On 15 February, the Vision for Volunteering hosted the third in its Theme Conference series – focusing on the theme of ‘Collaboration’.
Attendees dove into the theme of Collaboration, learning about the Vision’s ambitions for increasing and improving collaborative work in the voluntary sector over the next 10 years.
We also heard from some spectacular guest speakers, including Sam Clift from the London Transport Museum, who gave a comprehensive overview of the museum’s new volunteer strategy and how it was developed in collaboration with volunteers.
Lisa Andrews from CVS Tendring also lead a session on Collaborative volunteering in practice, giving the wonderful example of Kennedy Way Community Garden before giving attendees an opportunity to discuss collaborative volunteering in breakout rooms.
Finally, we had a topic-led networking space where attendees got feedback on current projects, found collaborators for future projects, discussed strategy development, and more!
Hello everyone. Welcome. Thank you so much for joining us at the vision for volunteer. the vision for volunteering collaboration conference today. Um, we are really excited to have you and to talk about all. things collaboration and vision for volunteering. So, thank you so much for being here. We’ve got some really great
Speakers. So I’m just going to jump right in and again, I’m I’m really sorry. We’re running a few minutes late. Hopefully, you’re all uh, nice and cozy got a cup of tea and you’re ready to go. Um, so my name is Georgia Sanders. I am the networking engagement officer for the vision.
Engagement officer for the vision for volunteering and part of the vision for volunteering team and partnership. of the vision for volunteering team and partnership. Um, I’d really like to get to know who’s here today. So, please do feel free to introduce yourself to 1 another in the
Chat. Um, let us know where you’re joining us from and maybe what inspired you to join us today what you’re hoping to get out of the day as well. That would be really great. So here’s what’s coming up. We’ve got a bit of a welcome and an intro with me, which I’m doing.
And an intro with me, which I’m doing now. Obviously, we’re going to talk a little bit about the vision for volunteering. volunteering. Um, I will try and get a gauge of how well you know, the you know the vision already. Um, so I can see sort of how
How deep I need to go into that. I’m I’m sure some of you have been to these events already. So we’ll try to uh to Whistle Stop through. Um, and then we’re just going to talk a bit about collabor. a bit about collaboration specifically and what that means
And why it’s relevant to the vision. and why it’s relevant to the vision and then we’ve got some fantastic speakers. So we’ve got Sam Cliffe joining us from the London transport Museum. He’s going to be the London transport Museum. He’s going to be talking to us about collaborating on volunteering strategies.
About collaborating on volunteering strategies. We’ll have a quick break to grab a cup of tea and then we’re going to come come straight back in with Lis. Andrews from CVS tendering and she’s about collaborative collaborative volunteering in practice such a much. I’m really excited. It’s going to be a great morning
And then we’ve got a little bit of space at the end of study some networking. So we got some prompt questions. study some networking. So we got some prompt questions, um, and we can sort of chat to people within the same. and we can sort of chat to people within the same sector
And and meet new people and have a bit of a chat in those break. breakout rooms as well. And then there’s a bit of time for questions from me at the end, but they’ll also be time for questions from the speakers as we go. Um, so that’s built into their session.
Into their sessions as well. So first of all, I’m just going to hand over to a slido poll now, um, just to get an idea of how well you currently understand the vision for volunt. volunteering so if you know the vision for volunteering really well,
Really, well, you could explain it to a friend. You’ve you’ve been to a bunch of these sessions already. That’s a 5 if this is the first time you’ve heard of the vision then that’s then that’s a 1 and then anything in between so if we could go straight
Could go straight to that slide I poll now have a quick um answer of that and we’ll get a gauge of how well everybody knows. knows. Uh, so there should be a button on the right of the screen that says have your say
Click that and just complete the poll and let us know how well, you know the vision for volunteering so I’ll just give you a few minutes, uh for everybody. give you a few minutes, uh for everybody to answer. Um, and while you do that, I’m going to have a look through the
Chat and see where everybody’s joining us from so people coming from all over which is So people coming from all over which is fantastic. Love it. I’m really excited to have you all here. Okay Fant. Okay, fantastic. All right. So a lot of Threes a lot.
Okay, fantastic. All right. So a lot of Threes a lot of Threes a lot of you know the know the vision quite well, maybe could do with learning a little bit more. maybe could do with learning a little bit more maybe could delve a little bit deeper. Um, and that’s
Delve a little bit deeper. Um, and that’s absolutely fabulous. Okay. I’ve got a couple fabulous. Okay. I’ve got a couple of ones few fives though, which is fantastic. Um, so thank you for for knowing us so well. And then if we could go back to the slides, please. fantastic
Fantastic. So for those of you who are the ones and twos and maybe the threes I’m just going to do a quick Whistle Stop, um recap of what Stop. Um recap of what the vision is, um, why we’ve sort of all been brought here today. So the vision for volunteering is a 10.
So the vision for volunteering is a 10-year collaborative project. Um we started project. Um, we started almost 2 years ago now, uh designed to create a better. to create a better future for volunteering now, that is hugely over. hugely overarching. That’s very very broad. Um,
But we we get a bit deeper into it with the different themes, which is what we’re here to talk about today. We are a collaborative project. are a collaborative project ourselves. So in that theme of collaboration, there are 7 partner organizations who lead the vision so that’s the ncvo. That is Ave.
The vision so that’s the ncvo that is AVM navka volunteering matters sport England Department. volunteering matters sport England department for culture media and Sport and Mazon Charities forum. media and Sport and Mazon Charities forum who joined us most recently in July, I believe.
Most recently in July, I believe um, and so why is the vision needed well, we’ve spoken to more than vision needed well, we’ve spoken to more than 350 people from over 300 organizations. from over 300 organizations and to help to design the vision for volunteering.
Vision for volunteering in late 2021 a Steering group ran 14. 14 work workshops. We carried out numerous interviews and received. received 43 written submissions as well from volunt. received 43 written submissions as well from volunteers volunteer involving organizations and other stakeholders. volunteer involving organizations and other stakeholders
And then in May 2021, we launched the vision for volunteering itself. We realized through doing this. volunteering itself. We realized through doing this research that volunteering isn’t currently accessible. research that volunteering isn’t currently accessible for everybody. It’s not equally enjoyable for everybody. We’ve seen huge changes happen for volunteers over.
We’ve seen huge changes happen for volunteers over the last 4 years since the co 19 pandemic. 4 years since the co 19 pandemic and the way that their activities worked and not all of these. activities worked and not all of these changes were
Positive and those that were positive not all of them were permanent. We’re also seeing changing. We’re also seeing changing patterns in who is volunteering and how their volunteering. and how their volunteering and in what activities and in what roles they’re volunteering. what roles their volunteering. so through all of this we
So through all of this, we pulled together 5 key themes and they’re really where. they’re really where we’re trying to make the most impact in volunteering and improve. in volunteering and improve volunteering Years and we’re doing that through things like these sessions through networking through collaborating with other.
Networking through collaborating with other organizations, um and creating bigger projects. um and creating bigger projects. So the vision for volunteering tack So the vision for volunteering tackles 5 key themes and these key themes are designed to look. these key themes are designed to look at what volunteers
Need now and what do they need? need now and what do they need during the next 10 years? So we’re not saying we’re going to work on. we’re not saying we’re going to work on it behind the scenes and the changes will happen in 10 years time. We want to make iterative progress.
What do they need? What do they need in order to make their most effective contrib? contributions? How do we capture new practice and techn? technology and harness it to create a better future. technology and harness it to create a better future for volunteering and how can we let go of practices?
Volunteering and how can we let go of practices that no longer serve us and tackle some of volunteering. longer serve us and tackle some of volunteering most long-standing inequalities. So we’ve put together these 5 key themes that we think need the most most work. So there’s awareness and appreciation power equ.
And inclusion collaboration and experiment. and inclusion collaboration and experimentation. And as you know, we are here today to talk all things collaboration. So collaboration. What do we mean by that? Well, we want a future where collaboration and volunteer. future where collaboration and volunteering is natural and fluid and flex.
Fluid and flexible and spontaneous a part of volunteer. fluid and flexible and spontaneous a part of volunteering we want people to do great stuff together because they want to we want people to be driven by their shared interests. to we want people to be driven by their shared interests or
Their Ambitions. We want people to be proactive. their Ambitions. We want people to be proactively supported to do those things by working within the to do those things by working within the volunteering system. We should recognize. We should recognize the ability of communities to drive collabor.
Collaboration and we must value and add value to collabor. collaboration. There should be a radical shift in emph. collaboration. There should be a radical shift in emphasis towards building a community-led coalition of interests and collaborative activity rather than collaborative activity rather than creating top-down and imposed partnership working. imposed partnership working.
So essentially we want to help people to work together. by 2032 at the end of the 10-year project this By 2032 at the end of the 10-year project. This is what we want collaboration and volunteering to look like we want organizations to support. organizations to support and Champion communities to drive
Their own collabor. their own collaborative activity. We don’t want there to be any need to own an activity or own a project where communities might own that we want to and support new people and organizations to engage in And support new people and organizations to engage in projects.
We want people to be able to. We want people to be able to and volunteers to be able to move between organizations and between projects and for that to be normal and to be that to be normal and to be welcome. We will share people
And talent and connections will help each other and learn from each other. from each other and recognize the value that 1 another bring so how will that feel? So how will that feel for the volunteers? So in all of our research we’ve pulled out some. research, we’ve pulled out some great quotes from
Volunteers of how they want to feel in each of these sections at each of these themes vol. sections at each of these themes volunteers want to feel supported to bring their skills their knowledge and their experience to working with new people. experience to working with new people and new groups.
We want people to be encour. We want people to be encouraged to work with people and organizations that share. organizations that share goals. So that is a quick Whistle Stop tour. Stop tour of the vision for volunteering and collaboration. and why it is important and what that looks like.
And why it is important and what that looks like in best practice and in emerging practice. So I’m going to hand over to you again now. So I’m going to hand over to you again. Now another little slide opal exactly the same way you did before.
Slide opal exactly the same way you did before. Um, just to let you know. These questions are anonymous. let you know. These questions are Anonymous. They are just to give us an idea of how we’re doing in the room. Um, we will might take these numbers away and use them elsewhere,
But they’ll all be completely Anonymous. So it’s not a day to Gathering. to Gathering exercise. We are um, just looking to see how you think you’re doing. you think you’re doing in collaboration at the moment. So there’s just 4 questions. How would you rate your organisation for?
Organisation for collaboration in volunteering? How would your volunteers? your volunteers rate you for supporting collaboration in volunteer? volunteering? And what are you doing? Well and What needs Improvement so I’m just going to give you a little bit of time again now. time again now, um to answer those questions.
Time again now, um to answer those questions. Um, just have a look over to the slido on the right. a look over to the slido on the right hand side and in a in a moment or 2 we will um go through and see what you’ve said and
Said. And in the meantime, I’m just going to have a quick look through the chat again, uh, look through the chat again, uh, just to respond to Vicky. Yes, you will be receiving Yes, you will be receiving a copy of the slides today. There will be um.
There will be um a recording of the entire session available. available. So I’ll just give you a few moments now. to answer some questions and then once we get To answer some questions and then once we get some answers coming through we’ll take a look at those responses on the SL. slido. So
So hopefully we’re going to start getting some responses through. Okay. So it looks like we’ve got some answers coming. So it looks like we’ve got some answers coming through now. So we’ve got some threes and some fours. for how you think your organization is doing in collaboration, which is
Collaboration, which is fantastic quite a few fives as well. knows it. No 1’s at all I think so, that’s fantastic. That’s really really good news. Okay, so you’re doing well fabulous? Okay, so you’re doing well fabulous and how would you rate your how would your volunteers rate you how would you?
Your how would your volunteers rate you how would you rate your volunteers? and your volunteers you And your volunteers you’ve rated as 5 mostly that’s fantastic as well. Okay. Okay, so quite widespread that 1 and then let’s take a look at some word clouds. Uh, so what are you doing? Well,
Are you doing? Well local that’s fabulous working. strategically. Excellent. Um, encourage I love that encouraging is coming up. Um, encourage I love that encouraging is coming up a couple of times co-creation. Brilliant, those are all really really great. Brilliant, those are all really really great fantastic
Community and belonging as well. I love that. And then let’s see where you could improve. being brave Being brave. Yes. I think that’s 1 that all of us could do better at better at involvement sharing. Encourages in the in the Improvement pile as well. So I
Think encouragement and clearly very very important to all of us. Just maybe of us just maybe not all of us knowing how to uh include it or use it. Fab Fabulous, okay. Thank you so much if we put back to the slides, thanks. Great, so we are running.
Great, so we are running a little bit early. Um, I am just going to have a double. going to have a double check and make sure our first speaker is ready for us. speaker is ready for us Sam. Are you ready to go? yeah, I’m
Yeah, I’m here fabulous. So I’d just like to hand over now. to Sam Cliff from the London transport Museum who’s going to be talking about collaborating on a volunteering strategy. Welcome Sam. Uh Uh, thank you, Georgia and morning everyone. Uh, it’s good
To be here. Um, this is my first uh, this is my debut. to be here. Um, this is my first uh, this is my debut speaking at a conference. So I I hope it will it will go smoothly for me and you’ll learn a thing or 2 from me. Um,
So I’m gonna be with you for the next. Um, so I’m gonna be with you for the next um hour or so, um the format the format is going to be I’m going to run through this, uh this presentation. this presentation talking about how we’ve collaborated on.
Our new volunteering strategy over the last year. on our new volunteering strategy over the last year, uh for the first half an hour or so, uh, the first half an hour or so, uh, then we’re going to have time for some Q&A afterwards. So if you do have any
Questions along the way, uh, feel free to pop them into the chat and I think George is gonna help. chat and I think George is gonna help to collate those so we can uh feed those back afterwards. we can uh feed those back afterwards. Um, and then we’re
Going to have time for some brake. going to have time for some breakout discussion hopefully as well. So we’ll be able to as well. So we’ll be able to to split you off into groups, uh and get you thinking a bit about uh and get you thinking a bit about um,
Putting strategies together in your own organizations as well. So that that’s the grand plan for the next hour. Um, so just a brief intro for myself. Um, so I’m the volunteer resource manager at the London healthport. the London healthport Museum. Um, so I lead on essentially a lead on the volunteering
Experience at the Museum. Um, we have 3 sites, uh across London both in central London and in West London. London both in central London and in West London, um and volunteering has been a big part of uh of the work for the museum does
Museum does in terms of providing access, uh for visitors, to our sites interpreting our collection and um helping to maintain and restore our collection and and preserve it as well. Um, and many many other things in between so, well. Um, and many many other things in between. So, um,
I’ll be delving into some of this. I’ll be delving into some of this uh in a short while so um, I am not at the wheel today. um, I am not at the wheel today when it comes to sharing this presentation, so I’ve got alist
This presentation. So I’ve got Alistair kindly working in the background to to um, the background to to um, share my slides. So, um Alistair could we move on to the next slide, please? Thank you. um, so a little bit of light background for you just to
Give some context for this. So uh a give some context for this. So, uh, a lot of this house is a charity. Um, we are the world’s leading Museum of urban transport. We are very closely tied to transport for London as well. So all of our employees are transportable for London, London staff.
