Empowering Volunteers 2024: Strategies for Effective Management

A robust and well-engaged volunteer workforce is vital to the delivery of the community-based services. However, since the pandemic the number of volunteers has fallen by nearly half according to the National Council for Voluntary Organisation (NCVO) in 2023. As time has progressed, there has been a growing opportunity to re-engage with lost volunteers and attract a new generation of people willing to get involved with valuable charitable causes. Through providing strengthened workplace policies and practices, voluntary organisations will be better equipped to recruit, retain and support the longevity of their workforce.

• According to the Charity Commission’s latest sector overview, there are currently 7,076,328 volunteers for registered charities in England Wales
• The NCVO’s Time Well Spent 2023 report found that the number of volunteers has dropped by 50% since 2018
• There are 50% less volunteers than there were in 2018, according to the NCVO’s ‘Time Well Spent’ 2023 report
• According to the Charities Aid Foundation in 2022,only 6% of people aged 16 to 44 have volunteered compared to over 10% of people aged 65 and over

Join us at Empowering Volunteers 2024: Strategies for Effective Management to hear the latest updates from national charities and voluntary organisations on developing high-quality policies to improve the recruitment, retention and wellbeing of the volunteer workforce. You will hear best practice case studies exploring how charities have embraced flexible working, developed effective safeguarding policies  and strategies for embedding equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within their organisation. There will also be an opportunity to network with senior colleagues from across the voluntary sector, discussing key challenges and innovative solutions from across the sector.

 Why Attend:

✓National Update on Volunteer Management: Gain insights into the latest data and reports on the post-COVID volunteering landscape, including how to re-engage former volunteers and tackle recruitment and retention challenges.

✓Strategies for Developing Policies: Learn key recommendations on creating and developing volunteering policies, utilising a broad range of avenues to recruit potential volunteers and foster an inclusive and positive work environment.

✓Recruitment and Retention: Discover best practice examples of increasing the retention of volunteers within your organisation and flexible approaches to recruitment.

✓Safeguarding Policies: Hear from guidance on creating and implementing robust safeguarding policies for your organisation, ensuring the protection of volunteers and service users.

✓Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Learn best practices for embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion policies throughout a volunteering team and adapting your recruitment process to cater for a diverse workforce.

✓Flexible Volunteering: Explore flexible approaches to volunteering to enable a diverse volunteer workforce and increase accessibility for volunteers.

✓Local Networks: Discover how to build networks with other volunteering organisations, co-produce volunteering policies, and utilise digital resources to share knowledge and encourage remote projects.

✓Enhance your Professional Development: Gain 8 CPD points towards your yearly quota

NEW AND EXCLUSIVE TO YOUR
CONFERENCE PACKAGE – GE Insights:

This year’s conference package includes 12-months FREE access to GE Insights, our cross-sector learning resource of case study focused videos, articles, lived experiences and more (RRP £199). Gain unlimited access to our online platform when you purchase your conference ticket.

Key benefits include:

 ✓100s of Exclusive Case Studies – fingertip access to videos and articles covering all key sectors including healthcare, and ALL CPD certified

 ✓Key Sessions from All Our Conferences – gain valuable insights from our past, present, and future events (160+ pa)

 ✓Articles and Interviews – learn from our network of expert speakers and contributors explore further the key discussions from the conferences

 ✓Additional CPD Hours – automatically earn more for everything you watch, read, and hear

 ✓Your Own CPD Dashboard – charts your progress, allows you to add notes, download your activities, and save/print an official CPD certificate

 ✓Personalised Homepage – only see the relevant content you need to save time

 ✓30+ New Uploads Each Month – we’re adding new content every week to ensure you stay engaged and informed all year round.

For more information or to make a booking please call 0330 058 4285

• 9.00

  Online Registration

• 9.40

  Chair’s Opening Remarks

  Dr Jurgen Grotz, Director, Institute for Volunteering Research, University of East Anglia (invited)

• 9.50

  Keynote: National Guidance and Updates for Effective  Volunteer Management During the Cost-of-Living Crisis

   This session explores current trends in volunteer management during the cost-of-living crisis, including best ways to support your workforce and re-engage with former volunteers.

