It’s time for our June volunteering round-up including information, updates and events on all things volunteering.
Vision for Volunteering
Exciting news! We’ve partnered with NAVCA, Volunteering Matters and the Association of Volunteer Managers in a new collaboration called Vision for Volunteering. We want to bring together people and organisations across England. This is about collaborating and creating a long-term vision for volunteering. We’re seeking to integrate volunteering into post-covid recovery and want to make this process of engaging voices and volunteering experiences as inclusive as possible.
Our aim is to create a clear and optimistic plan for volunteering over the next decade. If you want to find out more, please visit the Vision for Volunteering website where you can also see the timeline and sign up here for updates and ways to join the collaboration.
Volunteers’ Week 1-7 June
We’re feeling misty-eyed about Volunteers’ Week 2021. ‘A time to say thanks’ was keenly embraced by so many of you and our UK partners: Volunteer Now, Volunteer Scotland and the Welsh Council for Voluntary Action. #MonthOfCommunity continues for the rest of June and don’t forget the upcoming #ThankYouDay on 4 July delivered by the Together Coalition.
Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK. Winners of the 2021 award were announced on 2 June during Volunteers’ Week. This year there were 241 recipients of The Queen’s Award Voluntary Service from across the UK.
Of these, 164 are also receiving a special designation for providing impactful support during the pandemic. Nominations for the 2022 Award opened on 1 April and will close at 5pm on 15 September 2021. Read the guidance notes and nominate a local group for the QAVS.
Covid-19 guidance updates
England remains in step three of the government’s roadmap with a four-week lockdown extension from 21 June to take us to 19 July. Volunteering from home continues to be the current advice, although volunteering is exempt from coronavirus restrictions. Check our guidance on involving volunteers during the covid-19 pandemic for the latest updates.
New volunteer management content
We want to thank all the volunteer leaders and managers who gave their time and brains to help us test and restructure our volunteer management online content. We have successfully completed a huge overhaul and we hope our new website is easier to navigate, gives you the information you need, and links across to all our related content on volunteering.
If you have any feedback or questions on the new volunteer management content, please use this form to let us know.
The alternative to volunteer rota spreadsheets
We’ve got good news: there’s an alternative to using spreadsheets for volunteer rotas. This free webinar Volunteer management: Making the journey from spreadsheets to software on 30 June at 11.30-12.30, will offer a summary of what was learnt. It’ll also help you consider how you might manage volunteers in the future.
Rethinking your approach to volunteering
As we emerge from the pandemic, there has never been a better time to rethink volunteering. Let us help you refresh your volunteering offer and make a new case for resourcing it. NCVO can offer a strategic review of volunteering, drawing on good practice across the sector and in all aspects of the volunteer journey. This includes:
- recruitment
- volunteer management and communication
- policies and procedures
- trustee development
- impact measurement
- guidance on systems and software.
Our team of in-house consultants will draw on their knowledge and expertise to support you. Read more about how NCVO consultants can help.
Covid-19 Voluntary Sector Impact Barometer
The Respond, Recover, Reset project with Nottingham Trent University has released its seventh report. May’s theme was volunteering and how it has changed during the pandemic, including:
- numbers
- time given to volunteering
- range of activities
- intensity
- skilled and digital volunteering
- demographics
- long-term outlook as we come out of lockdown.
Wave eight of the barometer survey was launched on 12 May, closed on 26 May and received 294 responses. The data from the report can be found in this month’s Respond, Recover, Reset barometer dashboard.
Health Education England’s survey
Health Education England’s (HEE) National Volunteering Unit is inviting health and care volunteers to complete a short survey. They wish to find out about the training volunteers have received and how HEE can better support health and care volunteers through education, training, and development resources.
The survey results will be used to improve learning and development resources for health and care volunteers. Please share this survey with your health and care volunteers. The survey closes 31 July. If you have any questions, email volunteer@hee.nhs.uk.
Investing in Volunteers update
Preparation is taking place for the next Investing in Volunteers (IiV) Quality Assurance panel meeting in July. This is to assess reports received from volunteer-involving organisations across the UK.
Investing in Volunteers is the UK standard to assess and award volunteer involving organisations, and to support them strengthen their volunteer management and practice. It’s suitable for all volunteer involving organisations regardless of size or type, or where they are based in the UK. For further information, please visit the IiV website.
NCVO training
Safeguarding essentials in charities
The upcoming dates for the safeguarding essential in charities course are 13 July or 11 August, 10.00-15.00.
Good practice in volunteer management
Our popular good practice in volunteer management takes place over two half-days from 10.00-13.00. You need to attend both days because they are two parts of one course.
August course
- Session 1: Tuesday 17 August
- Session 2: Thursday 19 August
September course
- Session 1: Tuesday 21 September
- Session 2: Thursday 23 September
Charity Trustee induction and refresher
Our charity trustee induction and refresher course also takes place over two half days, 10.00-13.00. You need to attend both days because they are two parts of one course.
September course
- Session 1: Wednesday 8 September
- Session 2: Friday 10 September
October course
- Session 1: Tuesday 5 October
- Session 2: Friday 8 October
Jarina is our volunteering development consultancy officer. Jarina develops consultancy and training services with the aim of improving volunteering practice across the public, private and voluntary sectors. 