Um also and so we we wear several different hats essentially, um, essentially, um, We have currently have around 300. we have currently have around 300 people volunteering their time with us a year. Um, and time with us a year. Um, and that number is kind of at the
Moment is going up year on year. um giving a significant amount of Um giving a significant amount of time and as you can see from from the figures on screen. from from the figures on screen, uh, we have many more volunteers and staff that helped us to deliver. Um all that
We do so volunteers are really integral. we do so volunteers are really integral to to so much of what um, we what we’re able to make possible really the longest. London transport Museum. Um, our our volunt our our volunteers have been involved for a very long time almost since the in
Almost since the Inception of the museum. Um, which started with the friends of the London Council Museum, who are with the friends of the London Council Museum who are uh, separate charity and who are volunteer. separate charity and who are volunteer run, but they helped to to finance the facilitate.
To to finance the facilitate, um, various projects. Um, and to to finance the facilitate, um, various projects, um and volunteering to just expanded from there. We have investing in volunteers. Uh We have investing in volunteers, uh Awards status, which is the kind of national.
The kind of national kite Mark through ncbo. Um, sorry, I think it’s think it’s volunteers now, um for good volunt, think it’s volunteers now, um for good volunteer management practice in the UK. Um, we just practice in the UK. Um, we just have that renewed in the
Last year. Um, so that helps us set some standards of our of what we expect of our staff in terms of their work. of what we expect of our staff in terms of their work with volunteers. Um, and we also have several funding strands,
Um when it comes to volunteer projects as well. So currently we’re currently we’re a national portfolio organization with the Arts Council. Arts Council and we also have lots of refunding um, as well. um in terms of the volunteer resource team, so
Um in terms of the volunteer resource team, so I I I am the volunt. volunteer of health manager for that team. So I’ve got a a team of 2. team of 2 coordinators, um, as well as volunteer admin. administrators. So we Cent administrators, so we centrally managed, uh volunteering
Across, uh other departments. So we have 6 of the department. Departments who have I think we have around 20 staff at the moment who are locally managing volunteer teams and most of those staff are not full-time. those staff are not full-time, uh, volunteer managers, so they are curators. They are Librarians they are
They are curators. They are Librarians. They are um customer service staff. um Um and many others as well and they’re often managing volunteers. volunteers for sort of 10 or 20% of their week usually so volunteers for sort of 10 or 20% of their week. Usually so
My team is the core team if you like the kind of HR type, uh Team we manage uh, Team we manage our policies and processes and training and help to to develop, um volunteer. and help to to develop, um volunteering as as an experience and support all the different needs.
And support all the different needs and demands so we we’ve got things in lots of peers. got things in lots of Pies across, uh volunteering um Um allistic, can we move to the next slide, please? Thank you. Um So what difference will a volunteering strategy make so I?
Can appreciate not everyone may be familiar with volunteer? volunteering strategies. Um may not have 1 um, or maybe thinking about having 1 so I thinking about having 1, so I just wanted to touch on um, some of the benefits really of having 1. Um, it’s been a really
Really beneficial way to bring the whole organization. together and start having dialogue. together and start having dialogue across teams across sites and particularly with those who are much further removed from uh, removed from uh volunteers, um, and to be able to have a more senior level dialogue as well like,
More senior level dialogue as well. Like it’s a it’s been a really good route to really good route to creating platforms for our senior leadership. leadership to engage more in volunteering. leadership to engage more in volunteering. Um, and additionally, I think what’s an extra valuable is It’s a way to show to.
It’s a way to show to volunteers how much you value the work that they do and the support that they give by having the longer term. the longer term investment and the strategy helps to clarify that it helps to communicate that and it helps to
Give some transparency to to some of those investment. give some transparency to to some of those Investments that you’re looking to make down the line. you’re looking to make down the line really, so it’s I think it’s really beneficial. think it’s really beneficial in um in in providing support around all of those.
Uh next slide please as so so at the Museum, we’re actually we So at the Museum, we’re actually we’ve just rolled out our uh second straight. uh second strategy. So we actually had a strategy in place from 2017. Um, which is was something I put together as as
Our as a first time. Um, so as part of our our as a first time. Um, so as part of our our review and our new strategy, um, we did so our new strategy. Um, we did so I did a bit of reflective work around.
Work around what worked. Well what didn’t work so well around that. around that and what we wanted to develop, uh going forward. So we forward. So we the strategy, um, unfortunately hit the pan we hit. we hit the pandemic in early 2020. So we only really got to experience rough.
Experience roughly half of the strategies before it’s some fizzled out. fizzled out really so and like many we had we had the pandemic and for us volunteering pandemic and for us volunteering Finn, uh, almost stopped completely. completely for the best part of 2 years. Um, and then we
Went through a recovery period as well, so it was quite a sign. It was quite a significant, uh had quite a significant impact on volunteers. impact on volunteers. Um, but all of that context was very much wrapped. much wrapped up in in the new strategy going forward. Um, We we were very keen.
We we were very keen to apply for some funding for our straight. strategy this time around because we help we thought bringing in some extern. bringing in some external support and um, bringing in some external support and um being much more thorough when it came to having a consultation.
Thorough when it came to having a consultation involving different, uh, AUD different, uh audiences and different teams and having some some time and and capacity to uh, some time and and capacity to uh help to facilitate that as part of um um that kind of research phase and understanding what
Um that kind of research phase and understanding what the strategy is to be. Um was something that was lacking. strategy is to be. Um was something that was lacking the first time around so that was something that we um, first time around so that was something that we um applied
For this time through through the friends and they uh, fortunately accepted accepted that proposal. So, uh, we had a a consultant brought on board as part of that. a consultant brought on board as part of that which um, I will talk to you on a little bit more through the presentation. presentation. um
I was very keen. I was very keen as I say to have some wider engagement with volunteers and staff. Um it’s very easy to It’s very easy to it sounds a bit cliche, but it’s very easy to sit in an office. easy to sit in an office and and
Feel like you’re in the best position to write the strategy and just sit down and write strategy. and just sit down and write strategy and it then be something you filter through and say this is a document that we now have and we were very I was very keen to make sure that
To make sure that that strategy this new strategy was brought to life in lots. brought to life in lots of ways. It’s it’s operationalized. It’s embedded in our working practice. It’s a strategy. that’s communicated and um it is that’s communicated and um is is known about and that we’re
Making reference back to our strategy in a lot of the work we’re doing and we we didn’t really get to that part, uh last time around so that was that was the lesson learned there. Um, and for us to start looking at how we review the
Progress that we’re making in strategy and look at what impacts are happening in terms of uh capacity in terms of uh, risk management and various other challenges that can come around. come around through um being a very oper come around through um, being a very operational uh charity with with volunteers.
With with volunteers. Um, so there was a lot that we took away, um as part of that that helped to frame frame on his straight. strategy, um next slide, please so the approach we took with So the approach we took with this strategy. Um, I was very
Very keen that we um involved our volunt. very keen that we um involved our volunteers our staff who managed our volunt. managed our volunteers our middle management and our managed our volunteers our middle management and our senior leadership, um, and we even involved our trustees, um,
Essentially our board, um in this work as well at various stages, stages, so it was I think it’s the closest thing. We’ve come to having a kind of people strategy if you like. of people strategy if you like having this volunteering strategy because strategy because it’s
It involves every team every department and everybody has a stake. stake to play and a part to play in the strategy in. stake to play and a part to play in the strategy in some kind of way. Um, and I was really Keen that
Kind of way. Um, and I was really Keen that we involve those different voices those different experiences. those different voices of different experiences through that, um kind of discovery. that, um kind of Discovery phase in the strategy so that we we’re were creating a strategy really that reflected what all our
Different needs were and it wasn’t we weren’t just working in an ech. in an echo chamber. Um, or we weren’t just relying on 1 team to provide the substance, um and part of team to provide the substance, um and part of our messaging around that was making sure that volunteers
Around that was making sure that volunteers and staff were on board with on board with um, how this strategy was going to be rolled out. out and what um commitments we’re going to be uh, Associated around that. Um, so Associated around that. Um, so as part of our consultation
We um, I think we engaged with around 25 volunteers for our work. workshops and a roughly around 15 staff so that workshops and a roughly around 15 staff so that at 40 in total, but I think there might be a few more
Total, but I think there might be a few more on top of that so That was uh as we can imagine probably quite. that was uh as we can imagine probably quite a quite a big, um piece of work, um, which I’ll I’ll delve into shortly. Um, I was
Through the strategy. Um because it through the strategy, um because it is a piece of work as I mentioned that mentioned that you can put together with your management and your leadership. and your leadership teams. It’s very easy to say this.
It’s very easy to say this is what we think needs to be prioritized. prioritized over the next few years and run with that. Um, but our volunteers help us to deliver so much of what we do. and many of them have lots of ideas lots of lived
Experience. They often know as much about our collection and our work. and our work or more so than some of our staff so it was really really important. I think that we started from a place. Um, that was understanding place. Um, that was understanding, um, our volunteer needs
Around the next few years, so, around the next few years. So so that was something that that we took as a as a baseline around this, um, And we wanted this strategy to be uh clear. And we wanted this strategy to be uh clear to be realistic, um achievable and measurable.
Um achievable and measurable it needed to be able to be something that as I say we can bring to life and that we can make sure is embedded across our kind of strategic thinking of forward planning and it’s something that we can communicate um outwardly as well. Um, and on platforms like
This with with vision for volunt, this with with vision for volunteering and tell the world. It’s something that we’re doing and it’s something that we’re we’re proud of um Additionally this strategy needed to not be stuck on. Additionally this strategy needed to not be stuck on a
Pedestal on its own it needs to be embedded with. pedestal on its own. It needs to be embedded within our Museum strategy and Museum strategy and wider strategic thinking as well. So that was something that we made sure was built in to this piece of work too. Uh, and that
Piece of work too, uh, and that we captured our funding commitments and what kind of future commitments we knew we would have would have uh coming down the line as well that perhaps weren’t there at the at the time of writing, but there were going to be
Going to be um, you know a confirmed or expected to to come in so there was a lot to make sure that we captured as part of this so that um, of this so that um it stay the strategy stays relevant. Um, essentially
Essentially it’s an umbrella the whole of your work and it should be should be reflecting. Um all areas of of should be reflecting. Um all areas of the volunteering Um next slide, please. So here’s a timeline for you just to give you a flavor of uh, what was involved.
Uh, what was involved so we ran this from um late summer in 2022. in 2022 right through to to July of 2023. So it’s roughly a 1 year period. Um, we 1 year period um, we brought in an external consultant as I mentioned.
Mentioned, uh, Laura Hamilton who’s done a lot of work with the vol. the voluntary sector and particularly with the Heritage sector as well. sector as well. Um, so I was very keen that we brought in that type of context as part of our work.
That type of context as part of our work so that we were picking up on picking up on Trends and activities and picking up on Trends and activities and latest thinking And that we work so insular in our way of working and and lure. Laura was fantastic for bringing that type of context.
Laura was fantastic for bringing that type of context into into the Strategic work. Um, so the first phase that we ran through was a a desk based review which through was a a desk based review, which was myself working really closely with the consultant on understanding the
Really closely with the consultant on understanding the current climate in volunteering at the Museum. current climate in volunteering at the Museum, uh postco the work that we’ve done before. the work that we’ve done before what systems and processes that we have in place. Um,
That we have in place. Um, and I think crucially really understanding What position we were in at that time? And What position we were in at that time and what we saw as the priorities going forward as well? the priorities going forward as well, um being in the position I am um, I
Position I am. Um, I was able to to guide an adviser around some of that and use that as our kind of start Point essentially for them moving moving in to that consultation phase phase so we ran a series of workshops as
So we ran a series of workshops as well with our staff and our volunteers so that we could understand. Um the current thinking experiences and what people saw. thinking experiences and what people saw as priorities, uh going forward, so going forward. So that was a really really beneficial kind
Of phase that we had. Uh, we did a bit of reflective work after that for a findings report. Um, which helped us helped us. helped us then to identify the different themes that were coming out through the workshops, um and setting our goals objectives and activities. Um,
Objectives and activities, um on on a year-to-year kind of basis, so, basis. So, um, I I’ll delve into a little bit more of that um through this presentation. Um, Next slide please. So as part of our consult. So as part of our consultation, uh phase we ran 2 workshops
With our volunteers, which we did those first. with our volunteers, which we did those first, um followed by our workshops with staff who manage our volunteer teams, and then finally we and then finally we did a senior leadership, um Workshop as well. well followed by some interviews for essentially those that
Weren’t able to be involved in the workshops, but were key people have a key stakeholders that we needed. people have a key stakeholders that we needed to engage with to make sure that their perspective with to make sure that their perspectives were captured in
This as well. Um with the volunteer workshops. Um, I was uh, Keen that we started at that point because it was a very reflective uh time back. very reflective, uh time back that it seems a long time ago now 2022 now 2022 it in some ways it it goes
It goes in the blink of an eye, um with the pace of the work that that has always going on. Um, so I was So I was very keen that we um. Prov provided access to uh as many volunteers provided access to uh, as many volunteers as we could
Through the workshops and that we did we had a really through the workshops and that we did. We had a really healthy cross-section as well of exper. healthy cross-section as well of experiences of demographics, um volunteers. demographics, um volunteers who were um, that are uh Are uh, sorry memory blank. Um
Volunteers that have been with for a long time volunteers who are new we have uh student volunteers people who are working age people who are retired. Um, we have Des working age people who are retired. Um, we have disabled volunteers, um volunteers who are neuro Divergent such as autism spectrum Des
Autism spectrum disorder, um, we involve parents and carers. autism spectrum disorder, um, we involve parents and carers of those who support volunteers as well. So we were really Keen that we kind of really worked. Keen that we kind of really worked across that kind of community of people that that help.
Community of people that that helped to um that volunteer and help to FAQ. and help to facilitate volunteering in those kind of uh in those different. those different circumstances. So, um, those different circumstances. So, um, we ran an in-person workshop and we ran 1 online
Workshop and we ran 1 online as well and we made sure that they were tailored in a way that would suit, uh different different kind of AUD different kind of audiences as well. So our our online 1 we did on on an evening session so that we could make sure that
That we could capture people that were finishing work. think we ran that at something like 8:00. um, and it was incredibly popular much So the the 2 images you see on the screen there? so the the 2 images you see on the screen there are from 1
From the in-person workshop with our volunteers. from the in-person workshop with our volunteers. Um And I’ll I’ll delve into a bit of the detail on on that work. workshop on the next slide. Um, but I was really Keen that with these workshops that we with these workshops that we worked quite iteratively and
That we allowed 1 Workshop to inform another because I was really mindful of that working with uh these different really mindful of that working with uh, these different audience groups. We could quite easily have like 4 different directions that we had offering for a different
Strands. Um and given that our volunteers were the kind of biggest base of people that we were the largest bass. biggest base of people that we were the largest base for people that we were working with that. Um, we took their perspectives and we allowed that then to
Perspectives and we allowed that then to inform the next Workshop. So we every work Workshop. So we every Workshop was then crafted individually on the basis of what we found out what we discovered and what we wanted to take forward. discovered and what we wanted to take forward as uh themes and prior.
And priority areas and some of the kind of key, and priority areas and some of the kind of key outcomes that came from from those workshops. So, that came from from those workshops. So 1 led to the next and led to the next and it allowed us then to make sure
That once we got to our senior leadership. that once we got to our senior leadership Workshop. We were still talking about what our Talking about what our volunteers were, you know wanting to see wanting to experience. see wanting to experience and and what investments. Um, they
See wanting to experience and and what investments um, they saw as being important going forward. So that was really um, really nice to be able to see that. Um, but having that kind of um bespoke approach, obviously Um bespoke approach obviously, uh meant that I was working very very closely with the consult.