  • Latest data and trends in the post-COVID volunteering landscape and sharing findings on the impact of the cost-of-living crisis
  • Key recommendations on tackling recruitment and retention challenges and cost-efficient methods for re-engaging former volunteers
  • Guidance on supporting volunteer wellbeing through providing resources to help manage finance related stresses
  • Strategies on collaborating with other charities and voluntary organisations to share resources and mutually support volunteers

  Denisa Hayward, Chief Executive, Volunteer Now (invited)

• 10.10

  Keynote: Strengthening the Volunteer Workforce through  Implementing Robust Volunteering Policies

  This presentation will provide strategies on creating and implementing volunteering policies for your organisation, ensuring that volunteers’ voices are heard and effective onboarding is provided to prevent drop-outs.

  • Key tips for using data to identify gaps in current policy provision and drive improvements
  • Successful strategies for utilising a broad range of avenues to recruit potential volunteers to bolster and diversify the workforce
  • Providing effective onboarding processes and training to maintain volunteer engagement and reduce early drop-outs
  • Creating a robust and accessible feedback and complaint system to foster an inclusive and positive work environment

  Linda Fenn, Head of Volunteering, British Heart Foundation (BHF) (invited)

• 10.30

  Questions and Answers

• 10.50

  Comfort Break

• 11.05

  Case Study: Adopting a Whole-Community Approach to Offering a Diversity of Opportunities for Volunteers

   This session will touch upon the power of collaboration with other organisations to improve volunteer readiness in responding to the local community and will discuss key tips to ensure volunteers stay with your organisation over a sustained period.

  • Volunteer Passport Scheme: collaborating with partner organisations to standardise recruitment processes and offer flexible volunteering opportunities
  • Maximising uptake and engagement with volunteering through offering accessible approaches to recruitment
  • Providing robust training for new volunteers to retain new recruits
  • Engaging with volunteers to gain their insights on volunteer distribution and embed feedback into allocation decisions

  Pam Robinson, Project Manager – Volunteer Passport Scheme Newcastle, Volunteering Matters (CONFIRMED)

  Karen Watson, Project Manager, Volunteer Centre Newcastle (CONFIRMED)

• 11.25

  Case Study: Diversifying the Workforce: Broadening Reach to Engage and Attract  Younger Volunteers

  This session will discuss how volunteering can be made more accessible and engaging to younger audiences to diversify the workforce, including utilising modern avenues of recruitment to reach a broader audience.

  • Key tips on adapting external communications and diversifying avenues for outreach to advertise volunteering opportunities to young people
  • Sharing successful incentives targeted towards younger people to improve the attractiveness of volunteering
  • Methods for encouraging engagement between volunteers of different ages and backgrounds to strengthen support and connection between colleagues
  • Relationship-building techniques to better engage younger volunteers and increase retainment

  Natasha Coombes-Liddle, Head of Volunteering and Youth Advisory, British Red Cross (invited)

• 11.45

  Case Study: Fostering a Positive Working Environment to Strengthen Relationships and Volunteering Satisfaction

  Outlining the importance of training and praising your volunteers, this session will share best practice on how to create roadmaps for your volunteers that wish to enhance their professional development, as well as positively engaging with hard-working volunteers.

  • Creating clear pathways for volunteers to develop their skillsets and progress their professional development
  • Utilising technology and e-learning to provide volunteers with tracked progress on their learning and skill development
  • Collaborating with external organisations to facilitate networking and create new opportunities for the volunteer workforce
  • Ensuring training material is accessible for all volunteers to cater for a diverse workforce
  • Strategies for praising and rewarding volunteersto ensure hard work is recognised and appreciated

  Tracy Foster, Chief Guide, Girlguiding (invited)

• 12.05

  Questions and Answers

• 12.25

  Lunch Break

• 13.10

  Keynote: Protecting Vulnerable Volunteers and Service Users Through Embedding Effective Local Safeguarding

   This presentation will provide guidance on implementing robust safeguarding policies and training staff, ensuring that your organisation protects both vulnerable volunteers, and the members of the public that your workforce may interact with.

