Volunteering

It is becoming more widely appreciated that volunteering can enhance the life of the volunteer as much as it enhances the lives of those being volunteered with.  Indeed 4 of the 5 NHS ‘5 ways to wellbeing’ include activities which come naturally through volunteering:

• Connecting with other people
• Being physically active
• Learning new skills
• Giving to others

In November we gathered Community Development Workers from across the region.  In a breakout group we discussed how to recruit and retain volunteers.  All volunteers need to be safely recruited.  We discussed how recruiting volunteers from the wider community can be a form of mission as well as a very practical way of enhancing the pool of workers for church projects.

Some suggestions for successful ways to recruit volunteers were:

• Word of mouth and ‘old fashioned publicity’, eg posters, mention in parish newsletters as well as using social media
• Engaging with Social Prescribers in an area to inform of a project and volunteering opportunities
• Using portals such as Durham Community Action, Sunderland City Council, Darlington Borough Council, ourGateshead, Stockton Volunteers
• Liaising with local higher education colleges to encourage students looking to gain experience of working in certain fields for further education or job opportunities
• Being specific about the task and time commitment – some people are more willing to commit if the volunteering commitment is time limited and clear on task.

• Saying a simple thank you at the end of each session to each volunteer 
• Opening up team meetings to volunteers (where appropriate)
• Opening up training events to volunteers (again where appropriate)
• Offering expenses
• Having social events – recognising that often people volunteer because they themselves want to make friends
• Giving of small gifts or cards at Christmas 
• Asking the volunteers what would make them feel valued

And finally, we acknowledged that using volunteers was sometimes challenging – in relation to using young volunteers where there is a need for safeguarding the volunteer, and in volunteers not holding appropriate boundaries. But it was felt that these challenges were easy to overcome with appropriate planning and training.

Janet Dodson is a Development Worker with Communities Together Durham.

You can get in touch with Janet for support on volunteering in your church or project:

janet.dodson@communitiestogetherdurham.org.uk