in the media it is worth taking a moment to appreciate some of the gains made. 

The KST came together in late February/early March 2020 at the beginning of an unprecedented medical crisis. It started because the then Leader of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK) had a clear vision of genuine partnership for Covid-response and she found the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations willing collaborators. Civic leadership has changed since then and the individuals who were the core elements of that partnership also moved on but the mechanics of partnership remain.  

From Volunteering Kingston’s (Groundwork London) perspective the value in the KST came from the partnership approach and the utilising of resources that accrues from it. By engaging the VCS as equals rather than as sub-contractors (something at the time we hoped to be reflected in the conclusions to the RBK Voluntary Sector Commissioning process review) RBK had been able to garner almost unique levels of service delivery cooperation and ensure a communication cycle unpreceded within the borough. For just under two years, the partnership was central to safeguarding the local community. 

There was a sea of goodwill from within the community of Kingston borough which saw an initial rush of 1200 volunteers for Covid-response.

This, combined with the contribution of informal and spontaneous localised groups, was pivotal to supporting professionals in coordinating the various delivery tiers. Despite an over-supply of willing volunteers (which mirrored the experience of the NHS volunteers) the volunteer experience in the borough rose to new levels and looked like it would continue to do so for some time to come.  

About a year in, whilst others were looking ahead, we understood it was absolutely vital that the core elements of the KST/Hub approach were maintained. 

The organisation’s key to success was retaining the leadership element whilst remaining open to all civic and stakeholder contributors.

The response to Covid-19 demonstrated how co-operative and collaborative approaches can be enacted quickly and become efficient and effective. Between March 2020 to March 2022, the KST proved to work and, in some form or other, it must continue. 

It is now May 2022 and, as needs decline, not all physical manifestations of that partnership are still in play, understandably. However, the KST has made the concept of positive partnership a reality, supported by a massive body of work and experience. The VCS* side is still here and responding to needs. It is still the place where individual volunteers connect to be part of the whole, still being partnership personified. On reflection, it was a massive achievement!   

By Michael Green, May 2022. 

 

* Including Volunteering Kingston, Kingston Voluntary Action, as well as organisations such as the Foodbank and Voices for Hope and informal contributions from the Good Gym groups etc. 

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Barriers made gateways

When those of us in the Volunteer Services business think about barriers to volunteering we are inclined to think in big picture terms. Accessibility, diversity and ensuring a positive volunteering experience are all important issues to think about but do they reflect the reality of the individual?  

 Often for those of us professionally working in the Voluntary Sector and engaging with volunteers, we miss some of the nuances of what prevents people from putting themselves forward. The large number of people who have appropriate skill-sets but don’t seem to be able to take an intention to serve their community through action is a resource opportunity missed. Sometimes the barriers are smaller than you think, don’t require extensive training courses or attractive volunteering opportunity scopes and that begs the question what can be done to overcome them? The answer can sometimes be found in the human experience. 

 Let’s take my better half as an example. A very busy life, bookended between civic responsibility and parenthood and yet still keen to somehow do more. Whilst she has been a volunteer in various organisations for many years, the idea of stepping up a level was one she baulked at. Now, as much as I’d like to say my persuasive coaxing helped her grasp the nettle the reality is that it all came from her. In her own words, this is what allowed her to take that extra step: 

 “I took on my first voluntary board member role earlier this year. The organisation is a housing association for people with complex mental health needs. A lot of my volunteer roles have centred around mental health, an issue close to my heart, so it seemed an obvious step. 

 I was warmly welcomed by the other board members and officers and got stuck straight in. It is different to the more personal volunteering support I was used to, but just as rewarding. I’m looking at the financial sustainability of the organisation; the long-term vision and goals; the quality of services; better working with stakeholders and the community; and the set-up of the organisation itself. Because of my skill-set, I’ve joined a subcommittee looking at quality and compliance, including resident and stakeholder satisfaction. As a regulated service working with NHS and local authorities, there are multiple aspects to this work, but putting clients and service users first is a must for me. They come to us via various methods, but all of them need support and care to help them move on to more independent living. Their voice is vital in the running of the service, so we take time to listen to what they want and need. 

