Volunteering round-up: April 2019

Countdown to Volunteers Week 2019

Each year, Volunteers’ Week reaches more people in new and exciting ways. The success of the week is all down to you – the people and organisations who are loud, grateful and unapologetic about recognising the great stuff volunteers do. It takes place 1-7 June and is a time to celebrate the fantastic contribution volunteers make. During the week, hundreds of events and celebrations take place across the UK, saying thank you to volunteers and recognising their invaluable and diverse contributions.

Planning for Volunteers’ Week 2019 is well underway. You can let people know what you’ll be doing to celebrate volunteers by listing your event on the new events listing. You’ll also find inspiring volunteering stories and freely available downloadable resources to help make your celebrations a success.

We are running a webinar on 2 May to talk about the different ways organisations can get involved with Volunteers’ Week. Find out more information about the webinar and register here. Everything you need to get involved is on our Volunteers Week website. Whether it’s your first time celebrating the week, or you’ve been with us from the first celebration 35 years ago, this is for you.

Rotary and NCVO launch partnership to support volunteering

A brand-new event to encourage people to get involved in volunteering will be launched in 2020, with the help of a new partnership between NCVO and Rotary. Volunteer Expo, created and led by Rotary, will connect 6000 new and existing volunteers with 110 charities and community-interest groups to encourage greater involvement with volunteering and social action.

As part of the partnership over 1,200 Rotary clubs and groups in England will become eligible for free NCVO membership, starting with a pilot programme already underway in five regions. Clubs will have access to advice and support on topics including fundraising and volunteering.

Amanda Watkin, General Secretary of Rotary Great Britain and Ireland, said:

We’re incredibly excited to be bringing Volunteer Expo to life in 2020. We know that volunteering plays a huge part in our society and transforms the lives of millions of people around the country every single year. We’re delighted to be partnering with NCVO and welcoming them on board as Volunteer Expo’s official Charity Partner and encourage all NCVO members to join us at the event as exhibitors, visitors and as part of our exciting programme of workshops and seminars.

If you‘re interested in exhibiting at the expo, please email Volunteer Expo or visit their website.

DCMS: five ways civil society organisations can prepare for EU exit

Very early yesterday morning it was announced that EU leaders had granted the UK an extension to Article 50, setting a deadline of 31 October 2019. While it is still unclear when exactly the UK will leave the EU, this extension means that there is no prospect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal today and the country will now hold European elections in May.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have produced some useful guidance outlining five ways civil society organisations can prepare for Brexit. This includes advice on what organisations can do if they employ EU staff; involve EU volunteers in their work; receive EU funding; receive any personal data from the EU and import any import or exports good with the EU. There is also guidance on customs, excise, VAT and regulatory charges.

DCMS: new safeguarding training fund announced

In late March, the Minister for Civil Society Mims Davies announced an investment of £1.2m by the government and the National Lottery Community Fund to help all charities with safeguarding support and help them improve their knowledge of safeguarding requirements. NCVO has been named as the organisation that will lead the delivery of phase 1 of the Safeguarding Training Fund. Read Elizabeth Chamberlain’s blog to find out more about the fund and how it will work.

APPG: diversity in leadership

It was standing-room only at the latest meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Charities and Volunteering which met on 27 March to discuss diversity in leadership and governance in charities. You can catch up on what charities and parliamentarians said via #appgcav . You can also sign up to get updates about upcoming meetings of the APPG on Charities and Volunteering.

At #appgcav this morning. "What is a good employer in the 21st century?" asks Tracey Lazard @InclusionLondon – a great approach to improving diversity in leadership.

Leaders need flexbility, accountability, to make inclusion a priority.

— Felicity (@felicity_iof) March 27, 2019

NCVO Annual Conference 2019

NCVO’s Annual Conference 2019 was held in London on 1 April 2019. Hundreds of colleagues from across the sector came together for a great day of discussion and networking. You can see all the slides from the day, including from the breakout session (B3) that focused on strategic volunteering. You can also catch up on much of the interesting discussion from the day at #NCVOconf, and watch the keynote speeches from NCVO chief executive Sir Stuart Etherington, Oxfam GB’s new chief executive Danny Sriskandarajah and founder of RECLAIM and the Roots Programme, Ruth Ibegbuna.