Very very closely with the consultant through every kind of step of the way to be able to kind of mold that as it was needed. needed along that way. Um and this consult needed along that way. Um, and this consultation phase ran over roughly I think about a 3-month period
Over roughly I think about a 3-month period so we got all all these workshops done, um in a in a kind of block like that. Um next slide, please. Uh, so as part of our workshops. Um, we wanted to with the volunteers. We wanted to understand kind of current
Context, uh, what had changed for volunteers. context, uh, what had changed for volunteers in their experience particularly with Co experience particularly with Co, um, several different challenges like Several different challenges like remote working became a big thing flexible working. big thing flexible working, uh staff visibility challenges.
Challenges. Um, volunteer roles have changed was responds. responsibility to change all those kind of things was stuff that came out. that came out as part of our workshops, um that we were very aware of to some degree, but I think we’re important for us to reflect on. Um, we also car
For us to reflect on um, we also carried out a SWOT analysis with volunteers. So that’s uh looking at our strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats as part of the volunteer experience. the volunteer experience. Um, so that was really valuable really insightful Valuable really insightful. Um, and we also have we
Currently have a strategic. currently have a strategic people plan. Um, so we looked at the principles around that and how well volunteers Fel. the principles around that and how well volunteers felt, uh, they reflected on their experience. So, uh, they reflected on their experience so that there’s the
Uh, the slide on the screen there kind of shows you why 1 sample of that, um in terms of those who sample of that, um, in terms of those who uh scored against those different areas, so, those different areas, so there’s a an interesting kind of shift.
Shift there across the across the slide. Um, Next slide please. So A um as I say we had a wide cross-section. a um as I say, we had a wide cross-section, um, we needed to make sure that they work with the workshops. that the tools reflected, um across them so,
That the tools reflected, um across them. So with the in-person obviously we’re running that person obviously we were running that in a room, so we were able to use flip charts. able to use flip charts, uh, magnetic walls Post-it notes, um, you know, presentation slides projects Etc all that.
Kind of stuff. Um, we needed to have like mirrored versions of that. So, um when we ran that online, so, of that. So, um when we ran that online so obviously things like breakout rooms were quite important to have more more kind of private discussions and we use Jam boards and
More kind of private discussions and we use Jam boards and tap functions and various different things as well, which kind of translated well, but we have to make sure that we molded that so that we weren’t kind of biasing our approach molded that so that we weren’t kind of biasing our approach
Based on the different formats that we have. based on the different formats that we have. Um, I have a couple of couple of couple of couple of quotes on the screen there for you, which are um, we which are um, we received a lot of that kind of feedback.
Uh as part of the work, Jobs, and we wanted honesty we wanted openness from people. Uh, and we wanted to share share with people kind of what was working. was working well for them and what wasn’t working so well for them and why so,
For them and why so that was that was really informative. um Uh next slide, please. So our staff Workshop, so So our staff Workshop so apologies for the overlap on the screen there. Um, I’ve just realized also that as I’m not able to manually uh shift these slides myself I had
Able to manually uh shift these slides myself. I had set them up so that some of the slides will be phased in terms of the text, but that’s not that’s not happened. But that’s that’s okay. I can I can work with that. that’s that’s okay. I can I can work with that. Um,
So as part of the staff work. so as part of the staff workshops, we took forward our our findings from the findings from the volunteer workshops. Um, and findings from the volunteer workshops. Um, and uh, we allow that to kind of crack that content that we wanted to shape, uh the descriptions
Uh, the descriptions we having with our staff who manage problems here. Um, problems here. Um, we interestingly have I think it was a roughly 70% of our staff. Who manage volunteer teams uh changed? who manage volunteer teams, uh changed, uh since the pandemic so, um,
Pandemic so, um, that’s not for the whole museum. That’s just those who are managing vol. just those who are managing volunteer teams, but that’s really a significant amount of change. really a significant amount of change, um and disruption and and people not having understanding of what we were doing before.
Before CO as well as um, you know, before CO as well as um, you know restructures and um other challenges, challenges that come operationally as well so that all of that had a big effect on On on the vol. On on the volunteer experience, but also on the new staff
Coming in in terms of their support. coming in in terms of their support awareness understanding of volunteering in their areas as well. So that was quite useful in useful in understanding. Um, some of those kind of strengths and work we strengths and weaknesses in terms of people’s skills. Um what people
What people were confident in and what they were not and what people were confident in and what they were not and um, a lot of that kind of came to light which was uh, really insightful for us. Um, okay. Um Um, okay, um next slide, please.
So as part of the findings report we So as part of the findings report we um, so this was put together by our consultant and it uh allowed us really to start to reflect on some. it uh allowed us really to start to reflect on some of the
Themes that were coming up. Um those SWOT analysis. themes that were coming up. Um those SWOT analysis that we did um, and some of that really did. Um, and some of that really key feedback that came out. So the slide on the screen here kind of shares with
You some of the key challenges that we had, um that you some of the key challenges that we had, um that were that reflects what was found out in those workshops. that reflects what was found out in those workshops. So, um, interestingly Interestingly the the site culture is quite different.
Between so we’ve got whilst we have free sites. Uh, we only have 2 kind of main sites that are volunt. have 2 kind of main sites that are volunteers are typically basically that so that’s our Museum and common Garden. basically that so that’s our Museum and common garden and our collections store Depo.
Our collections store Depo in active in een in West London and um, there’s different volunteering activity. And um, there’s different volunteering activity happening at different sites. There’s different Staffing levels. at different sites. There’s different Staffing levels. Um, there’s different levels of support for volunteers on those
Sites as well. And so all of that kind of influence is different situations happening at different sites different. different situations happening at different sites different levels of support. Um, so that was that was a big theme that came out. Um, as I mention
As I mentioned that that shift to hybrid working, uh, that sense. sense of perhaps presenteeism, uh with less staff. visible. Uh, when volunteers are on site with their activity as well, uh was activity as well. Uh was was definitely a bit. It has been a bit of a
A bit of a challenge for us. Um, I think also. I think also something that was what’s a strong factor for us is we have uh there there’s a degree of autonomy with our Volunteers in that we often have a lot of um,
Our Volunteers in that we often have a lot of um, skilled professionals from uh, who are Engineers Architects mechanics. Um, mechanics, um people with a lot of uh industry experience. mechanics, um people with a lot of uh, industry experience, uh, both within the transport industry.
Uh, both within the transport industry and and and in other Industries as well, um that helped us to um restore our vehicles. vehicles and provide, uh, guidance and advice. vehicles and provide, uh, guidance and advice on all sorts of uh areas with our collection and that’s often experienced
That our staff don’t always have or that don’t have the the kind of breadth of knowledge or or the capacity of kind of breadth of knowledge or or the capacity. It costs lots of areas. So our volunteers really kind of Bol that kind of that knowledge base. Um, and
That kind of that knowledge base, um and allow us to uh, you know, really develop certain, uh projects areas that we work on. work on. So there’s an independence that comes with that as well where well where and trust that we have to work with our volunt.
Volunteers on that, but there’s a lot of given take with volunteers on that but there’s a lot of given take with uh, the fact that they are all on man. the fact that they are a lot of managed by staff and who makes those final decisions
Makes those final decisions and, you know having that happy medium of medium of working alongside the volunteers. Um, I’m sure you can imagine is something that can be a challenge. you can imagine is something that can be a challenge. So that was something that was a really strong uh strong theme that
Theme that came out. Um, also, another Factor was um the uh knowledge Also, another Factor was um, the uh, knowledge transfer that we have between volunteers as well. So that we have between volunteers as well. So our our volunteer demographic is largely. Um, volunteer demographic is largely, um that the sort of
Majority is um, uh male volunteers, who are Uh male volunteers who are age 60 plus, uh, we have a lot of retired people that volunteer with us. Um, we do have retired people that volunteer with us. Um, we do have um, investments in bringing in your AUD
Investments in bringing in your audiences through our recruitment through you know, we do work with universities and um Community groups and various other kind of avenues that there is stuff happening. that there is stuff happening, but I will kind of call base and and I know
And I know many museums at least have that kind of core. base of volunteers who uh who are naturally attracted to uh, the collection um in the way that they uh, the collection, um in the way that they are is um,
And for us that what I’m getting to with that is what that means is that we are um, means is that we are um often have an aging population. So, um Capt um capturing people’s knowledge and lived experiences particular. particularly as the uh, the transport Network develops.
Particularly as the uh, the transport Network develops with technological advancements and the station refurbishment and uh moving to things like, uh, driverless trains on the DLR and you know various other kind of changes that come DLR and you know various other kind of changes that come
Knowledge, um gets kind of defined then based on that kind of of that that point in time and whilst our collection is very historic. very historical. It’s also very present because of our links with London Underground and transport for London as well. So well. So there is a need for us to uh,
Well. So there is a need for us to uh, retain that knowledge within our volunteers so that volunteers who through ill health or light cir. through ill health or life circumstances, whatever it may be kind of are no longer able to active, um that we don’t also
Active, um that we don’t also lose that kind of working knowledge. Um as well. So that’s something that we’ve really looked to build in through the strategy. really looked to build in through the strategy and through some of the work that we’re doing. um and
And then finally just on the last point before we move on. Um, so, uh naturally reaching new AUD Um, so uh naturally reaching new audience for us is is really important. Um, we’re really Keen to make sure that our volunteers reflect the our volunteers reflect the uh, the diversity of London. Um,
And we and we do a huge amount of work already around that and that’s that’s continuing to grow through this through this strategy work. Um, but we do have challenges with racism, uh, aism discrimination. racism, uh, aism discrimination, um with our volunteers as
Well and with our staff. Um, so that is something that we’re also kind of active. we’re also kind of actively working on but we certainly identified as identified as part of these. Uh, these these workshops um, there are other challenges as well, but I
Um, there are other challenges as well, but I this is enough I think for now. Uh, so can we go on to the next slide, please? Um someone slide, please? Um, so on a slightly lighter note, um, some of our key strengths and opportunities that came out of the
Workshops as well. So, um, so there’s lots that So there’s lots that we do well, uh that we’re good at that. We’re We’re um actively engaged with um, and that they’re also opportunities for us to develop further. opportunities for us to develop further. Um, so we we were
Very good through the pandemic in being able to very good through the pandemic in being able to adapt our volunteer roles and create opportun. volunteer roles and create opportunities for volunteers to um, um, support the museum remotely, uh Support the museum remotely, uh whilst we were closed or whilst we had limited access.
Whilst we had limited access on site. So we created uh a digital marketing. digital marketing volunteer team that helps us with our blogging and on. blogging and on social media, uh, platforms and blogging and on social media, uh platforms and we involve more Volunteers in some of our kind of
More Volunteers in some of our kind of behind the scenes Administration around our collections work and we looked at avenues to kind of stay avenues to kind of staying in in keep people involved and 4 coms and things like that. So we we had a I think we
A retention of about 80% of our volunteers. a retention of about 80% of our volunteers from 3 pandemic. So, um, I’d like to think that that that’s a that we did really well. really well with that and I think a lot of that was Testament
Testament to our ability to adapt and make change and prioritize volunt. prioritize volunteers through that time so that we didn’t um, um, you know, it’s very easy, I think to um, you know, it’s very easy, I think to like the volunteering for the first thing to go
There’s not so much of our volunteer. you know, if the sites are closed there’s just no access like it stopped but You know, we made some change and it allowed us to be able to um, you know. to um, you know, retain so many volunteers be in the
Position. We’re in I think so, that’s that’s position. We’re in I think so that’s that’s been very positive for us. Um, we also actively provide opportunities. we also actively provide opportunities for uh disabled volunteers to uh to get involved with us, uh, particularly through a lot of our visit.
Through a lot of our visitor experience work. Um, and we um are actively working to kind of develop that access to opportunity um and provide support. access to opportunity um and provide support around how we facilitate those experiences for people as well. um
I say there’s lots of questions coming in already, which is it’s good. Uh, thank you, Georgia for handling that. it’s good. Uh, thank you, Georgia for handling that. Um, so yeah, there’s a lot of there’s been a lot of poverty work. That’s been uh going on both with volunteers.
That’s been uh going on both with volunteers and um around some of the work that our staff have been doing with volunteers too. So that’s been really, uh, it was good to have that highlighted and acknowledged through have that highlighted and acknowledged through this work as
Well because uh, I’m sure as many of you know, volunteers are very happy to share their opinions. are very happy to share their opinions and uh critique, uh at at any opportunities, so it’s nice to know that we’re doing something as well.
Something as well also. Um, can we go to the next slide, please? Thank you. So, um as part of our new strateg. Thank you. So, um as part of our new strategy, we also put a vision together, uh, vision together. Uh, we haven’t had 1 before. I think it was really important.
I think it was really important for us to think about where we want to be in 5. we want to be in 5 years time. So, um and what we want volunteering to look like and ultimately, you know, volunteering to look like and ultimately, you know, what
What do we want our priority prior? what do we want our priority priorities to be um down the line. So, um, line. So, um, I won’t read through all of this on screen you can see this, uh, you can see this, uh yourself, but I think it was really important for us that
Important for us that um, volunteering becomes more inclusive Volunteering becomes more inclusive, um and more accessible to to a broad audience as well. So Just by providing opportun. just by providing opportunities for people, uh, for example with with disab. with with disabilities doesn’t mean that we’re uh accessible.
Accessible that we’re welcoming that we’re supported. So there’s infrastructure that needs putting in place around that to make sure that people are providing that support and that the right facilitation is being made as it needs to be and the right kind of suitability is around the roles
As well. And our communication is right. There are so many elements. elements as what what come with that. Um, and I think There’s a lot more that we can do actually in engaging with the SEC. the the different sectors, uh, whether that be third sector whether that be heritage.
Whether that be Heritage other museums, uh, there’s a lot of collaborative. of collaborative work that we do on projects, but I don’t think there’s enough think there’s enough actual advocacy that we do as well and And um, I’m sure we’re not alone there. Um,
But yeah, so that’s something that we’re really Keen to to. Champion as well. Um, and that we’re able to kind of support our staff and and scale them up as well. support our staff and and scale them up as well in being able to recognize some of the good practices.
Able to recognize some of the good practices going on across different teams like you don’t have to be across different teams. Like you don’t have to be a volunteer manager to to manage volunteers as well. volunteer manager to to manage volunteers as well. Um, but
I think we need to do more around that so I think we need to do more around that. So, um, there’s lots in this Vision, I think which really helps to encapsulate some of that. Um, can we go to the next? Um, can we go to the next slide, please?
Um, so as part of the strategy we put together. um, so as part of the strategy we put together, um, essentially, uh 2 goals which essentially, uh 2 goals which were LED from the themes that came out of the consultation of uh, the kind of 2.
Came out of the consultation of uh, the kind of 2 if you like umbrellas for the strategies, so we wanted to we want to improve the volunteer experience. to improve the volunteer experience for everyone, uh through in Innovative volunteering. through in Innovative volunteering and enrichment, uh activities, which
Activities which enhance uh, well-being and employability and and we want to expand our capacity and reach we’re embedding inclusive practices in volunteering building. embedding inclusive practices in volunteering building new Partnerships and facilitating effective knowledge trans. Partnerships and facilitating effective knowledge transfer. So, um, and then from these
So um, and then from these we have uh 3 OB Thank you. Um, so for goal 1, uh, we have 3 object. Thank you. Um, so for goal 1, uh, we have 3 objectives, so to increase stack capacity and skills. to increase stack capacity and skills involuntary
Management to cultivate creativity and innovation in volunteer roles and activities and volunteer roles and activities and to reimagine the volunteer engagement reward and recognition. volunteer engagement reward and recognition. Um, and then from these, uh, we have stem. um, and then from these, uh, we have stemming activities,
Uh, which if we could go to the next slide, please. Uh, so here’s an example for you. So, um, So as well, sorry. So as well, sorry, um ahead of myself. So, uh go 2, sorry. um as part of expanding our reach and inkless.