 I was worried that the time element would make it difficult for me, but that hasn’t been the case. We have board meetings every other month in the early evening, then there are a few emails and papers a week to read through, some mandatory training videos and occasionally an away day. I can fit this into my schedule without any problems and mostly work at a time that suits me and my family. 

 I know that by being a board member, I am helping shape the organisation to provide what the organisation and the clients need. The reward of joining a board comes in knowing that my work will help change their lives for the better and there is nothing more satisfying than that. I’m glad I made this step. I’m still doing the personal volunteering in other organisations, but this has given me the chance to help with wider changes that need to be made to give the best services to this vulnerable group of our community.” 

 I use this close to home example to show that even though my partner had access to someone like myself, with best practice and up to date volunteer stimulation skills, it was the ability to fit her new responsibilities within an existing busy life that drove this forward. Volunteering and the roles we create in its name isn’t a vacuum, it has to reflect the real-world experience of the community you are hoping to tap into. This is the case even more so in the current hybrid “nearly post-pandemic” age where reluctance has been increased. 

 The lesson for me, and I suggest for others, is that whilst it is very important to have a good policy framework for encouraging volunteers it is the capacity to be flexible that allows an individual to see where they can add their unique value. Talking to individuals can go a long way to opening up possibilities. Once a person is freed from the restraint they can quickly become an asset. Barriers become gateways and we all benefit.  

  

Michael Green. March 2022. 

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Top 10 Tips for Recruiting Volunteer Trustees

Looking to recruit volunteers? Here are some top tips

  1. Brainstorm all of the possible motivations for a Trustee for your charity whether that’s giving back, career development, passion towards the cause etc.
  2. Reach out to your networks, current and former volunteers, service users and their families, supporters and anyone connected to your organisation.
  3. Have a look at Reach Volunteering’s amazing resources on Trustee recruitment.
  4. Ensure that your recruitment is accessible – especially if you are a disability charity.
  5. Keep things up to date – terms like ‘Treasurer’ may be off putting to younger volunteers. Use terms like Finance Trustee instead.
  6. Have a look at Getting on Board services and resources.
  7. Think outside the box and remember that Trustees don’t have to be ‘pale, male and stale’.
  8. Make it clear – the difference the volunteer will make by volunteering for you.
  9. Offer to have an informal chat or visit with the Trustee.
  10. Get in touch with Volunteering Kingston for a one-to-one advice session.
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‘Getting on Board’ – opening up charity boards

This Trustees’ Week, Getting on Board is trying to open up charitys’ boards. Want to know how? Then read on to find out all about it.

About Getting on Board

Getting on Board is a trustee recruitment and diversity charity. It’s our guiding belief that diversity in the board of Trustees is key to effective decision making, better delivery of a charity’s services and the broader goal of creating a more equitable society.

Getting on Board supports people to become charity trustees, particularly those who are currently under-represented on trustee boards. The aspiring trustees we support include young people, women, people of colour, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people, working class people, and people with lived experience of marginalisation.

We help charities in their mission to become more representative of the communities they serve by recruiting and retaining trustees from a diversity of backgrounds and lived experiences. This is fundamental because charities need access to the broadest possible talent pool to function at the highest level. This is only possible when diversity is preserved in every aspect of the trustee recruitment and retention process – not seen as a box ticking exercise that equates to lowering the bar.

To keep up to date with our training and programmes, please sign up for our newsletter.

 

Festival of Trusteeship

Getting on Board’s online Festival of Trusteeship will take place 1st-5th November 2021 and they are offering our registered volunteers a 50% discount. The Festival is packed with exciting events for people who want to become trustees, trustees who want to keep learning and developing, and for charity leaders who want to understand best practice in trustee recruitment and diversity. Use the code LOCAL50 to receive a 50% discount. The code also works on weekly passes, bringing the ticket fare down to £12.50 and allowing you to access as many of the 24 events as you’d like. Click here to explore all the scheduled events.