  • Guidance on creating and implementing robust organisational policies to safeguard volunteer wellbeing and meet their needs
  • Strengthening safeguarding frameworks within recruitment processes to better identify vulnerable  volunteers and
  • Ensuring volunteers are knowledgeable and trained in safeguarding practices when interacting with the public
  • Partnership-working alongside local authorities to deliver a holistic approach to safeguarding
  • Upskilling line managers to provide effective support for vulnerable volunteers against undue harm

  Alex Farrow, Director of Influencing and Engagement, The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) (invited)

• 13.30

  Case Study: Embedding EDI Principles to Create an Inclusive and Supportive Environment for the Volunteer Workforce

  This session will discuss how to create an inclusive environment for your volunteers through implementing EDI policies into your organisation and making sure that volunteers feel comfortable performing their duties. It will also offer guidance on identifying areas for improvement within your organisation.

  • Best practice in designing equity, diversity, and inclusion policies and setting clear benchmarks for progress
  • Strategies for encouraging applicants from diverse backgrounds to volunteer and adapting recruitment techniques accordingly
  • Adopting data-led approaches to target and identity areas for improvement to create a more inclusive environment
  • Meeting the needs of volunteers from marginalised communities through taking a listen-first approach to responding to feedback
  • Providing unconscious bias and allyship training for volunteer managers and staff to provide support for colleagues from marginalised groups

  Rosie Martin, Head of Volunteering, Shelter (CONFIRMED)

• 13.50

  Questions and Answers

• 14.10

  Breakout Networking: Developing Strategies to Better Recruit, Retain and Manage Volunteers

  This session will provide you with the opportunity to discuss the main challenges you face in recruiting and retaining volunteers for your organisation. Allowing you to share your experiences with other senior colleagues and encourage cross-sector  collaboration in  managing the volunteer workforce.

• 14.40

  Comfort Break

• 14.55

  Case Study: Making Volunteering Accessible: Providing a Hybrid Approach for Volunteers

  Outlining the effectiveness of providing flexible approaches, this session will provide guidance on implementing hybrid working as an option to volunteers, including utilising digital technology to make volunteering as accessible as possible.

  • Offering flexible approaches to volunteering within your organisation to enable a diverse volunteer workforce
  • Successful remote initiatives for engaging volunteers with busy schedules to ensure sustained contact with the volunteering network
  • Using online technology and training programmes to increase accessibility for volunteers: key tips
  • Co-producing hybrid and remote working systems with volunteers to retain workplace cohesion and generate flexibility

  Lucy Owens, Programme Manager; Volunteering & Equality, Catalyst Stockton (CONFIRMED)

• 15.15

  Case Study: Building Networks Across the Voluntary Sector to Enrich Volunteer Management

  Our final session of the day will discuss the importance of building networks with other charities and voluntary organisations. Learn techniques for collaboration to share knowledge and come up with innovative solutions for improving volunteer management.

  • Collaborative Conversations: best practice in building a robust and wide-reaching network of voluntary partners
  • Information-sharing techniques to enable the exchange of expertise and volunteers
  • Identifying potential external partners through local surveying to develop new community-led approaches for decision making and delivery
  • Utilising digital resources to share knowledge and encourage remote collaborative projects

  Helen Steers, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Voluntary Action Sheffield (invited)

• 15.35

  Questions and Answers

• 15.55

  Chair’s Closing Remarks 

  *programme subject to change without notice

Who Should Attend?

Delegates who will have an interest in this event will be HR professionals and senior managers from across the voluntary sectors.

*This Conference is open to Public, Private and Third Sectors

For more information or to make a booking please call 0330 058 4285

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