Um as part of expanding our reach and inclusive practice, uh, we’ve got to create an inclusive and welcoming culture within our volunteer teams, uh to within our volunteer teams, uh to reach new audiences and to create opportunities. to create opportunities for intergenerational work and knowledge transfer.
Um, so these are essentially the the big themes that came through through all this work. Um, through through all this work, um, and the kind of um, kind of of flag poles in the ground that we’re leaning back on. of flag poles in the ground that we’re leaning back on, um
Through this through these next 5 years. Um, so can we go to the next? Okay, so in practice what this looks like is we have short. short-term medium-term and long-term, uh activities. short-term medium-term and long-term, uh activities which help us to deliver on these objectives ultimately.
Help us to deliver on these objectives, ultimately the goals. So for um, we’ve got an example on the screen for you here of what that actually looks like for us. So, um, so in the short term so that So in the short term, so that was that was year 1 of the
Strategy. Um strategy, um, which is slightly different to the rest of the year because um, the strategy was new and there’s the need there was the need to continue to have dialogue. need to continue to have dialogue with with staff and volunteers around the strategy.
Volunteers around the strategy and we wanted to look kind of realistically what we could have as our kind of quick wins, but also wins. But also what we could practically uh introduce wins. But also what we could practically uh, introduced or change or engage with
Change or engage with, um without too much further investment needed because as you can imagine from some of the kind of more medium-term long-term goals that may there may may be uh funding needed there may be more development work that’s needed. that’s needed to be able to like truly um deliver on those
So our short term were crafted more around what we can tangibly do over that next year. So we tangibly do over that next year. So we’ve, uh, we’ve been delivering disability awareness training this year. delivering disability awareness training this year for our volunteers. Um,
And we do have a new um training manager. That’s and we do have a new um training manager that’s been introduced in the last few months and and introduced in the last few months and anti-racism is 1 of those uh strands, which I’m going to
Those uh strands which I’m going to be working quite closely with our training manager on uh to to develop um, and there’s some wider EDI work that’s happening at the moment as well where we’re looking to introduce. Um some module. module work that feeds into our volunteer inductions.
Module work that feeds into our volunteer inductions around embedding our understanding of inkless. embedding our understanding of inclusion and um equality and divert. and diversity practices that we uh, we champion at the Museum. So there’s some wider stuff happening around that but um, that’s our kind of short term. Um,
But um, that’s our kind of short term. Um, And then the medium-term is the next couple of years. And then the medium term is the next couple of years. And then the long term is is is is the final 2 years?
Then the long term is is is is the final 2 years in the strategy? um can Um, can we go on to the next slide please? Thank you. Um, can we go on to the next slide please? Thank you. Um so this is a bit of a
So this is a bit of a Whistle Stop of our strategy, but I’m hopeful that it’s kind of inform. hopeful that it’s kind of informative for you in terms of what it contains and what it contains and and the approach that we’ve we’ve taken to doing it so far.
Taken to doing it so far, um as I’m sure you can imagine there’s a lot of other influencers around how this um exist. exists. So, um, but in terms of exists. So, um, but in terms of uh, the actual delivery of the strategy and and how we measure
The strategy and and how we measure the impact around it, so we are so we are um actively investing in our so we are um actively investing in our staff, uh in terms of their capacity. of their capacity and skills. Um, we’ve uh in
Of their capacity and skills. Um, we’ve uh, introduced new staff and roles to support. staff and roles to support, um volunteer activity. Um, there is funding fun. there is funding funded work as well. That’s providing an extra capacity. extra capacity and we are also we do have a degree of budget so that
Budget so that we’re able to look at working more with external. external consultants and facilitators and trainers to provide. provide, um extra training or industry. provide, um, extra training or industry expertise where that’s needed as well. Um, but that’s needed as well. Um, but also understanding some
Around like soft skills around leadership around how Around like soft skills around leadership around how to be more compassionate and how to engage with. more compassionate and how to engage with kind of group think with volunteers. We have lots of big think with volunteers. We have lots of big teams. It’s very
Different working with big teams of volunteers. different working with big teams of volunteers than it is, um individuals in lots of ways. um individuals in lots of ways the different types of complexities that exist with across different teams. So we need we need to look more at some of what those more local
Challenges are. um we are working with our funded Partners to We are working with our funded Partners to really embed this as well. And that’s this as well. And that’s um, that’s where it been really beneficial to be able to tie some of that work into this to
Help us to make sure that we’re you know, our strategies reflective of that fun. reflective of that funded work as well and that that funded work helps us to deliver. funded work helps us to deliver on this. Um, we’re building in the straight.
In the strategy as part of our annual planning now, which Wasn’t something we had in place for the last strategy which? which sounds absolutely crazy, but that dialogue was. which sounds absolutely crazy. But that dialogue was seen in leadership is really important to make sure that that’s
Done. Um, we’re not fully the way there yet. There’s more work to do around that even still but within my team and within my department the strategy is now within my department the strategy is now front and center in our in our annual operating plan and all the work that
We do stems off of that as our core. we do stems off of that as our core team. There’s more work for us to do to make sure that that’s embedded across other teams as well. teams as well that involve volunteers, but that’s that’s
Teams as well that involve volunteers, but that’s that’s an in progress piece. We’ve got happening. Um, in progress piece. We’ve got happening. Um, We do capture a lot of data. We have volunteers currently. We do capture a lot of data. We have volunteers currently through surveys through feedback.
Through surveys through feedback, um anecdotes anecdotes, um as well, so um, as well, so there’s lots of ways for us to um, look, um, as well, so there’s lots of ways for us to um, look at how we measure the volunteer experience. how we measure the volunteer experience and understand
What’s working. Well, what’s not working? what’s working. Well, what’s not working so well, so that’s been really kind of positive to be able to channel some of that but also for us to look at actually what we’re missing, so we’re looking more at the moment for example or
Exit experience and how that reflects on volunteer satisfaction as well. satisfaction as well and to make sure that that ties in to that work. that work. So, uh, there’s always there’s always more that we can be doing but there there’s lots that we are doing currently to
Make sure that this strategy is something that that that that’s that’s integrated and that we focus on in terms of how we’re measuring it. Um next slide, please. Thank you. Um, we are also uh embedding volunteering at CoStar Museum strategy, so CoStar Museum strategy. So, uh, what was uh slightly
Fortuitous was that our volunteering strategy was intro. introduced alongside the museum strategy, so it’s introduced alongside the museum strategy. So it’s they’re in tandem with each other, which is really nice. We had a new Museum strategy kind of postco as well. new Museum strategy kind of postco as well. Um volunteers
Are embedded across are embedded across several of our road maps which are kind of key themes or key umbrellas that we’re prioritizing over the next. the next few years. Um, so we have the uh, incl the next few years. Um, so we have the uh inclusion team which help us to support.
Which help us to support. Um our kind of PDI culture and really developing. That positive messaging that positive way of working. That positive messaging that positive way of working and you know, being more inclusive and more reflective. know, being more inclusive and more reflective, um and more supportive in so many ways.
Supportive in so many ways with the different audiences we work with so, that’s really work with so that’s really uh been really been really positive so far. Um, positive so far. Um, my team are are involved the working group. groups across these so we have that kind of volunt.
Management perspective in there, but also crucially we have volunteers on these groups as well. So that volunteers on these groups as well so that they’re able to really represent that kind of voice for themselves also, which um, sometime, I mean there are questions about whether
Sometime, I mean there are questions about whether that sort of thing should be done. Um, and we’ve done we’ve had a bit of a trial and error with how that can work, but a bit of a trial and error with how that can work, but we
Have learned definitely through this more recent experience that that volunteers are bringing a unique perspective that that volunteers are bringing a unique perspective that for someone like myself as a member of Staff can’t come from necessarily enough that same way because my exper necessarily enough that same way because my experience as a
Member of staff is not the same as someone who’s a volunteer. volunteer and so making sure that their perspectives are embedded in this work as well. It’s really really important. important. So that’s been really uh a big step forward. important. So that’s been really, uh a big step forward for us, too.
Um, can I go to the next slide please? So what have we done so far? So we have uh, so we’re just about at the end of our first year, so about at the end of our first year. So March is our last,
Uh date of our financial year. So, um, we have had a bit of a um, despite what’s on the screen. We have a bit of a gap because um, I had a lot of recruitment to do around my team last year. So it has meant that
Last year. So it has meant that uh to strategy hasn’t had a big Focus because I’d like, big Focus because I’d like to have uh made sure it has so but that’s but that’s that’s risk management that’s being operational. That’s everything that comes with the day-to-day really
It’s how things go, but we have delivered on a lot already. as you can see on the screen. So, um, as you can see on the screen. So, um, we’ve introduced annual planning as part of our strategy work. So we’ve Daniel planning as part of our strategy works. So we’ve got
Another we’ve got 1 to do for our year 2 another we’ve got 1 to do for our year 2, that’s something we didn’t have in our previous strategy. we didn’t have in our previous strategy and I definitely recommend that as a way to keep
Recommend that as a way to keep convening with your kind of key stakeholders. key stakeholders and influencers in your organization around around what is in your strategy and What needs to change and develop between and adjusted and what that next? develop between and adjusted and what that next year looks
Like and how that’s being embedded. So make sure that you’re still um, making sure that each year your your objectives. objectives are still relevant and the activity that you’re doing. doing is still embedded within the strategy in the right way. way. Um, we’ve introduced some weekly coms.
Way. Um, we’ve introduced some weekly coms across our organization which feature volunteering organization which feature volunteering which previously they didn’t So people didn’t know about activ. So people didn’t know about activity that was happening but different sites or they didn’t. different sites or they didn’t work within those
Departments. They didn’t know about that work and their involvement. So that’s been really positive in terms of promoting awareness of volunteering. Um, promoting awareness of volunteering, um in my team. We’ve had a new coordinator brought in had a new coordinator brought in uh, specifically for the
The strategy work and that was something that I was uh, that was a kind of key priority. that was a kind of key priority as part of the strategy work that if we want to work that if we want to scale up this work. There’s a lot
Of investment going in a lot of work and a lot of collaborative work that we want to be doing while collaborative work that we want to be doing well with our teams and within the sectors teams and within the sectors that we need more staff. We need more resource and more investment.
Need more resource and more investment. So that’s been really positive to have really positive to have um, and I’m hopeful fingers crossed that we are that we are going to have some more over the next year to 2 years as well. to 2 years as well because that’s something that we’re
Building in as part of our scaling up. building in as part of our scaling up. Um, we’ve also started to do. um, we’ve also started to do online socials with our volunteers that’s been really, uh positive and experience for for uh our volunteers who are um, not
For uh, our volunteers who are um not able to get on site. So regularly or aren’t able to access access our events because of because of uh site access issues or because of uh, site access issues or just time of day how well it fits within people’s lives.
Well it fits within people’s lives. Um, and also we have a lot of volunteers that don’t necessarily lot of volunteers that don’t necessarily live local to where we work where where they volunteer. where we work where they volunteer so, uh home counties and and and
And and further a field as well. So it’s been really beneficial for for us to involve those. of geographically. And and some of our more social opportunities, which I think are just as important. are just as important for volunteer well-being and support and engagement.
And engagement as them coming in to spend a couple of hours. and engagement as them coming in to spend a couple of hours on a piece of work with us. on a piece of work with us. Um, And then additionally, uh We’ve we’ve very recent. and then additionally, uh We’ve we’ve very recently
Recruited a chairperson for a new recruited a chairperson for a new access Advisory Group, uh for volunteering which is going to be a piece of work that’s going to be running flat this year. that’s going to be running flat this year working with our volunteers and our staff.
Volunteers and our staff to understand how we can be more inclusive. inclusive, uh in volunteer Recruitment and in inclusive, uh in volunteer Recruitment and in supporting volunteers on their journey and in their time, volunteers on their journey and in their time with us as
Well. So we’re going to be doing a lot of reflective work. in that and I hope that we’ll be able to really in that and I hope that we’ll be able to really make some meaningful change, um over the next kind of year to 2 years
Around that so that’s that’s really important work, um that I’m really excited about um, and is only just picking off Um, so that’s really good. Um, can I go to the next slide? Um, so that’s really good. Um, can I go to the next slide, please?
Thank you. I think we do only have like a couple. Thank you. I think we do only have like a couple more slides left for sure. Everybody knows so we are very slides left for sure everybody knows so we are very close to the end now on the on the slides.
To the end now on the on the slides. Um, so we do have some challenges, uh with a strategy as well. Um, we’re keen to share some of these with you. share some of these with you, um, whilst there’s a lot of bells and whistles and good stuff happening. Uh, there are
Still challenges even now still challenges even now so, um having capacity in my team to kind of keep focusing on uh strategic to kind of keep focusing on uh, strategic work and that’s strategic thinking and what investments need to be going in down the line and making
Going in down the line and making sure that we’re forward planning. Um is is a relatively new? planning. Um is is a relatively new uh introduction into my team. team, uh being led by myself. Um, and team, uh being led by myself. Um, and I’m Keen that we
Continue to kind of scale up, but we do need to have capacity because we are very operational in what we do as well. So it is definitely that balancing. well. So it is definitely that Balancing Act, um that we it’s it’s very easy.
It’s it’s very easy and a bit cliche, but it’s very easy to have a straight. have a strategy that is oh that was produced during that year. year and now we’re just focusing on other things now focusing on focusing on other priorities, but actually we need to make
Sure that their strategy is getting sure that their strategy is getting embedded that is being developed and that it stays railay. developed and that it stays relevant for us all as well. So that’s really important. Um, we do need an impact model for our strategy.
Um, we do need an impact model for our strategy like we don’t have 1 at the moment that it’s kind of like the bit. Where where do how this is what we want to do. where where do how this is what we want to do and this is
Where we want to be but that bit in the middle that we need in. in terms of like how we get that step along so in terms of like how we get that step along. So we’re looking at um, we do have an evaluation manager and they
Have been looking at theory of change. So that may be a model that model that we look to introduce around volunteering. Um, but it’s a bit of but it’s a bit of a work in progress, um at this point, um,
But it’s a bit of a work in progress, um at this point, um, and um as I say some of the rest of the slides, uh the booklet, booklets there I’ve mentioned but um, but yeah, and I think managing expectations is probably a key 1 um,
Managing expectations is probably a key 1. Um, we’ve I’ve been very vocal about our strategy and I’ve been presenting it to our staff and our volunteers over the last few months in particular. Um, and I’ve been very keen to make sure this strategy has a lot of visibility and people are
Understanding what our priorities are going to be a year on year and Year and that we can reference back to that where we need to be able to and so people can particularly. to be able to and so people can particularly volunteers. Excuse me know that we’re listening know that.