 

Training and resources for aspiring trustees

Learning from experts in a supportive group of likeminded individuals can make the process towards trusteeship easier and more enjoyable. All our training is designed to be easily accessible to all aspiring trustees and all programmes are excellent value for money.

If you’re an organisation that wants to train or support a number of aspiring trustees, you can find all you need here.

✦  Our Charity Board Leadership Programme will teach you what makes an effective, strategic and responsible trustee. If you’re ready to take up a trusteeship and need help getting the process over the line, this is the programme for you. Many delegates find a position within weeks of completing the course (some even find a position while the course is still ongoing!). Our flagship six-week programme runs six cohorts a year and costs £875 per person.​

✦  If you’ve decided that you want to become a trustee, have a working knowledge of what being a trustee involves and are looking for some one-to-one help with your trusteeship position research and applications, then Board Match one-to-one is right for you. You can find out more here.

✦  Are you between 18-30 years old? Do you want to make an impact to a cause or community you’re passionate about? Getting on Board’s Future Trustees programme teaches you everything you need to know about what being a trustee involves and the steps to take so you can become a trustee too.

✦  There is also our regular, one-hour ‘What is a trustee and how do I become one?’ webinar, giving you an introduction to what trustees are, what they do, and top tips on how to become one.

 

As well as support from Getting On Board, you can always speak to Volunteering Kingston about all aspects of getting involved in volunteering and trusteeship.

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Getting on Board – Festival of Trusteeship

Trustees’ week is an annual event to showcase the great work Trustees do and provide opportunities for everyone to get involved and make a difference. This year, we want to thank all the Trustees for playing a vital role, volunteering their time and for coming together to make important decisions in local communities through the causes and charities they believe in.

 

What is Festival of Trusteeship?

Getting on Board’s online Festival of Trusteeship will take place 1st-5th November 2021 and they are offering our registered volunteers a 50% discount. The Festival is packed with exciting events for people who want to become trustees, trustees who want to keep learning and developing, and for charity leaders who want to understand best practices in trustee recruitment and diversity. Use the code LOCAL50 to receive a 50% discount. The code also works on weekly passes, bringing the ticket fare down to £12.50 and allowing you to access as many of the 24 events as you’d like. Click here to explore all the scheduled events.

 

About Getting on Board

Getting on Board is a trustee recruitment and diversity charity. Its guiding belief is that diversity in the board of Trustees is key to effective decision making, better delivery of a charity’s services and the broader goal of creating a more equitable society.

Getting on Board supports people to become charity trustees, particularly those who are currently under-represented on trustee boards. The aspiring trustees they support include young people, women, people of colour, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people, working class people, and people with lived experience of marginalisation.

Getting on Board’s objective to recruit and retain trustees from a diverse range of backgrounds and lived experiences is fundamental to its vision because charities need access to the broadest possible talent pool to function at the highest level. This is only possible when diversity is preserved in every aspect of the trustee recruitment and retention process as against a box ticking exercise that can equate to lowering the bar.

To receive regular updates on training and programmes straight to your inbox, you can sign up to receive newsletters from Getting on Board.

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Delivering goodwill and essential supplies

 

We spoke to Liam at Alfriston Outreach Service about how they are involving volunteers in their work. Looking forward, Alfriston Outreach Service want to carry on involving volunteers, moving away from short term practical tasks to befriending and volunteer-led activities. With a set of pre-COVID volunteers, the current food delivery volunteers and the future recruits, the Alfriston team is planning ahead and looking forward to welcoming their service users back at the Centre.

 

Alfriston Outreach Service is a Day Centre that offers a range of services such as activity packs, shopping/delivery, prescription pick-up, hearing aid batteries, laundry, crisis support, and technology support to Kingston residents. In the past, a typical day would see many residents walking into the Centre to socialize and interact with other service users. However, since March 2020 they have remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, they have been contracted by Kingston Council to provide support for older people such as delivering food and other essential supplies.

