Volunteers’ Week: The big celebration!
Thank you for getting involved in Volunteers’ Week 2016 – what a big celebration it was!
We got Volunteers’ Week off to a flying start on 1 June, and with your help #VolunteersWeek was trending second worldwide on Twitter. Of course, that was only the beginning – with 924 events on the Volunteers’ Week map, celebrations continued for all 12 days across the country.
We loved hearing your volunteering stories on Twitter with #ivolunteer, and during the week NCVO staff shared some of our own:
We’ve saved some of our favourites pictures and images on our Pinterest board, so go have a browse and re-live some of the celebrations.
Catch-up with the celebrations
Why not catch-up with our online celebrations for Volunteer’s Week.
On the NCVO blog, we’ve been championing volunteering:
- Volunteers’ Week: The big celebration by Karl Wilding
- Could you volunteer as a trustee? by Neal Green, Charity Commission
- School: The highway to social action? by Kerri Hall, Step up to Serve
- Demonstrating the importance of volunteers in your organisation by Matt Hatt, Shakespeare’s Globe theatre
- The ‘win-win’ nature of social action volunteering by Anne Heal, Chair of Volunteering Matters and a trustee of NCVO
Telling volunteers’ stories on the Volunteers’ Week blog:
- From the top of the world to a village schoolroom: Two awe inspiring places in the Himalayas by Ashish Dabral, BT Global Services
- Shop volunteering undressed by Abbie Hills, Cancer Research UK
- Volunteering has put me on the path to a new career by Kathryn Crawt, Friday Friendship Group and Alzheimer’s Society and Stroke Association
- The bridge to inspiration by Laura Catlow, the Bridge for Heroes
- Providing for those who need it most by Harriet Zych, Doctors of the World
- Fostering for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home by James Ross, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
Sharing good practice with how-to guides and case studies on NCVO Knowhow Nonprofit:
- How to share your volunteering opportunity more widely using digital by Do-it
- Developing a skills-based approach to employer supported volunteering, from National Grid
- Setting up a company volunteer programme, from Providence Row
Volunteers aren’t just for Volunteers’ Week…
As Dudley CVS points out, volunteering doesn’t end with Volunteers’ Week and neither should celebrating our volunteers. You can access our guidance on thanking volunteers and retaining volunteers all year around.
Plus, the BBC’s Do Something Great series continues, with an interactive quiz designed to entice new volunteers and celebrity support for volunteering from the Hairy Bikers, DIY SOS and Countryfile. You can see what’s going on and get involved on Twitter with #DoSomethingGreat.
Celebrating at The Patron’s Lunch
The end of Volunteers’ Week coincided with the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations on Sunday 12 June. At the Patron’s Lunch on The Mall, charity staff, volunteers and guests celebrated The Queen’s patronage of over 600 charities and organisations on the occasion of her 90th birthday. The event on the Mall was a real success, with a little rain not dampening this celebration of Britain’s long history of voluntary action.
Big shout out to all the #ThePatronsLunch volunteers! #VolunteersWeek #JoinIn pic.twitter.com/BM34cLiU5J
— NCVO Volunteering (@NCVOvolunteers) June 12, 2016
https://twitter.com/kerrylinden/status/742067080875376640
At the heart of good practice
Thousands of people manage and oversee the activities of volunteers every day, from established volunteering programmes to one-off volunteering events, so what is at the heart of good practice in volunteer management? On the blog, Jarina suggests five things to consider when managing volunteers.
You can book now for our training designed specifically for volunteer managers:
- Safeguarding for volunteer managers, 29 June, London
- Assessing the impact of your volunteers, 11 July, London
- Good practice in volunteer management, 18 July, London
Members’ assembly
NCVO members can book now for the next meeting of the assembly on Wednesday 22 June in Bristol. Join us for an interactive policy discussion about challenges and opportunities for the voluntary sector over this parliament led by Charlotte Ravenscroft, head of policy and public services at NCVO. We will also be showcasing work by local organisations and there will be opportunities to network over a free lunch. We hope to see you there.
Emily was NCVO’s trainee volunteering development policy officer. She is interested in policy around volunteering, particularly diversity in volunteering, employability, volunteering in public services, and employer supported volunteering. 