Excuse me know that we’re listening know that we’re engaged and know that we have priorities to make investments. and know that we have priorities to make investments as well. Um, so that’s been really important but I think the pace of change uh is
Pace of change, uh is definitely something we have to be able to manage. Um, and able to manage um, and being able to um support new staff coming in and make sure that different department. coming in and make sure that different departments who I
Don’t manage are also engaged with this work, um is definitely 1 of those kind of continual, uh needs that has to just be there. It has to be built in Um next slide, please. Um next slide, please. uh and some
Uh and some good news some top tips for you. So I was Keen to share. to share some of what uh, my learning has been around this. for you. Um, if you’re looking at developing your own strategy, um, and you’re thinking about uh, what needs to
Be involved and how this might relate for you. be involved and how this might relate for you so I would say it’s really important to be realistic with the planning uh failures for this. planning, uh failures for this. Um, it took several months before we got a
It took several months before we got to someone on board. Um, and obviously putting a bid together and that process for doing that. Um, for doing that, um would need to be built in and then there’s a pace that definitely picks up Suddenly once you’ve got your consultant because you’re looking
Consultant because you’re looking at their time and what you need from them. you need from them and that relationship that you have to manage. Um, you have to manage. Um, but also in terms of that kind of but also in terms of that kind of process of discovery really from um,
Really from um, understanding what your needs are to uh doing. doing the workshops and what’s involved along that and then doing the workshops and what’s involved along that and then time to produce the strategy and really craft it. time to produce the strategy and really craft it is is
Really important. Um, and to make sure that really important. Um, and to make sure that your volunteers are involved like I I do think like that’s the are involved like I I do think like that’s the I I don’t think there’s an exception to that. I
Think there’s an exception to that like, I don’t think we can have a volunteering strategy and not involved in. volunteers really, um in in in a meaningful way, I think well not just because of the token because it needs to be something that’s relevant for them. There’s no point in having a straight.
Having a strategy. It’s not effective. Um, or that isn’t relatable. relatable in any way. It’s just otherwise, it’s just the document. document. Um, I do think you’ve got to be really open. uh, hearing criticism and all forms of feed. uh, hearing criticism and all forms of feedback through
This process because it is a learning exper. this process because it is a learning experience and you do want honesty with that you want honesty with that. You want to know what works well and what isn’t what isn’t working well and what needs to be done. of change, but also capturing ideas.
Capturing skills capturing gaps in skills and knowledge. There’s a lot of different stuff. There’s a lot of different stuff that can come out of this and um, I we have a whole report that didn’t make its way into the strateg. into the strategy as well around other stuff which
Into the strategy as well around other stuff which didn’t really factor in terms of our kind of key themes and prior. priorities but is of a work that came out as well, which is something we’re going to look at picking up at some stage. Um,
So yeah, and and a big thing about this. So yeah, and and a big thing about this is definitely bringing it to life and making sure that it’s communicating. bringing it to life and making sure that it’s communicated and that you there’s some advocacy work going into this to
Really make it effective. I really make it effective. I think um without that it the strategy is invisible. strategy is invisible people won’t know that new volunteers coming in won’t know. coming in won’t know about it. People won’t know about your priorities and priorities and there’s so much in terms of that engagement
And that influencing that you have to be able to do to make sure that the whole organization is in support of it and that everyone’s doing their bit as well. Um, that’s really important. So being able to kind of lean on people and uh,
And provide that kind of support where that’s needed. Um is important important to so um next slide, please the end. Uh, so thank you all for The end. Uh, so thank you all for listening. Uh, so contact details for me on the screen there if anyone.
Details for me on the screen there if anyone does want to get in touch, uh at any point in time. get in touch, uh at any point in time, um, I’m quite happy to share kind. I’m quite happy to share kind of further. Uh Insight another point or
Point or or I’m not sure if this strategy is going to get shared with everyone afterwards or not. Um, but um, but yeah, so, uh, so thank you all for listening and I hope it was useful for you, uh, um and insightful was useful for you, uh, um, and insightful. Um, I think
I’ve overrun just slightly, but I think we also had a bit of extra time from uh, Georgia. of extra time from uh, Georgia finishing her slot earlier, so hopefully it won’t be too heavy. hopefully it won’t be too heavy and impact. Um, so we’ve got quite a few questions
Got quite a few questions here that’s filtered through so I’ll Here that’s filtered through so I’ll jump straight into those. Um those. Um George I’m not sure if we’re gonna have time to go through all of them. all of them know unless we want to forego
All of them know unless we want to forego the uh breakout which I’m happy to take a poll on that. which I’m happy to take a poll on that with that does a preference preference. Um, yeah. preference. Um, yeah. Um, let’s let’s run with the questions, uh, and we’ll see where we get.
Questions, uh, and we’ll see where we get to okay. Um, I think okay, and you have already answered. Yeah, okay. Um, so I’ll just I’ll have a quick filter through. Um Was there anything that was suggested that didn’t? Was there anything that was suggested that didn’t make the strategy and why?
Um, yes there as I mentioned. um, yes there as I mentioned sort of towards the end there there were there were a lot of ideas about ways that we could involve volunteers and volunteers and um different kinds of volunteers and um different kinds of experiences that we could look to provide as well.
Could look to provide as well. Um, which could look to provide as well. Um, which were something that didn’t necessarily always have the right infrastructure. infrastructure around them. Um, it’s not to say that there isn’t a place for them down the line, but I think some of
The big themes within our strategy are around being more inclusive making volunteering more accessible. inclusive making volunteering more accessible, um having more leadership. more leadership and advocacy around volunteer management and being able to focus on uh, and being able to focus on uh, what skills and support our staff needs to be better.
Staff needs to be better at managing volunteers and better at dealing with challenges and conflicts. at dealing with challenges and conflicts and for us to be able to develop more of a positive work. able to develop more of a positive work culture around volunteering.
And that colors keeping that autonomy but being able to still have um you know positive working relationships between sap and volunteers so some volunteers. So some of the the kind of big themes that came through. through were ultimately are kind of focus areas because I think they they were resonating quite heavily like
Think they they were resonating quite heavily like through the workshops and um, the workshops and um across different audience groups. Um do Um, do you want me to run through these questions Giorgio you want to You want to call them out and I’ll answer I can call that on your answer.
On your answer. That’s fine. Okay, okay. How did you? Decide or select how many? decide or select how many and how involved and the chair The chair I’ve got everyone share these views. Um, so we did a uh, call out to volunteers about the
Strategy like the fact that we were that we’re going to be. Uh, That we involved the consultant and that we were going to be running some work. be running some workshops and that we were we did have like a a kind of headcount limit for them. So
We had a lot of back and forth. I had a lot of back and forth with the consult. forth with the consultant around how we frame that because we were really Keen that we had a good cross-section of people. people which just which meant some degree of targeting.
People which just which meant some degree of targeting. So, um, I think initially we did do a bit of an open call like early on so we did get some people but I think we had enough kind of Capac. enough kind of capacity. Whereas then to kind of Target certain audiences as well.
Certain audiences as well. So we it was a bit of a mixed approach really um, but I think particularly with the um, the online Workshop we made sure that within our messaging that we were focusing more on that. were focusing more on that audience that is less readily available to be on site.
Available to be on site as well. So that that was geared towards You know representing that broader. You know representing that broader portal with people. awesome And how involved were your trustees? And how involved were your trustees did you see trustees as part of the volunteering strateg? part of the volunteering strategy?
Um, so we have a a volunteer volunteering champion on our trustees. trustees, uh on our board. Um, who uh, I Through this strategy work. I now meet. through this strategy work. I now meet with them kind of on quarterly basis, uh on volunt. quarterly basis, uh on volunteering so that they’re kind of
Up to speed on everything. up to speed on everything and that’s really helped with um that kind of visibility of volunteering at the board. level. Uh, they’ve now invited me into this presentation to them on the kind of progress that we’re making in class. So
That side of it has been really positive. Um, but in terms of the trustee involvement, um it was of the trustee involvement, um, it was at the latest stage, we didn’t involve them in the workshops. It was much more when we were at the kind of draft stage for the
When we were at the kind of draft stage for the strategy document itself. So and they were part of that kind of approve that kind of feedback Approve that kind of feedback and approval cycle. So there was there were 3 or 4 months.
Was there were 3 or 4 months really well between senior leadership and the trustees we were reviewing the strategy in terms of making. in terms of making sure that it’s framed in the right way. So it was really at that point where they kicked in but I think that has
Think that has become as I say a springboard to having a dialogue. dialogue with the trustees around this work and around volunteer. volunteering more broadly, which I think is really really helpful because before the strategy there was no relationship. there was no relationship with the trustees around here so
That that has uh, I would say if anything it’s led to greater things since but they didn’t have a big involvement. greater things since but they didn’t have a big involvement as such. Um, at At the um, you know through the process. Okay, great. Uh, how did you make sure?
Uh, how did you make sure the volunteer voice was representative of your vol? representative of your volunteer body and not just the opinions of the same people who always contribute to this kind of work. Um, yeah, so kind of links a bit to the the earlier
Question. Um, I think we had a we did take that mixed approach. So we we expected there to be certain loud voices that will or those that are readily available to sign up to Abyssal. absolutely anything or any opportunity for them to share their kind of
Their kind of grievances if you like, uh, there’s always a few and and that’s expected and to some degree that was few and and that’s expected and to some degree. That was welcome. But I think making sure that there was enough capacity. capacity, um made made sure that
Capacity. Um, Mage made sure that we weren’t over subscribed. Um, and that we subscribed um, and that we could manage the numbers and when it can actually when it came to the day the days we I don’t think we even hit capacity with a number of
Volunteers that attended which um, you know for various reasons, but you know that reasons, but you know, that was that was a bit of a shame, but I don’t think kind of being over. but I don’t think kind of being oversubscribed with the
Wrong audience was kind of a problem. We just had to make sure that we we targeted enough sure that we we targeted enough in terms of the demographics and the different ways people. demographics and the different ways people volunteer that there were some that there was there was representation
There and part of that I think was having kind of that 1-to-1 dialogue. I was Keen to phone people up make sure that we did hear from certain people. that we did hear from certain people and that they were involved. Um, and those that couldn’t attend the workshops,
Which I felt were kind of which I felt were kind of important people to hear from. Um, we did allow them to kind of write in and we have some engagement which engagement which we then filtered in as part of worked the workshop as well. So that that their voices weren’t lost in
That process. that process. awesome Can you share any examples of your starting? can you share any examples of your starting questions themes topics that formed the basis of your consultation process and did you get different? process and did you get different stakeholders to review or input on different aspects of the strateg?
Input on different aspects of the strategy or was everyone permitted to input on all areas? Oh, that’s quite a long question. Sorry. I might have to split that into 2 parts. Um, so in terms of the kind of themes uh for the workshops. themes, uh for the workshops, um,
I think doing the SWOT analysis was really important and that was a that was a kind of pinch point for us in terms of being able to. of being able to uh, look at of being able to uh, look at you know that dialogue around
What that experience currently looks like. So that was really important to have. Um, we really important to have. Um, we wanted to reflect on the people plan as I mentioned so that was a strategic piece that was A strategic piece that was already in place. Like how true
Is this to volunteers? So there was a lot of kind of conversational dialogue that we generated. conversational dialogue that we generated around those kind of areas. Um of areas. Um, I think we did it was important as I say to for us to look ahead.
For us to look ahead like we wanted to understand what people’s ideal volunteering exper. people’s ideal volunteering experience would be like, um, so there was a lot of open questions that we put to uh to the groups so that we could hear from people in that kind of way. Um, but we also
Of way. Um, but we also did some group work as well. We wanted to have more informal conversations as part of the workshops as well. workshops as well that the people could then note down, uh their points. their points and that they’ll be able to um, put their kind
Of comments up on on a sort of mood board or or on Jam board or something like that so that they could share those. Um, Do you mind repeating the second part of the question Abyssal? Absolutely, uh, did you get different stakeholders to review and input on different aspects of the strategy or
Was everyone? was everyone permitted to input on all areas? Yeah, so it was we did have to channel. Yeah, so it was we did have to channel channel this. Yeah, I think if I have asked, you know 400 plus people to input on this.
Asked, you know 400 plus people to input on this. I don’t think we would have got anywhere so. think we would have got anywhere. So I worked I did have to work closely with the work closely with the the consultant. So I was
I was kind of the the main kind of uh leader in terms of kind of. kind of driving driving it forward but kind of driving driving it forward. But um I worked with our head of Department. Um who at the time was my line manager?
Was my line manager. So there was some visibility of how the workshop. the workshops were being framed. Um, There was a need for. There was a need for me to report upwards through the through. through the progress that was being made as well. So there was uh wider awareness through the process.
Was uh wider awareness through the process of how the strategy was being developed. strategy was being developed. Um, So that was quite useful to be able to do. so that was quite useful to be able to do um but in terms of I I didn’t I didn’t share very
But in terms of I I didn’t I didn’t share very widely with different stakeholders. different stakeholders in terms of the kind of Workshop planning as such. planning as such. because I think it would have it would have. it would have prolonged the process and the time frames.
That we had for doing the consultation. that we had for doing the consultation. Um and the fact that we have such a a kind of in like bespoke approach to each work. each Workshop as well. Like we were kind of starting once we
We done 1 we like alright, let’s look at how we can plan the next 1 the next 1 um, and to some degree as well like I mean, the next 1 um, and to some degree as well. Like I mean, I
Haven’t said but I have I have also been at the the London Hospital museum for well over a decade and I’ve um really helped to like develop and platform volunteering at the Museum and develop a lot of you know, put in place a lot of initiatives.
Initiatives that we have. So I think there was a to some degree a bit of bias. degree a bit of bias of me leaning on that experience of knowing what we have done. knowing what we have done and being able to to kind of
Channel that into this work which I think helped because I think without that I think there probably would have been the there would have needed to the there would have needed to have been the kind of like almost like an extra working. almost like an extra working group on the side or something
Like that. Okay that we’ve just got 2 more. Okay that we’ve just got 2 more questions and then I think we can squeeze in a little bit of Breakout. we can squeeze in a little bit of breakout. Um So relating to the point around aging volunteers, do you have alum? have alumni volunteers?
We don’t actually at the moment, but it is something. We don’t actually at the moment, but it is something that our volunteers have been asking about us doing. our volunteers have been asking about us doing um as part of that kind of. of that kind of partly as part of the knowledge transfer
Because people because people uh often um can know Um can no longer actively volunteer, but they could be they could help in more. could help in more of an advisory kind of capacity that we could draw. could draw in some kind of way, but also in terms of people’s career.
People’s career progression like we have a lot of people that kind of volunteers. that kind of volunteer with us and then they move on to becoming like a true driver. becoming like a true driver or um, uh, they go in they go to university and learn about transport planning or or they
Just go off and do something completely different that’s not comfortable related. not comfortable related, but they um, you know that having that relationship. that relationship like Beyond uh them, that relationship like Beyond, uh them being an active volunteer I think is something that we need to we need to
Look at and at the moment that’s not in our straight. look at and at the moment that’s not in our strategy, but it may be that we look to incorporate that over. it may be that we look to incorporate that over the next
Couple of years. I think there is a place for that. definitely, but I think we also need to understand what that kind of looks like. So we already have for example a circle at the lodge of Southport Museum, which like the people who um donate um each year.
Like the people who um donate um each year to towards our work and there’s a A kind of membership framework around that to some degree. So I think we need to think about something around that for volunteer. volunteering of how we manage that and what that Eng.