Volunteers have always played a key role at the Alfriston Outreach Service Centre taking up everyday tasks to support their services. Although the Centre has traditionally recruited volunteers through word of mouth, they’ve found Team Kinetic (Volunteering Kingston’s volunteer management platform) much more effective for recruiting and managing volunteers. According to the Alfriston Outreach Service, the platform’s user-friendly outlook with simplified interactive features has been a game changer.

It was during the initial days of the lockdown when Liam and his manager found it very challenging to manage the office-based tasks alongside travelling to various parts of the Borough to deliver food. So they decided to recruit for two roles that needed one or two volunteers and received an overwhelming response from twenty-five volunteers who were keen to get out to help those in need and offer their share of service towards the community.

 

Without volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to do this. Once we got in touch with Volunteering Kingston, everything happened very quickly and it made things run a lot smoother.

 

The volunteers who came on board to support with the food delivery role have been delivering more than just the essential supplies, they have been delivering smiles, a hearty chat and acting as an observant eye to check on the well-being of the service users. For example, one volunteer reported that a service user seemed a little confused during their interaction, which led to the Alfriston team checking on the resident to make sure they received the support they needed. Alfriston Outreach Service fully appreciates how volunteers have come forward during these tough times to spread goodwill in the community. To further amplify this, there are plans to include the volunteers in an Easter Egg delivery in the coming weeks. We at Volunteering Kingston think that this is a fantastic idea and perhaps the volunteers could dress up as Easter bunnies? Just a thought!

 

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Involving volunteers in this most unusual of festive seasons

Lots of people get the volunteering urge in the run-up to Christmas, from the desire to teach their children that there is more to the day than presents to the need to clear their head after too many mulled wines, it Is always a period for people to give their time.

This year, with many of the usual celebrations altered or stopped altogether, many people will be even more keen to volunteer.

For organisations, managing volunteer interest during a busy time can be a challenge. Please see the tips below for how to support and involve volunteers – and make the most of the season of goodwill.

Keeping Christmas safe

Regardless of restrictions, people have always been permitted to volunteer outside their home if necessary. People who are extremely clinically vulnerable are advised not to go to work or volunteer outside of the home. When recruiting for roles which involved leading the home, please inform volunteers of the steps you have taken to keep them safe and ask them to confirm that they are not in a group asked to take extra care.

Organisations must take precautions as much as possible when using volunteers to deliver services in person. Please check our resource bank and the government guidance on how to keep people safe. Please get in touch with us if you’d like some bespoke advice.

Spreading joy at home

As we will be spending a lot more time at home why not encourage people who want to volunteer to get involved from the comfort of their sitting rooms? This is a great way of softening the blow to people who wanted to get out there volunteering, as well as keeping your current volunteers engaged and feeling rewarded.

Ideas to encourage volunteering from home:

*  Writing Christmas cards to service users – whether you give out their names (with permission) or just have people write ‘Hello’, this can be great if you are supporting people likely to be lonely this Christmas.

*  Zoom carol services.

*  Lots of people have clear-outs before and after Christmas – so encourage them to donate to your charity shop or why not look into creating an eBay shop?

*  Socially distanced Santa fun run. Rather than a parade of Santas running down the high street, you could have people run their usual running route in fancy dress and encourage people to spot Father Christmas ‘in the wild’.

*  Families will be looking for lots of activities to get the little ones busy over the Christmas holidays. Here are some ideas that engage families – they could be charged for as part of a fundraising campaign, but it is worth bearing in mind that many families will be struggling with finances this year, therefore, price accordingly – you could also allow entries based on ‘pay what you can’.

  1. Christmas drawing competitions
  2. Photo competition – the strangest place to find Santa’s elves
  3. Creative writing – e.g. wishes for 2021
  4. Toy clear out – encouraging donations for your charity shop. Send out digital certificates for children who donate toys etc.

*  Recording Christmas messages for service users – a great task for existing volunteers. They could record themselves singing Christmas songs, reading Christmas stories (for children in particular) and tell so-bad-they’re-good cracker jokes.

