Celebrating Our Investing in Volunteers Award!

We are delighted to share the amazing news that we have been re-awarded the Investing in Volunteers Award for our commitment to our wonderful volunteers and the incredible work they do. This well-deserved recognition highlights our ongoing dedication to ensuring all our volunteers are valued and supported by providing excellent volunteer management.

  About Investing in Volunteers

Investing in Volunteers is the UK quality standard for all organisations working with volunteers. It aims to improve the quality of the volunteering experience for all volunteers and demonstrates that organisations acknowledge the enormous contribution made by their volunteers.

It is awarded to organisations who have proven that they value their volunteers and makes recommendations for improvements. Investing in Volunteers is a highly effective way for charities to remain sustainable and level up their service.

                              Our Assessment

We were assessed in November 2024 by NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) against key standards including Vision for Volunteering, Planning for Volunteers, Volunteer Inclusion, and many more.

Some of our core strengths included:

  • Clear commitment to community engagement and action, coproduction, and empowerment.
  • Strong recognition and utilisation of the skills, talents and experiences that volunteers bring, with significant trust and respect given to volunteers.
  • Flexibility in accommodating volunteers who have disabilities, long term health conditions, mental health challenges and specific needs. 
  • Continuous development and improvement.

 

Volunteers have a really strong sense of the difference their volunteering makes. They feel valued, connected, heard, consulted and included.

Investing in Volunteers Assessor

Our Volunteers

Volunteers have always been pivotal in our work. At Help & Care, we are incredibly grateful that our volunteers give their time, their skills and their dedication. In return we aim to foster a positive relationship between the organisation and its volunteers. We currently have around 90 volunteers supporting us.  They include our Trustees, Healthwatch Volunteers, Involving People Volunteers, all of whom play a crucial role in how we deliver our services.

Within Involving People, Volunteers, all of whom have ‘lived experience’ of cancer, support the multi-partner Wessex Cancer Alliance. Within Healthwatch, Volunteers undertake a variety of roles including ‘governance’ as a Board member/Advisory Group member and are usually involved in several roles within their local Healthwatch.

Adrian Dawson, Help & Care Chair of Trustees said: The unwavering commitment and dedication of our volunteers are the driving forces behind Help & Care’s ability to create a meaningful impact in the communities we serve. As a partner of choice, we are committed to making volunteering diverse, inclusive, and a powerful tool in addressing health inequalities. Together, we can build stronger, healthier communities and create a lasting impact."

Another Help & Care Trustee noted: “Volunteering is very much a part of Help & Care’s ethos. We’re not just contractually, but also ideologically bound to volunteering. It is at the heart of what we do.”

One of our wonderful Volunteers said: "We’re always being asked for our opinions, and I feel very safe expressing them. I’d say I feel seen, heard, and understood. And it’s always made clear that we should be asking lots and lots of questions. They are very respectful and always make sure everyone has room to speak during sessions.”

This award goes to our volunteers. We say a massive thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all you have done. You make a real difference in the lives of people.

 

                                              Volunteer with us!

At Help & Care, we are proud of the work our volunteers do and aim to ensure we support them in the best way possible. We offer a range of volunteering opportunities across our services. If you’d like to be part of our volunteer community, please contact us at kathryn.loughnan@helpandcare.org.uk

 

 

Note to editors:

1. For further information about the programme, please contact: investinginvolunteers@volunteernow.co.uk, Investing In Volunteers

2. UK Volunteering Forum represents the lead Volunteer Development Agencies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

3. Help & Care is a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting individuals and communities across South West England. Through a range of services and programmes, Help & Care strives to improve well-being, promote independence, and enhance quality of life for all residents.

For more info visit: https://www.helpandcare.org.uk/

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