Volunteering of how we manage that and what that engagement looks like. But yeah, I mean I’m open. looks like. But yeah, I mean I’m open for us to um develop something like that down the line. I think there’s a there’s a need so awesome, and then finally, what kind of social events and
Activities do you do please can I hear more about the volunteer socials? Okay. Um, so we we run a annual thank you event for all our volunteers. volunteers. So we’ve got 1 coming up uh in May this year. volunteers. So we’ve got 1 coming up, uh in May this year.
I say its annual but we haven’t done 1 since the pandemic. So this will be our first form which will be the start of our annual. our annual 1 again. So we used to do them before Co um, we get the whole, uh, you know, we we get all our department.
Together. Um, our our senior leadership will be there. It’s a kind of um a program a kind of um, a program that we develop uh in terms of putting on activ. putting on activities food and drink and uh, it’s an opportunity for us to thank our volunteers give them some certificates.
Certificates and have a lots of social opportunities. skill-sharing and um, we do things like, skill-sharing and um, we do things like House book quizzes and uh test their engineering knowledge. There’s all sorts of kind of of kind of stem work that are learning team do which we like to sort.
Like to sort of tie into the life, which is, you know, really Interactive. really interactive then and really fun. Um, we also do uh, social events through the year. So we tend to run a kind of Christmas. Um, like after hours at the Museum, so we get to do that whole kind of
Whole kind of behind the scenes kind of thing a bit like a museum late but for staff and volunt, museum late, but for staff and volunteers, which is pretty cool. Um, we also do like a picnic in the park over the summer. Uh, which is quite nice like in Central London.
Uh, which is quite nice like in Central London, um, we run reciprocal visits as well. So as a museum, uh, and particularly in London, particularly in London, uh, lots of other museums are kind of doing similar things. So there’s a kind of like unofficial. unofficial like reciprocal visit Arrangement that lots of
Places have places have where we can take a seat a group of volunteers. places have where we can take a seat a group of volunteers to visit another site for free, um, and they can come to our site for free as well. So we get like behind the
Tours and things like that. So we tend to run several. tours and things like that. So we tend to run several of those events through the year. Um, And as I mentioned before we do we started to do online. And as I mentioned before we do we started to do online
Socials as well. So we we have different. socials as well. So we we have different uh, Avenues for that and sometimes that’s built. Avenues for that in sometimes that’s built into team working so skillshare and that kind of stuff. Um, what what are people’s favorite objects?
Are people’s favorite objects in our collection. Uh, what knowledge. Can you share that? knowledge. Can you share that other volunteers might not know that kind of stuff? Um, so there there’s different ways to pitch ways to pitch these events and there’s a different place for them, but we also have
For them. But we also have very local stuff like T and cake and that kind of stuff. and that kind of stuff just on site as part of their normal days. Um, if it’s like end of the year or to someone’s birthday or whatever that needs to be as well, uh, we do
Have a budget for social Events as well, which is quite nice. Events as well, which is quite nice. I have um, it doesn’t stretch massively, but it does allow us. stretch massively but it does allow us to to put on several kind of paid events for vol.
Kind of paid events for volunteers as well, which is really nice to be able to have especially those kind of bigger. Thank you events and be able to Thank you events and be able to uh, you know, have a budget for those Amazing that all sounds really great.
Um, so I think we might just have run out of time. Um for the breakouts, I don’t know. the breakouts, I don’t know if you wanted to just walk us through what you were going to ask. through what you were going to ask people to talk about and
Maybe we can go I think yeah. Okay. Uh, yeah. Thank you for putting the the slide on. Um, so uh, what challenges would you face in in introducing a volunteering strategy at? organization? And what steps could you take to address them? So, um, I’m sure everyone’s in a different place.
Them? So, um, I’m sure everyone’s in a different place when it comes to whether they have a strategy. it comes to whether they have a strategy, um how that’s working currently or actually working currently or actually if uh, you don’t have 1 but you might be looking to have 1
You might be looking to have 1 like what might be some of those kind of initial those kind of initial steps that you might need to be considering. considering around how you take that forward. Um, because everyone’s in different places, I’m sure that other people
People would be able to uh, share their different experiences. experiences of that as well and give some insight. Um, mean the way I’ve developed our strategy, um, mean the way I’ve developed our strategy is based on what our needs have been. Um, systems. Um different ways of collaborating different.
As well. So all of those things will of course will be a factor. So fabulous. We do have some networking. Fabulous. We do have some networking time, um towards the end of the session and I have specified which breakout rooms are. rooms are for which conversations and I think maybe if we
Make 1 of those rooms, make 1 of those rooms this question, and then anybody that does want to sort of partick. does want to sort of participate in that breakout will have a chance to do so later on. um, if everyone’s happy with that fabulous Okay, then I think.
Okay, then I think it is my turn to take over again. So if I could just have my slides back, please. So if I could just have my slides back, please. Thank you very much. So a huge. Thank you to Sam.
Thank you very much. So a huge thank you to Sam. Um, that was really really fascinating. Um, I know we ran over a little bit, but I think we could have done without any of that information. I thought it was all really really
Interesting. Um, so we are going to take a little bit of a comfort break now. Um, so feel free to stretch your legs grab a cup of tea do whatever you need. grab a cup of tea do whatever you need to do. Um, get your
Eyes away from the screen for a little while and we will come back here at 11:45, um to introduce lis, come back here at 11:45, um to introduce Lisa Andrews from CVS tendering who’s going to talk about a collaborative. volunteering in practice. So I hope you really enjoyed Sam’s
Sam’s talk. I I know I definitely did and we’ll see you guys in about guys in about 15 minutes. Hi. Hi, welcome back everyone. I hope you’ve had a good chance to. to stretch your legs and stretch your eyes and grab a cup
Of tea. Um and a feeling refreshed ready for our second session. Um, I hope you really enjoyed the first half of the the talks. Um, I’ve got a lot out of them already. Um, so I’m really really pleased now to hand over to Lisa.
I’m really really pleased now to hand over to Lisa Andrews from CVS tending who’s going to be giving some case stud. from CVS tending who’s going to be giving some case studies and some examples or of uh collaborative volunteer. and some examples or of uh, collaborative volunteering in
Practice. So welcome Lisa and over to you. Hi. Thanks, everyone. I hope everybody can. Hi, thanks, everyone. I hope everybody can uh see and hear me. Okay, because all I can see is my uh, my um presentation, but I’m sure it’ll all be fine and run a
Swimmingly. Um, my name is Lisa Andrews and I am the deputy chief. chief officer at Community voluntary services tendering chief officer at Community voluntary services tendering or CVS team. We are the local infrastructure. CVS team. We are the local infrastructure Organization for the voluntary sector.
The voluntary sector in tendering in Essex and last year. We celebrate We celebrated our 50th anniversary. for anyone For anyone not familiar with this part of the world. We’re based in the east of England. based in the east of England where our district has the longest coastline.
Longest coastline in England and includes the seaside towns of claton. of claton sea Brenton and sea Walton on the Nazis and the international Port of harage. But if that still doesn’t ring any bells then we’re 60 miles north of London. ring any bells, then we’re 60 miles north of London and we
Share a border with the city of Colchester. share a border with the city of Colchester, but I’m here today to talk to you about a collaborative. today to talk to you about a collaborative volunteering in practice and in particular. practice and in particular how cvst has worked.
With a range of Partners to integrate volunteering into Community projects. Hopefully you’ll find some practical. examples of how we’ve made this work in tend. Before I talk about that it’s probably. Before I talk about that it’s probably useful to give you a bit of background about the area.
Bit of background about the area the type of people who live here and some of the challenges. live here and some of the challenges we Face despite living as you can see in an area that has stunning beaches the largest. largest pleasure per in England ancient Woodland.
Largest pleasure per in England ancient Woodland a historical Abbey that has Origins Trac. historical Abbey that has Origins tracing back to the 12th secret century and secret century and an international Port that received its Royal Charter. Royal Charter from King Edward II in 13
Royal Charter from King Edward II in 1318 and is said to be from where the Mayflower set off. from where the Mayflower set off to North America. but depending on who you talk to, that’s not But depending on who you talk to that’s not always what people talk about when they mention tender.
People talk about when they mention tendering. They quite often talk about high levels of deprivation including in jaywick. The number 1. including in jaywick. The number 1 most deprived ward in England on the outskirts. England on the outskirts of Clapton. if you work in the Health and Care System
If you work in the Health and Care system, which we do at cbst you will also hear about. cbst, you will also hear about the fact that almost 1 in 3 people. people are over the age of 65. That’s the fifth highest in England. England and over 1 third of the population.
England and over 1 third of the population aged 16 plus leave school with no qualifications. leave school with no qualifications, which is compared to the national average. the national average of around 1 in 5 plus many other statist. statistics that put our district in the bottom 20% of the
Indices of the multiple depth of multiple. indices of the multiple depth of multiple deprivation. And that might make you think that would be really difficult to get people to volunteer. difficult to get people to volunteer, but there is always 1 more way of looking at things and this next picture.
More way of looking at things and this next picture. Gives some examples of that so as the previous image. Gives some examples of that. So as the previous image gave you an example of what jwick looks like in the media. you an example of what jwick looks like in the media and in
Some cases how the system views the place. some cases how the system views the place and its people this is what it looks like. this is what it looks like to the local community to the voluntary sector. voluntary sector and to people who care and the mural on
The side of the beach bar in the top left-hand picture was painted as part of a community project bought. painted as part of a community project bought together by a group of like-minded people who wanted to make a difference in their local community and as you can see they did scores
Scores of kind-hearted motivated community volunteers, who care about when they live help to keep the streets and beaches clean. beaches clean thousands of volunteers work together to tack. tackle loneliness and isolation keep people. tackle loneliness and isolation keep people fit and active. provide the friending provide befriending services keep people safe drive
Community Transport buses community Transport buses help their neighbors teach people new skills. new skills feed people and save lives by. new skills feed people and save lives by running clubs groups and activities supporting around. groups and activities supporting around 900 voluntary and Community groups of the tend.
Community groups of the tendring district everything from neighborhood watch. neighborhood. Watch to dementia cafes Sports coaches digital. digital Champions Community First Responders and food bank volunt. volunteers to name, but a few and the role of CV volunteers to name, but a few and the role of cvst is to
Bring those organizations together to bring those organizations together to ensure that they have a voice to raise their profile. a voice to raise their profile to provide practical support and development opportunities. and development opportunities and to Champion volunteering and I really hope that many of you have CVS’s in your areas
That do that too. So, how does this? So how does this fit with the vision for volunteering and in? in particular with the theme of collaboration where as the vision States collaboration is natural fluid. vision States collaboration is natural fluid flexible and spontaneous. I’m sure.
Spontaneous. I’m sure that many of you will agree also takes hard. takes hard work resilience tenacity and a significant. takes hard work resilience tenacity and a significant amount of Goodwill and we’ve obviously got tons of that. amount of Goodwill and we’ve obviously got tons of that in a voluntary sector
The vision also talks about people doing great stuff together because they want to driven by their shared interests. interests or Ambitions and that’s some of what I’ll be covering during this. covering during this session. I would like to make it clear. I would like to make it clear though that the great stuff
We do together is only possible when that great stuff is properly res. properly resourced particularly when trying to do it at scale. scale and in the case of cvst some of that resource. scale and in the case of cvst some of that resource came in
Part from the national lottery and it started in 2013 with funding for our Hill project. funding for our Hill project healthier independent on goliaths it was goliaths. It was a community development project that’s been running now for over. been running now for over 10 years and it aims to tackle loneliness and isolation.
Loneliness and isolation high levels of physical activity. low skills and to get people more involved in their local. low skills and to get people more involved in their local community and it’s no accident that all of these photographs show people enjoying themselves out. photographs show people enjoying themselves outdoors in
Part because they obviously make great photos. part because they obviously make great photos and I think um, but also because being outdoors, um, but also because being outdoors and enjoying nature is proven to benefit people. proven to benefit People’s Health and well-being and I’ve actually seen that on the news this morning.
Actually seen that on the news this morning but a significant amount of research has been carried. significant amount of research has been carried out in this area and that research has repeatedly area and that research has repeatedly shown that contact with nature. Has many beneficial effects. Has many beneficial effects including improved mood
Happiness sub. happiness subjective well-being sleep reduced stress. happiness subjective well-being sleep reduced stress and a reduction in feelings of depression and anxiety. reduction in feelings of depression and anxiety with some of these being closely linked to improvements. of these being closely linked to improvements in people’s physical health and their susceptibility.
Physical health and their susceptibility to disease as well. We do have an equal. well. We do have an equal number of indoor activities too at cvst. at cvst ranging from Friendship clubs to Art groups helping people to use technology Multicultural groups exercise. people to use technology Multicultural groups exercise and
Relaxation classes and loads more but none. relaxation classes and loads more but none of it would be possible without volunteers. possible without volunteers and cvst has around 250 of them. amazing people from all walks of life and going back to that vision for volunteering where collaboration is.
That vision for volunteering where collaboration is natural fluid flexible and spontaneous. fluid flexible and spontaneous. We’ve had to make sure that we are all of those things. we are all of those things and more to ensure that our volunteering offer. volunteering offer meets the needs of our local population.
And our funders and our partners and we’ve had to do that. and our funders and our partners and we’ve had to do that so that people want to volunteer with us so that so that people want to volunteer with us. So that stakeholders refer their beneficiaries to us so that they
Can volunteer people with learning disabilities. can volunteer people with learning disabilities and mental ill health people have been bereaved or have suffered. trauma people with physical disabilities or trauma people with physical disabilities or who are furthest from employment. And so that furthest from employment. And so that people are talking
About us on social media and about us on social media and when someone asks the question, does anyone know where I could go to do? does anyone know where I could go to do some volunteering we want people to be coming back with
We want people to be coming back with have you tried cvst they’re great, and I’m they’re great, and I’m really pleased to say that they do. systems policies and procedures risk assessments. Excellent governance. Robust Financial. governance, robust Financial procedures and a passionate and dedicated team of great people.
And dedicated team of great people in our case. This includes a wonderful volunteer coordinator, and I can’t stress enough how great uh, volunteer coordinators can be but also, but also a team of brilliant Community Development officers. Thanks again. officers. Thanks again to the national lottery funded project. They’ve embedded high quality volunteer management
System. Systems into our organization. So that recruitment IND Systems into our organization so that recruitment induction training and volunteer development. induction training and volunteer development is seamless and so that our volunteers have opportunities. and so that our volunteers have opportunities to do what they’re passionate about and that they feel
They’re passionate about and that they feel valued and respected. again, I can Again, I cannot stress enough how important it is to say. Again, I cannot stress enough how important it is to say. Thank you. And it’s evst we do this all year.
And it’s evst we do this all year round not just during volunteers week, although these photos are from volunteers week at our volunteer. week at our volunteer fund days at our beach Hearts, which we’re obviously lucky being on the coast to have access to that and they are
That and they are legendary great great way to say. Thank you to your volunteers. Just as a slightest side. I will add. Just as a slightest side. I will add that cvst as part of our infrastructure offer oper. our infrastructure offer operates as the local volunteer Center for which we use the volunt.
Center for which we use the volunteer Essex platform to match people to volunt. match people to volunteering opportunities with around 100. volunteers across our district. volunteers across our district. And then another essential. and then another essential, um process that needs to be embedded in any volunteering program is of course monitoring and evaluation.
You have to be able to tell your funders and potential future funders about. future funders about the outputs and outcomes that have been achieved. been achieved through the work that you do. There are the obvious. obvious Basics around the number of volunteers the number of hours.
