‘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 Read more
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 Read more
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.
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 Read more
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 Read more
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.
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 Read more
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 Read more
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 Read more