Once someone has been involved in a small way, they often are interested in volunteering more. Make sure to follow up with volunteers (if they consent!) with details of any volunteering opportunities in the new year.

Christmas free zones

Some people, after a difficult year, will be looking forward to the festivity and joy of this period. Others may find it hard to celebrate this year, especially if they have suffered from bereavement or are facing a lonely Christmas.

You may find that you want to focus more on 2021 and a fresh new start that the new year brings. Focusing in on the benefits that any new volunteers might bring, or what you are planning in the new year may be more effective.

Of course, there are many people who do not celebrate Christmas. Consider noting other religious holidays in your communications.

Some Jewish people volunteer on Mitzvah Day which this year was held on 15 November. We spoke to Rebecca Singerman-Knight, the Deputy Chair of Kingston Liberal Synagogue, who said:

“We have been involved in two volunteering projects for Mitzvah Day this year. For the first, our members recorded videos of themselves singing favourite songs or reading poems, and we compiled a playlist to share with elderly residents in Jewish Care homes across the country who have been suffering this year due to lack of visitors.  You can watch the playlist here.

 

We are also running an ongoing project in which our members are putting together personal hygiene bags for homeless people and we will be delivering these to Kingston Churches Against Homelessness at the end of November”.

Why not get in touch with your local place of worship to ask if they are interested in celebrating a particular holiday through volunteering.

Directing people to opportunities

If you have people interested in volunteering who you can’t accommodate, encourage them to read this festive volunteering blog and find out more about activities they could take up this festive season.

You could also encourage them to search for roles using our new website.

Remember, we are always here to help and support with any aspect of involving volunteers.

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Trustee Diversity Matters 

The diversity of trustees, or charity board members, tends not to reflect the demographics of the communities they operate in. Many charities recruit informally and through their existing networks; resulting in poor diversity among the board and a risk of a disconnect between organisation and beneficiary.

According to Charity Commission for England and Wales and Inclusive Boards:

  • just 36% of trustees are women
  • only 8% are from a BAME background
  • 61years-old is the average age of a trustee
  • only 2% of trustees are under 24-year-olds

Why diversity on boards is important

Appointing a board that reflects the community you work with improves your decision-making, meaning more effective client services. Diversity brings unique talent, knowledge, and inspiration to charities; generating an influx of new ideas and inspiration. By recruiting trustees from a variety of professional and personal backgrounds and ensuring a healthy changeover, organisations can help keep the board fresh and provide professional development opportunities to more people.

5 top tips for improving diversity on boards  

  1. Set time limits for trustee teams this will help your board stay fresh and prevent leadership from becoming stale
  2. Use alternative methods of recruitment not just word of mouth
  3. Look for people with lived experiences related to your charitable cause
  4. Organise accessible board meetings that take place at convenient locations and times and are inclusive for those with disability
  5. Monitor the diversity of your board regularly to ensure a good mix of technical skills and expertise.

If you’re currently recruiting new trustees Volunteering Kingston would be happy to promote your opportunity to their pool of volunteers. Get in touch with Molly from Volunteering Kingston on enquiry@volunteeringkingston.org.uk for more information.

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Got an idea for a group or club?

There is a great opportunity emerging from the RBK Library Service. They are inviting individuals and groups to use their library spaces to share skill sets and passion that others would find useful or enjoy. If you have an idea that you would like to share with others but are unsure how to go about it or where to hold it, then read on further to find out more.

The RBK Library Service can offer you the space for free and support you with the setting up and promotion of your idea. Whether it is learning new skills, sharing passion, a one-off or a long term venture, they are keen to hear from Kingston residents who are fourteen and over.

As social distancing is the present priority, initially they can offer a virtual room to develop your idea with the intention of bringing it into the physical space once it is safe to do so.

Some examples of groups that have been set up are craft groups, a book club and Ki Gong. You could also set up a group to support a cause that is important to you, such as the environment or tackling loneliness. Whatever your idea, please contact Giselle at giselle.monbiot@kingston.gov.uk to speak further about this.