Of hours number of beneficiaries say support and if you have the resource to be able to turn that into a social return on investment. return on investment then even better, but if you don’t then a basic calculation of the hours of volunteering then a basic calculation of the hours of volunteering times
Minimum wage or average wage as you can see on minimum wage or average wage, as you can see on the screen here will give you annual stakeholders at least. here will give you annual stakeholders at least an idea of how much it would cost your organiz.
How much it would cost your organization to deliver your services if you had to employ staff for those hours and for your for your outcomes, this could include a whole range depending on your organiz. depending on your organization the types of people who volunteer with you.
Volunteer with you or the people that you work with self-reported out. self-reported outcomes through questionnaires or other tools that measure well-being or tools that measure well-being or confidence increases in people’s levels of physical. people’s levels of physical activity or skills gained or achievement of achievement of qualifications and the
That has made it such as people gaining employment as a result. and the way you report on those outcomes should also be varied including graphs stories case. varied including graphs stories case studies and films as well as your funders standard reporting. well as your funders standard reporting mechanisms.
Another tip that I picked up Another tip that I picked up from a conference. I attended some years ago is to share some. some years ago is to share some of these stories with your funders outside of your usual, um reporting process partic. particularly if you have a grants officer an
Particularly, if you have a grants officer an email with a good news story or a new article. good news story or a new article or even just a quote from a beneficiary can go a long way to helping your funders. Remember you and the
Remember you and the brilliant work you do and don’t forget social media. social media mention tag or link to fund. social media mention tag or link to funders Partners and stakeholders and encourage them to like and share your posts. I want to share with you now.
I want to share with you now a jewel in the crown for cvst which is the Kennedy. which is the Kennedy Way community garden. this This touch is on the second part of the collaborative aims within the vision. within the vision for volunteering around shared interests or ambitions.
Or Ambitions. And this particular project came about as a result. result of exactly that it started with. result of exactly that it started with an NHS local Estates Forum meeting. Forum meeting a monthly meeting that our chief officer attended to discuss you’ve guessed it local Estates and by that.
That I mean buildings and offices GP that, I mean buildings and offices GP surgeries car Parks hospitals and some voluntary sector Estates, like community centers and hospitals and the ISS. centers and hospitals and the issues surrounding those things as I’m sure you can imagine.
Things as I’m sure you can imagine for a voluntary organization. Used to work in with the local community and amazing Charities. It wasn’t the most. Charities. It wasn’t the most exciting 2 hours each month, but it’s worth thinking about the fact that everything happens for a reason.
Happens for a reason and the time invested paid off. 1 of the Estates issues being discussed for a number of years was the decline of 2 GP surgery buildings that were not fit for purpose. They were overcrowded and they needed sign. significant investment. the local NH
The local NHS had been pushing for some time to merge the 2. surgeries despite significant public outcry. surgeries despite significant public outcry against this and the NHS wanted to refurbish another site that they already owned at a location about a mile from each surgery, but centrally located.
But centrally located for the local population to create a brand new purpose. brand new purpose-built super surgery to properly meet the needs of the local population after many many years. needs of the local population after many many years and we didn’t keep that we weren’t going to the meetings for 18 years.
Years, but that’s how long it took. Um the project got the go ahead. go ahead and with all sorts of reassurances local res. go ahead and with all sorts of reassurances local resident to local residents, including things like improved transport. transport links which were in part provided by another great local charity.
Great local charity tendering community Transport supported and en encouraged by the infrastructure role of cvst What followed were many many meetings discussions business cases plans and ideas to bring that project to fruition and this included discussions around what was going to happen to an overgrown rubbish strewn piece of wasteland in the
Middle of the rather large middle of the rather large surgery car park that you can see here and this was around the time that the NHS was And this was around the time that the NHS was starting to see the value of social prescribing.
See the value of social prescribing and cvst was delivering the social prescribing service in our area. So at 1 of the many meetings our chief officers suggested. Uh, sorry our chief off. uh, sorry our chief officer suggested to NHS colleagues that this piece of Wast
That this piece of wasteland could make a great Community project that project that could link social prescribing Community Development volunt. Development volunteering and well-being. We were able to. We were able to con. Or she was able to convince everyone. or she was able to convince everyone around the table that
This project would make a difference not only to the new surgeries patients, but surgeries patients, but also to The Wider community and after many more meetings emails, discussions and conversations. conversations with what was the clinical commissioning group at the time. group at the time plus NHS Property Services.
Group at the time plus NHS Property Services GPS senior Managers from the surgeries affected. Managers from the surgeries affected and others a decision was finally made to go. was finally made to go ahead with Kennedy Way community garden. garden. more meetings and emails, uh
More meetings and emails, uh with NHS Property Services took place. They owned the land they place. They owned the land. They owned the space. Um, and that was follow that was followed by legal agreements about site management and as time went on these conversations developed.
And as time went on these conversations developed and as that happened a real appetite from a state manag. that happened a real appetite from a state managers and project managers for this exciting new project. began to form. so much so that they eventually So much so that they eventually agreed to include some
Funding in their business. funding in their business case for this multi-million pound doctor surgery. doctor surgery to pay to clear the land and for the development of the outdoor space. at the same At the same time as those discussions were taking place with the NH.
With the NHS cvst was doing what it does best Eng. with the NHS cvst was doing what it does best engaging with the local community getting the Buy in from the patient participation groups local. participation groups local residents potential volunteers and holl. and Holland residents Association. We worked with them and
You can see the picture on the right we worked with them to to co-produce and co-design the community garden. to co-produce and co-design the community garden and they eventually settled on a plan that included eventually settled on a plan that included a poly tunnel was storage, um sheds
Was storage, um sheds raised beds and a men’s shed and our team worked tirelessly to ensure that the community was involved. involved in the project every step of the way and it’s a testament to everyone involved at the community are still involved in this project many of the volunteers who
The project while it was still just a patch of Wast are still involved in it now, are still involved in it now 2 and a half years later. months of work followed and a beautiful Vibrant Community Garden grew Garden grew which I can show you around now.
Hi and welcome to the Kennedy way. Hi and welcome to the Kennedy Way community garden. We have had our grand. had our grand opening today. So the community garden. had our grand opening today. So the community garden is open to the public and what we’re going to do. We’re going
To just show you. to just show you around show you a few of the things here and let you know what we’re going. and let you know what we’re going to be doing here in the garden over. garden over the coming months and hopefully is
And we’ve got a fabulous group of volunteers a social Pres. prescribing Link Worker volunteer coordinator who’ve helped. prescribing Link Worker volunteer coordinator who helped make this happen. We’ve got some fabulous raised beds where our um local our um, local community are able to plant fruit and veg and flowers grow things and just
Flowers grow things and just improve their health and well-being. We know how great the value of being outside is and the difference. and the difference that it can make to people health and wellbeing, so Health and wellbeing. So we’ve created this fabulous space that allows people.
That allows people to get outside be active. that allows people to get outside be active make new friends and join their local community. friends and join their local community. So here we’ve got our brand. So here we’ve got our brand new poly tunnel, which is where we’re going to be able to do.
We’re going to be able to do seedlings and plant things and grow. grow things and obviously when the weather isn’t too great. We’re going to be able to be inside in the warm and the dry. So we’ve got some lovely seating areas here.
So we’ve got some lovely seating areas here where people can come um the staff. come. Um, the staff can obviously from the Kennedy way Medical Center can enjoy their lunch here or sit out here, but also the community can come have a natal with their friends.
Friends after they’ve done a bit of planting have a cup of tea just a place to sit and enjoy the outside. It’s a little bit noisy. There’s all sorts of. It’s a little bit noisy. There’s all sorts of activity going on in here and I if you come.
Going on in here. And I if you come inside, I’ll show you around to let you know what we’re going to be doing inside. So this is the men’s shed. You can see we’ve got some. lovely little bird boxes here that have been made we’re going to decor.
Going to decorate them and um pop them up on the trees out in the garden and this is a space. in the garden and this is a space where we can Then can I work side by side? then can I work side by side and
Then can I work side by side and build things make things create things. create things teach other men how to make things and create things. things and um, it’s just a really great place to be if you come up to the other end. You’ll be able to see it’s got
Obviously it’s got electricity. obviously it’s got electricity and it’s got a microwave and a sink unit. So people can also help cup of tea or got 1 of our volunteers here. Also, hopefully he doesn’t our volunteers here. Also, hopefully he doesn’t mind being on and uh, just closing it.
On and uh, just closing it up for the night because we’re all done for the day. But um, it’s a really great space that people can enjoy throughout the year in the dry in the warm. And um make new friends get to know each other and try something new. Hi, Lisa.
Hi Lisa apologies to interrupt just your you got your microphone on mute there. Right. Sorry about that working. Some technology is a bit of a downfall there for me, but I’m hoping that we’re uh, Back up and running. So um Back up and running. So um Great. Hopefully you can see in here.
Great. Hopefully you can see in here now. Sorry about that. So, um just just I’ll repeat what I was saying the Just just I’ll repeat what I was saying. The that film was made on the day of the official launching. made on the day of the official launch in October 2021 and
Since then. since then because of the that great work and the time. since then because of the that great work and the time and the energy and the effort and literally and I mean literally and its true sense that Blood Sweat and Tears of
Dozens of volunteers the NHS and NHS Property Services in particular have particular have continued to support the project they’ve been able to been able to highlight it on the national stage at conferences and work. conferences and workshops as an Exemplar of best practice. for managing NHS Estates, and they’ve been able to share
Stories around the country about how a collaboration between the NHS and the voluntary sector has truly integrated. integrated social prescribing into the care provided by Medical. medical professionals to improve the physical and mint. well-being of the local population and as a result well-being of the local population. And as a result further
Investment has been received. investment has been received from the NHS to develop the facilities. to include a community hub Uh, which is powered by solar panels and upcycling space. Uh, which is powered by solar panels and upcycling space and outdoor gym a sensory garden, beautiful. outdoor gym a sensory garden beautiful Wildflower Garden.
You can see there from last summer. you can see there from last summer. Um some some other planting and um, planting and um audio visual facilities to enable even more planting and um audio visual facilities to enable even more activities to take place in this.
Even more activities to take place in this really really magical space. and And this has led to numerous other collaborations with other organ. other organizations. So um that in other organizations. So, um that includes ethics well-being service the provider of wellbeing. service the provider of well-being services in ethics, uh, small local business.
Small local business CVS T’s own wonderful volunteers. small local business CVS T’s own wonderful volunteers at countywide training provider and many others. countywide training provider and many others all of whom deliver a plethora of clubs and groups. deliver a plethora of clubs and groups or who just enjoy it
Using the garden and that in turn has helped to raise CVS’s profile. profile enabling us to collaborate further on other projects. projects across our community with public and private. sector partners, and of course our outstanding sector partners, and of course our outstanding local charities and voluntary and Community groups.
Charities and voluntary and Community groups. So I hope that everyone has found this interest that everyone has found this interesting and that it’s given um you some food for given, um you some food for thought because we now have an opportunity to move into break.
Opportunity to move into breakout rooms for a discussion about collaboration. about collaboration and volunteering and afterwards we can share share some feedback. So there’s 4 rooms that you’re able to um, join pick 1 that you fancy and Will have a chat up on the screen. Um, there are
Will have a chat up on the screen. Um, there are some suggested discussion topics. So, um, suggested discussion topics. So, um, feel free to use them. feel free to use them or to pick something else and afterwards we’ll feedback Maybe. afterwards we’ll feedback maybe 3 top tips from each group. So, um,
So, um have a chat join a join a join a group. So, um have a chat join a join a join a group and um, we’ll come back in a few minutes. There’s some lessons learned. come back in a few minutes. There’s some lessons learned after um, after the the
After the the breakout room, so hopefully we’ll uh, enjoy speaking to each other. I think we’ve got 15 minutes for this. for this so, uh lovely. Hi, sorry. Hi, sorry, I just saw a thing saying that I’m live again. So, uh nice to see everybody back here. I hope
So, uh nice to see everybody back here. I hope that you had some useful discussions in your room. some useful discussions in your rooms. I managed to get into some of them and then unfortunately I into some of them and then unfortunately, I got thrown out
Of the room that I was in presenting and um, of the room that I was in presenting and um to move somewhere else, but it’s much better Lighting in a much better. better view. So that’s good. Um what? better view. So that’s good. Um, what I will do
Better view. So that’s good. Um, what I will do is just take some of the comments that I picked up in some of the rooms that I was in and then also and I’m hoping that George might be able to pop some things in the chat on um,
George might be able to pop some things in the chat on um on this screen, um some feedback from some of you and some of the top tips that you picked up. I know I mean there were suggested questions and hopefully you’ve come up with some um some
Come up with some um some top tips that we can share with 1 another or hopefully pick. another or hopefully picked up something from a colleague in the room that we we don’t all get. in the room that we we don’t all get to hear but
1 of the things that I picked up was about the importance of buying of buying so Buy in from um, sin. of buying so Buy in from um, senior leaders within your organization and to really make sure that if you are talking about volunteer, talking about volunteering within your organization that
Everybody in your organization believes in it and is passionate about it, and that’s not just the senior. management team, but also the um board management team, but also the um board so, um, just to really make sure that is within your organization feel that that thing that I
Saying earlier feel valued and feel as though it’s um it’s something that’s important to your whole organization because the expectations of volunteers are growing and growing there’s more and more. Um, expectation that volunteers can expectation that volunteers can do can do different things and um
And um that puts pressure on people and if the people in your organization aren’t getting that message from the top that volunteering is has important that volunteering is has important as everything else within your organization, it can get missed. within your organization. It can get missed. Um 1 of the
Other comments picked up in in 1 of the rooms that I was in was about building relationships. So, was about building relationships. So again, if you are a volunteer involving organiz, volunteer involving organization, and if you are placing volunt, volunteers or you’re required to recruit and induct in train,
Train volunteers, you really need to make sure that the all all of the organizations that you work with have that that you’ve built a good relationship with them. You can’t go in like a bull in a china shop and say, um,
Like a bull in a china shop and say, um that you want people to uh volunteer people to uh volunteer, but then you don’t provide any sort of support to those organiz. of support to those organizations or the support to your to your volunteers. And that’s absolutely essential. There are
A couple of questions. a couple of questions that have come through so I’m going to um, to um, um, look at those now and 1 of those The Kennedy white Garden have any paid staff to coordinate? the volunteers. So, uh, yes I have to
The volunteers. So, uh, yes, I have to say it. It was an add-on project. add-on project and we had add-on project and we had the team so our community development team some social prescribers who their role was to sort of manage it on days that they could and we had this rotor.
This rotor and it was quite quite a struggle. Um, we decided as an organization to sort. decided as an organization to sort of bite the bullet and uh, just use a little bit of funding to actually put someone in part-time and that’s made a massive difference. So having a paid member of staff.
So having a paid member of Staff we’ve looked at other models and particularly, I think the difficulty models and particularly. I think the difficulty For Us is around the men men’s shed and around the men men’s shed and um, we’ve looked at other models where they are complet.
Models where they are completely volunteer on and they run fine but with the entire fine, but with the entire community garden and another organization in their delivering training and the community Hub space it really Hub space. It really needs that regular presence. But what
We’ve tried to do is to still make sure that that sort of wrote Following and having people. Um following and having people, um there on a regular basis and getting that buy in from lots of people in the organization not just making it. organization. Not just making it 1 person’s responsibility
That’s made a bit of a difference. Um, another question on here is do you have any tips for getting people? participate in Impact reporting? Um, I found in other roles that people often view reporting or sharing stories as the responsibility of someone else in the course.
