New Good Practice Guide – Working with Volunteers

Our new Good Practice Guide – Working with Volunteers is now available.

Volunteering, when someone spends unpaid time doing something to benefit others, is well
established in the UK with many organisations (public, private and civic) actively involving
volunteers in some way including:
➢ Fund raising
➢ Being a trustee
➢ Supporting/running social events
➢ Campaigning
➢ Befriending
➢ Providing advice, guidance or information
➢ Wildlife/gardening activities
➢ Driving people
➢ Administrative support

In 2021/22, 14.2m people in the UK volunteered at least once through a group, club or organisation.
Most (48%) wanted to see a difference, followed by having a personal connection to the cause and
spare time to volunteer.

About 16% of adults over 16 volunteer formally once a month and 27% at least every year. This is significantly lower than pre-pandemic rates and the decline seems to be continuing, but only among those under 65. People between 65 and 74 have the highest level of formal volunteering (NCVO UK Civil Society Almanac 2023).

This decline suggests that, more than ever, organisations need to create and maintain flexible,
inclusive and accessible opportunities to attract and retain volunteers.

In this Good Practice Guide we look at how this can be achieved with top tips to attracting and retaining committed volunteers.

Our Guide covers:

  • What do volunteers say?
  • What makes a good volunteer programme?
  • Volunteering and resident involvement
  • Challenges of working with volunteers
  • How do you work towards a good volunteer programme?
  • Top Tips for Working with Volunteers
  • Sources and Resources

Erosh members can access our Good Practice Snapshot – Working with Volunteers in the Member Hub here.

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