National Volunteering Forum: digital and the volunteer journey

We are looking forward to our next National Volunteering Forum on 15 May at NCVO where delegates from volunteer-involving organisations will come together to discuss digital and the volunteer journey. The forum is now sold out, however you can add your name to the waiting list.

Our National Volunteering Forums bring together volunteer-involving organisations and volunteer infrastructure bodies from around England to discuss issues of shared concern, feed into NCVO’s policy positions and to network. We run three events every year, including at least one outside of London. You can read about the last forum here.

NCVO Campaigning Conference 2019

NCVO’s annual Campaigning Conference is the major event for campaigns, public affairs, and policy professionals working across the voluntary sector. Join us to learn practical skills, share knowledge and expand your network. This year’s conference will take place on Friday 6 September at NCVO in London. Book your place at this conference now and save 10% when you book by Friday 28 June.

Call for papers: Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference 2019

Each year, the Voluntary Sector and Volunteering Research Conference (VSVR), organised by the Voluntary Sector Studies Network (VSSN) and NCVO provides a unique opportunity for academics, policy makers and practitioners from the UK and further afield to come together to share findings and discuss the implications of research. This year the conference, hosted by Aston University Business School, will be held on 10 and 11 September and will focus on ‘a civil society for the future’.

The organisers of the conference are looking for submissions for individual papers, panel sessions and workshops. Given the conference theme, they are particularly keen to receive proposals offering critical reflections on the future of civil society, but we welcome submissions that address a range of issues relevant to any aspect of the voluntary sector and volunteering. Find out more information on the conference and how to submit a proposal. The deadline for submissions is 13 May 2019. The VSVR conference is also an ideal opportunity for new or early career researchers looking to meet, discuss and present their research with other new researchers in a supportive setting. A special series of parallel sessions will be run as part of the conference for ‘new’ researchers. Attendance at this part of the conference is subsidised and is intended for all early career researchers in the field of voluntary sector studies, whether postgraduate students or working/volunteering in the voluntary sector. Find out more information about the new researchers’ session.

Talking about voluntary action and the welfare state: historical reflections, current debates

The Discourses of Voluntary Action research project group will be hosting a free workshop at NCVO on the morning of Tuesday 30 April to discuss research on the role of voluntary action in welfare provision in the 1940s and 2010s. The event is free to attend, and travel expenses can be reimbursed. You can find out more information and register for the event here.

Heritage Volunteering Conference 2019

Heritage Volunteering Group’s annual Heritage Volunteering Conference will be on 10 May at the National Railway Museum in York. The event will also host the Heritage Volunteering Group’s Volunteer Manager of the Year Awards. Book your place at this conference here.

Investing in Volunteers (IiV)

Investing in Volunteers (IiV) is the UK quality standard for good practice in volunteer management. In the latest case study, Leicestershire Youth Offending Service tell us about their Investing in Volunteers renewal journey and give valuable advice to organisations thinking about going through IiV.

Training and events

Keep up to date with latest volunteering policy, research and practice at our sector-leading training and events:

National Volunteering Forum – 15 May 2019 – NCVO Conference Suite, London

Come and join us and a panel of experts at our National Volunteering Forum as we discuss digital and the volunteer journey. This event is now sold out, however you can add your name to the waiting list.

Good Practice in Volunteer Management – 17 May 2019 – NCVO Conference Suite, London

This course introduces the key principles of good practice in volunteer management and shows how to apply them to your organisation.

Safeguarding for volunteer managers – 24 May 2019 – NCVO Conference Suite, London

This course introduces the basics of safeguarding within a volunteer managers role and highlights effective safeguarding practice.

Volunteering and the Law – 12 July 2019 – NCVO Conference Suite, London 

Understand volunteering and the law in relation to issues such as safeguarding, data protection, health and safety, equality and diversity, insurance and benefits.

NCVO Campaigning Conference 2019 – 6 September 2019 – NCVO Conference Suite, London

The major event for campaigns, public affairs, and policy professionals working across the voluntary sector. Join us to learn practical skills, share knowledge and expand your network.