Responsibility of someone else in the course of team or lead, uh, or a lead individual and again, it’s it’s it’s And again, it’s it’s it’s such a common problem that I think we find in the voluntary sector. think we find in the voluntary sector 1 of the things that we did. Um
Um is we had a Um is we had a um, we were really lucky to get some funding. for a PR officer. It’s not anything that we’d ever had before. before and we made it very very clear from day 1. before and we made it very very clear from day 1 that she
Would take the stories and turn them into something but all of the staff still had to give her the stories. It’s not her responsibility to go. her responsibility to go out and find them she you know, we had to be going to
Had to be going to her and she’s very visible in the organization and she goes out and about and she uh, she meets people she does. meets people she does a brilliant staff newsletter and which includes all of those stories. which includes all of those stories so that some of them
Can be made into films. can be made into films and I would actually really strongly encourage anyone who hasn’t already gone and had a look at um looked us. um looked us up, but we’ve got a YouTube channel that’s got some of those stories on
Some of those stories on on uh, brilliant stories about people who people whose lives have been changed because of the project and I think that and I think that films are are a brilliant way to do that. So, um, another person has put on here.
So, um, another person has put on here just out of Interest what the volunteers and the age 17 get involved with it was really interesting because when I was looking for the I was looking for the slides and for some monitoring examples, I picked a pie.
Examples, I picked a pie chart and I thought oh, I wonder if someone’s going to ask about that because I literally just got an image of a pie chart that had an age profile to give an example of what a pie chart might look like with an
Age profile. And actually we don’t have volunteers from the age of um of 12. age of um of 12 our uh, our we do have a youth volunteering project, but it’s for project but it’s for um young people project but it’s for um, young people between 16 and 18. So unfortunately that um,
Unfortunately that um, pie chart was just something that I I’d got off the internet and uh, not a real 1 of internet and uh, not a real 1 of CVS. But um, we have a separate youth vol. separate youth volunteering project for young people. Um, my recommendation completely different hat on.
My recommendation completely different hat on uh for young people who are interested in in getting involved. people who are interested in in getting involved in volunteering is um, volunteering is um, really, I think there’s some fantastic un uniformed organizations some involved person. uniformed organizations. I’m involved with personally a
Personal level, uh with Scout organization, I think, you’ve got young people in your community and trying to connect them. connect them. Um Scouts is a really really great way of doing that. doing that but uh that that’s just me so doing that but uh that that’s just me. So, uh, I think
There may have been a few people who were um late getting here and I did have um, here and I did have um, 1 more piece of information to just share. share with everybody broadly, but do still please feel free to Pop. Um, to Pop, um any information any questions,
To Pop, um, any information any questions into the chat in your room and they’re getting and Fed back to me and I can uh, obviously answer any questions. Um, but I will just share just as a as a sample from
Um, but I will just share just as a as a sample from um from me what I think that from me what I think that our top tips are so um, from me what I think that our top tips are so um, just a
Selection of Lessons Learned things that we have found to be particularly useful in our um experience. be particularly useful in our um experience of the time that we’ve been been doing this sort of work. Say the 10 plus years that we’ve been doing the um Hill project.
Plus years that we’ve been doing the um Hill project but um the 50 years, I guess it’s the 50 years I guess CST has been about and I think the first of those is for just suggesting to people that we we are patient engagement doesn’t happen overnight it
Are patient engagement doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a really long time to build trust this project that we’ve got at Kennedy way. That’s been 2 and a half years. at Kennedy way that’s been 2 and a half years. We’re still all finding that people are you know?
All finding that people are you know, they got their odd niggles and people uh, niggles and people, uh, people of people aren’t they they’re going to uh, find it difficult. they’re going to uh, find it difficult to to engage in the way that you like.
Everyone to be able to so I think that’s um, definitely a useful lesson is uh, be patient I think. useful lesson is uh, be patient. I think um as I’ve said a couple of times I think throughout this is keep telling your story particularly to Partners particularly.
Your story particularly to Partners particularly to funders keep telling your story. keep telling your story all the brilliant things that volunteers do if you’re you know, you really want to be really really want to get really really want to get volunteering embedded in our community. There’s a program who’s involved with the
For help and it’s local hospital. local hospital and it’s really important to make sure that you’re telling your story to those organizations. you’re telling your story to those organizations as well and that you’re working with them and you have to might
Might have to do a lot of research to go out and find them and find out who else is doing this sort of work, but do just keep telling the story go to your local paper get them to to publish great stories about great volunteers. to publish great stories about great volunteers.
And let those people tear their own stories to And let those people tear their own stories, too. So I just mentioned about our YouTube channel, but if you look mentioned about our YouTube channel. But if you look on there you can see there are some people
There you can see there are some people obviously not everyone wants to do this, but every now and again you find someone and I had to highly recommend that people watch. this is Shirley because she is um, this is Shirley because she is um, just an unbelievable star who
Star who didn’t even go out of her front door when we first met her. Um, she had every ounce of her hadn’t wanted to even leave her home. even leave her home. She managed to make it into the community center to community center to participate in activities. She developed into um,
Developed into um a brilliant brilliant volunt. developed into um, a brilliant brilliant volunteer who can’t believe that she did the things that she did. can’t believe that she did the things that she did and uh a new film sure. new film sure surely 2.0 is coming out where she’s actually
Got a job with our got a job with our organization. So you make sure you get those those stories out there to uh to everybody. I think the other thing for me from a Lessons Learned point of view is to really start with a common interest. So the community
Community garden is 1 that’s been absolutely fantastic people love. people love gardening and people love DIY people love Cups of Tea and um getting people involved in something where there’s a passion or a common interest has made a massive difference and because it’s such a great space.
Difference and because it’s such a great space and there’s so many different things that you can do their so many different things that you can do there. Um, we’ve been able to encourage people who are interested in photography. photography or art or painting or whatever.
Photography or art or painting or whatever, um, but the same applies with with our projects same applies with with our projects, um, you know all around all around the district if you can around all around the district. If you can give people the opportunity to do something that they love it’s going to
Make a massive difference to uh, make a massive difference to uh, their volunteering and your and your organization. your and your organization the other thing we’ve been really lucky obviously because really lucky obviously because we’ve had a lot of free project got some great staff.
Project got some great staff. We’ve um, you know banging on about this for a very long time and we’ve it’s given us the opportunity. opportunity to create lots of different volunteers. here opportunities and when you’ve got lots of different volunteer opportunities and someone comes to you and they
Say I don’t really know what I want to do. say I don’t really know what I want to do. Then you’ve obviously got that opportunity to uh, obviously got that opportunity to uh, really explore that with them and make sure that they’re they’re in the right
Place and we have volunteers who volunteer 1 day a year our Christmas Market that they absolutely love or they volunt. volunteer for hours a week on uh recept volunteer for hours a week on uh reception in a community center. So it’s really making sure that there’s some sort of flexibility.
Think as well about um, you know, I mentioned at the beginning about being patient, but you really really need to think about the time that this takes so to think about the time that this takes so you have to give before you can expect anything back. I mean, sometimes
People just come in hit the ground running. They’re Abyssal. absolutely amazing. We had a volunteer who had been with us for a week and she said oh by the way I used for a week and she said, oh by the way I used to do um, uh work for a safeguarding. Um,
Others of safeguarding officer in a local Others of safeguarding officer in a local council. Do you think you need any training literally a week? And she started delivering our safeguarding training? started delivering our safeguarding training to our volunteers, but mostly these things can volunteers, but mostly these things can take weeks months
Or even years and you have to give or even years and you have to give uh your time and your energy your support. Um, energy your support, um to respect and patience and 1 of the things that we always always find is extremely valuable is food tea and biscuits go a long way.
Is food tea and biscuits go a long way. Um, and then my last uh lesson last uh, lesson learned tick really is about um remaining consistent. consistent. So if you have rules and consistent. So if you have rules and regulations and policies and procedures,
Policies and procedures then uh really make sure that you um, um, you you follow them. So, um, I’ve um, you you follow them. So, um, I’ve just had a message saying it’s more or less time to saying it’s more or less time to um, start wrapping up I
Think I’ve answered all the questions unless there’s some in the other in the other room, but don’t know if anyone else because I’m only in 1 of the rooms at the moment. Oh, are you doing any work to diversify your volunteer? base? What a brilliant question and thank you so much for
Asking it because it really gives me an opportunity to talk about that. about that. Um, we were about that. Um, we were fortunate to be working with our local NH. local NHS on exactly a a massive problem. local NHS on exactly a a massive problem for us in
Tendering is the fact that the population of 10. tendering is the fact that the population of tendering is something like 96. something like 96.4% white British. so in So in terms of diversity of ethnicity. So in terms of diversity of ethnicity, we were very very light on that we got.
Light on that we got some funding to be able to deliver some projects with other voluntary organizations that um tackle. Um, diversity and work with people from Diversity and work with people from different ethnicities and it’s made a massive difference. So as part of it we jointly supported.
Jointly supported and afro Caribbean, um, jointly supported and afro Caribbean, um, drop in once a week and from that. drop in once a week and from that we have gained volunteers who now volunteer. who now volunteer with our organization. We’ve always had a very good um cover of providing volunt.
Very good, um cover of providing volunteer opportunities for people with learning disabilities people with mental ill health, um other uh to sort of create some of that diversity. We have a fairly diversity. We have a fairly good mix between male and female probably female probably know know any 5050 obviously significantly more
More women than men but I think I hope that we have gone some way. I think I hope that we have gone some way down to uh, making sure that our volunteer. sure that our volunteer base is more diverse bearing in mind. mind the statistics for our local community. So I hope that
Answers the question. Anything else Georgia. Did you want to have anything? Anything else Georgia. Did you want to have anything to add? I’m just double-checking. There’s no more questions, but I think that’s everything. think that’s everything. But thank you so much Lisa for joining us today. That was really
Fascinating and really really great session. Thank you. fascinating and really really great session. Thank you so much. If I could just have my slides back. If I could just have my slides back now Alistair, thank you. So. you. So thank you so much again, these are and thank you
Guys all for being here today. Um and for joining in with the breakout discussions, the breakout discussions and for listening to our amazing speakers, we do just have a little bit of time. speakers, we do just have a little bit of time now for some
Networking. Um, so back into those breakout rooms, um for 15 minutes, so, 15 minutes, so we’ll come back at 12:55. So 14 minutes, technically, um, we’ll come back at 12:55 just to close out. Um, but I’ve separated some out. Um, but I’ve separated some uh talking topics into the different breakout rooms, so,
The different breakout rooms. So if you’ve got a project that you’re currently working on and you’d like a little bit of feedback on it, or you’d like to give some feedback on some work head into breakout 1 or 2. on some work head into breakout 1 or 2. Uh, if you’d like
To talk about the volunteering strategy that Sam was talking about earlier and has some discussions on what the barriers barriers to creating a volunteering strategy might be and get a little bit of feedback. get a little bit of feedback on that and chat about that
Heading to breakout 3, if you are looking to collaborate on a project and you a project and you think there might be somebody in here that you could collaborate in general head into breakout 5 for some general chat. So click on whichever 1 of those seams most appealing to you.
Um, if you want feedback then 1 or 2, I just uh a smaller group in the feed. group in the feedback rooms would be better so that everybody gets a chance to talk. Um, but yes, so we will see you in about
Um, but yes, so we will see you in about 14 minutes at 12:55. So make sure you head back into the main room at 12:55 and we will see you then. Welcome back everybody. Thank you so much. Um, I hope you got some really good stuff out.
Got some really good stuff out of your networking space and your breakout rooms. Um, maybe you’ve made some great contacts and you can continue the conversations offline. Um, all that’s left for me to say is a massive massive. Thank you to you for coming.
Thank you to you for coming along today and to just give you some final takeaway. you some final takeaways about the vision for volunteering, uh, if you feel really Uh, if you feel really passionately about the vision you want to get more involved. We do have a toolkit, uh, that
Will enable you to present the vision for volunteering to your colleagues and your communities and your volunt. your colleagues and your communities and your volunteers, um, and talk to them a bit more about what the vision is trying to do and how we can all work together to build that
Movement and to change volunteering By 2032 you. By 2032 you can also sign up as a vision Champion. So there’s plenty of opportunities for vision Champions, uh to get involved. get involved and help build the movement. You can pick and choose. choose what feels right for you. It’s sort of not a a
Mandated. mandated time commitment. You can spend 5 minutes or you can spend your whole week. It’s completely up to you. Um, these opportunities are include but not limited to Champion. championing our themes within your spaces organizations communities. communities groups Etc. You can encourage your spaces to commit to vision.
Commit to Vision pledges and hold them accountable to those pledges you’ll be pledges. You’ll be mindful of the vision themes in your work and your volunteering work and your volunteering at 10 events on our behalf speak at events on our behalf. Share the vision themes and aims with your colleagues.
With your colleagues and Community hold the vision accountable in being an example to others in the sector. So it’s really as a 2-way street. it’s really as a 2-way street and we want to hear from you too A participate in focus groups and steering groups and make other contributions to the development.
Make other contributions to the development of the vision and over to you anything that you feel would help with the development of the vision or you feel we could help. development of the vision or you feel we could help you with in your
Areas in your spaces you we really want to hear what um what you have to say. So anyone within the volunteering space can sign up as a vision Champion. There is a form on our website. There’s a button just below me. our website. There’s a button just below me down here, uh
That can help you to sign up to become. that can help you to sign up to become a champion if that’s something that you want to do. and finally, um, we do have and finally, um, we do have um a mailing list that you can
Sign up to to learn more about what we’re up to see great case studies and see what events we’ve got coming. case studies and see what events we’ve got coming up. Uh, we have Twitter Instagram Facebook. we have Twitter Instagram Facebook LinkedIn, um, and you can always email our inbox as well.
Can always email our inbox as well which I’ve put on the screen. Um, you can email us screen, um, you can email us and it’s constantly manned. We’re very responsive so, We’re very responsive. So any questions or feedback, um or ideas or thoughts, please do get in touch and finally we do have
Do have a feedback form for you for today, um, which do have a feedback form for you for today. Um, which Alice is going to drop into the chat for you, so please do just is going to drop into the chat for you. So, please do just
Take this last couple of minutes. Um until 1 take this last couple of minutes, um until 1 oclock to answer those questions and let us know what you thought it. helps us to create amazing events and helps us to shape. them after what you really want. So we really do listen.
Them after what you really want. So we really do listen to that feedback and take it to heart. So, please do take it just a couple of minutes. It’s only a handful of questions and just to let us know what you thought.
And just to let us know what you thought of this morning’s session. Um and session. Um, and hopefully we will see you at Future sessions. Uh, we have another 1 coming up on the 28th of febuary. And that 1 is around the theme of experimentation. Um
And that 1 is around the theme of experimentation. Um, it has been fully booked for a while, but people do cancel. So keep an eye on it and maybe you can jump in on a slot if you haven’t already so fantastic. you haven’t already so fantastic, um session this morning.
Thank you so so much for coming along this morning. thank you so so much for coming along this morning. I’m I’m really happy that you took the time out of your day to come. and hear our great speakers. Um if there are any questions,
And hear our great speakers. Um, if there are any questions for me, we have 1 minute left, so I might be able to whiz through them. Um, but if not, I hope you have a great rest of your day and a great rest of your week and
See you again at an event soon. Thank you.