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Volunteering is a Choice

‘Motivation is an inside job. People volunteer for their reasons not yours.’ – Tom McKee, VolunteerPower There are hundreds of unfilled volunteering opportunities countywide – an extraordinary number demonstrating a high level of need throughout East Sussex, but also one that points an underlying issue: volunteer mismatch. So why the mismatch of demand and supply? Are there just not enough volunteers to go round? Review your role descriptions Having done a recent spot-check of Read more…

By Lee Shepherd, 9 yearsDecember 9, 2015 ago

News

We asked…you told us!

During December 2014, Volunteer Centre East Sussex (VCES) sent a questionnaire to organisations previously registered with us. The questionnaire asked how groups involved volunteers, what the needs of those volunteers might be and requested feedback on VCES’s current services for volunteer involving organisations (VIOs) and how these services could best be developed to reflect the needs of VIOs. Thirty-four VIOs responded to the survey and we are grateful for that input. A summary report analysing Read more…

By Lee Shepherd, 10 yearsFebruary 25, 2015 ago

News

Volunteer recruitment…and retirement!

At the December meeting of the East Sussex Volunteer Coordinator’s Networking Forum in Seaford participants got together to discuss whether or not increases in the retirement age maybe having a detrimental affect on their ability to recruit older volunteers.

By Lee Shepherd, 10 yearsJanuary 7, 2015 ago

A volunteer huddle

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Why Involve Volunteers?

Why involve Volunteers? It is the single most important question for any organisation working with volunteers and it is incredibly easy to lose sight of the reasons for doing so. One of the best ways to review why you involve volunteers is to think about what volunteers offer or bring to your organisation. This may include particular skills, experiences, or perspectives that paid staff are not currently able to offer. Volunteers are motivated by a Read more…

By Lee Shepherd, 10 yearsJuly 11, 2014 ago

Two men hold a piece of card reading '30 Ways. #volunteersweek'.

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How to value volunteers

Sorry may seem like the hardest word, but expressing gratitude – and the right amount of it – often can be tricky too. Whilst it’s safe to say that most volunteers like being thanked for their efforts, effusive praise can appear insincere, losing its impact, and restrained praise can leave someone feeling like they’re being taken for granted. With over twenty years of experience in this sector, I have personally witnessed the fallout from situations Read more…

By Lee Shepherd, 10 yearsJune 20, 2014 ago

Tracy, Sarah and Valli

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Helping people with additional needs to volunteer

If you’re thinking about volunteering, you’re in good company. Thousands of people volunteer in East Sussex, in a huge variety of roles for many different organisations across the county.

By Lee Shepherd, 10 yearsMay 14, 2014 ago

2012 Olympics

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The Changing Landscape of Volunteering

The profile of volunteering in the UK has reached levels scarcely dreamt of two decades ago. While many of our largest charities were started by volunteers, none of their founders would recognise the intense media environment in which their organisations now operate. The lights have well and truly shone upon volunteering across the UK in recent years, culminating arguably in the floodlit area of the Olympic Park at the closing ceremonies of London 2012. The Read more…

By Lee Shepherd, 11 yearsApril 5, 2014 ago

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Recruiting Trustees with Criminal Records

It’s increasingly important that organisations are user-led, but what happens when those people have questionable histories? For individuals with criminal records, it is often difficult to reintegrate into society – and when those histories are compounded by poverty, disadvantage, drug and alcohol addictions or other problems, the road to recovery can be littered with obstacles. Being involved as a trustee in a service-led organisation can facilitate the transition. Who, after all, is better equipped to Read more…

By Lee Shepherd, 11 yearsMarch 11, 2014 ago

Volunteers working in a garden

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How to find the right volunteering for you

Volunteers can do almost anything! From helping out at a nature reserve to mentoring young people, from coaching your local sport team to providing advice and support for a charity, volunteers make a vital contribution to all aspects of community life. Where to start? Before you start searching for volunteering roles, you may want to spend a moment thinking about: What do you enjoy doing? What’s the main reason you want to volunteer (e.g. do you want to feel Read more…

By Lee Shepherd, 11 yearsFebruary 22, 2014 ago