The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), created in 2002 is an MBE for UK voluntary groups. The award seeks to recognise volunteer groups in communities across the UK. Nominations for the QAV’s opens April 2019 Some of the winning groups from 2018 focussed on combatting loneliness and social isolation in older and vulnerable people, […] Read more...
Volunteer Centre Blog
One Walsall's Volunteer Centre plays an instrumental role in supporting the voluntary and community sector in Walsall.
These posts are to assist you in becoming a volunteer, learning more about volunteering and being an all-round awesome person who gives back to the community.
How Volunteering and Well-being go Hand in Hand
Walsall Public Health have identified 5 ways that can improve a person’s mental health. The Steps are; Connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give. Here at One Walsall, we believe that volunteering can help achieve at least one or more of these steps. Connect Volunteering offers an excellent opportunity for potential volunteers in […] Read more...
8 Ways to Create a Meaningful Volunteering Experience
Time Well Spent released in January 2019, is a report by the NCVO into volunteer experiences. The report identifies 8 ways to create a meaningful volunteer experience for organisations. Below is a summaryof each of these points for you as a volunteer manager/coordinator to reflect on. Make it inclusive. Creating volunteering opportunities that are easy […] Read more...
Student Volunteering Week
Volunteering: A Young Person’s Experience Age: 23 I was 14 when I had my first taste of volunteering, I wasn’t aware of it at the time, I was just going along with my Grandparents to the local history group. But looking back, I can see how I would help other people use the computers and […] Read more...
How to Create a Volunteer Role Profile
What is a Role Profile? Its prime function is to inform the volunteer of what they will do, what they will get out of volunteering, and how they can become a volunteer for your organisation. About the role When designing a volunteer role profile, here are some things to think about. What benefits are there for the volunteer? Tell the volunteer what the role will entail. List any training that might be involved (i.e. safeguarding). If you are able to cover volunteer expenses, you might want to mention this too. Consider how much time a volunteer will be giving. This can be broken down into hours per week or month, and inform the volunteer of the regularity of the role. Phrase this as something you would hope for the volunteer to achieve, rather than something they must do. Qualities of a volunteer you are looking for. What attributes would you like potential volunteers to have? It could be enthusiasm, a willingness to learn, specific skills, relateable experience with a specific client group, or knowledge of a certain subject. Try not to be to exhaustive as you may exclude a potential volunteer. Include information about the work your organisation does. What are the benefits of your organisation to service users and the community? This is an opportunity to try and capture your excitement, translate it into a few sentences, and grab a potential volunteer’s excitement. Don’t forget to include information that covers where they can find out more details and how to apply for the role. What next? Keep it simple. There is no set lay out, so feel free to list the above information as you see fit and leave some of it off if you would prefer to. Once you have created a role profile, One Walsall can advertise it. We do this through our web site, where a data bank of volunteers can be searched to see if there are any suitable matches. Contact our Volunteer Centre for support with recruiting volunteers on volunteering@onewalsall.org or 01922 619 840 Click here for free downloadable guide with the […] Read more...
How attractive is your organisation to volunteers?
How best to attract and retain your volunteers As the new year approaches, many people will be reflecting on the year they’ve had and exploring new ideas for the year ahead. This includes people who’d like to volunteer their time to a good cause and decide that 2019 is when that will happen. With their […] Read more...