Volunteer Co-Ordinators Newsletter & Updates

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The Volunteer Co-Ordinators group is a peer network of volunteer co-ordinators and managers from around Southampton.

Data protection, safeguarding, health and safety are all important parts of our work - The information commissioners office (ICO) have put together this useful (free!) toolkit to review your Data Protection.

Online Factsheet

There is no arguing that an Online presence is important these days - I have many conversations in my drop in's where potential volunteers want to do their research on an organisation first before the referral. To help with this the NCVO have created this (free) factsheet on building an engaged online community.

Supporting Active Ageing is designed to help professionals and practitioners assess the capacity of their older patients and clients to adopt appropriate physical activity.

It will address skills that will contribute to continuing independence into later years, and towards preventing or delaying the onset of many medical conditions associated with an ageing population.

The training is aimed at professionals and practitioners working in health and care settings.

Date and Time: Thursday 10^th March, 09:30 – 16:30

If you would like to participate in this training, please fill in the booking form and return it to HPTraining@solent.nhs.uk or call 023 8071 3342 to check if there are spaces.

This interactive map from Southampton City Council may be very useful for some. Map Southampton

Volunteer Coordinator Forum!

Don't forget to book your place at the next forum 7th March.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/volunteer-co-ordinators-group-tickets-21380718304

Charity Fraud Seminar

You are invited to attend the joint Smith & Williamson (the accountancy and investment mangement group) and Lester Aldridge (law firm) seminar on Charities and Fraud.

The seminar will discuss fraud and charities, what to look for and how to protect yourself. The seminar’s content is as follows:

Introduction and welcome
Real life cases
Governance
How to minimise risk
Obligations on Trustees if fraud discovered

Round up, followed by networking drinks and a chance to talk to the speakers.

Information
Booking form

Volunteer Charter 2016

So, I reviewed the charter and in my opinion its something that mostly we can all still stand by - Volunteering best practice hasn't changed too much over the past 12 months. I have, however, added one additional paragraph to show Southampton Voluntary Services support of the Keeping Volunteering Voluntary campaign (read about and sign up here).

Have a read and let me know your thoughts on the new charter.

Volunteering Charter 2016

Friday Forum!!!

Don't forget to book out the Friday Forum in your diary - information can be found here on upcoming sessions.

Hello!

So, not long since my last newsletter, but still lots of bits to update you on.

The Charity Commission are holding a public meeting at Solent university on the 29th - more information below. Our Friday Forum is coming up as well as the Volunteer Coordinators Forum. Next week is National Student Volunteer week so I'll be mentioning how you can get involved.

I know it's only February but we're starting to plan for Volunteers Week 2016 which is in June and has been extended to almost two weeks of celebrations more on this to follow - but it's time to start thinking about the day you made a difference!

We looked at training needs in the last VCG and how as a forum what kinds of things that you would like covered in the sessions. I would also like to develop additional training this year - so that this training will benefit the Volunteer Coordinators of Southampton I would ask you all to take 5 minutes to complete this for me.

Anyways... enough from me! Hope to see you all at the VCG on the 7th (please don't forget to book!). But as always I'm here to help so any questions, queries, ponderings on Volunteering let me know.

Work Experience?

I've had a school contact me who are looking for work experience placements for 2 weeks during March or April for a Year 13 Students - This short period would help the students gain work experience, but also provide you with an extra pair of hands. If you'e able to accommodate the students please let me know.

The Charity Commission

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, is inviting trustees, charities and charity advisers to attend its next public meeting on Monday 29 February 2015 at Southampton Solent University.

The focus of the event will be on trustee duties and responsibilities. Attendees will hear from senior staff at the commission and take part in discussions to find out more about good financial management, changes to charity fundraising guidance and what a more digitally focussed service for charities looks like.

The meeting, which is free to attend, is taking place at Southampton Solent University between 11am and 3pm and will include a sandwich lunch. Places will be issued on a first come, first served basis and will be limited to two per organisation initially.

To attend the meeting please email publicmeetings@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk

There is a plethora of training, seminars and forums available at the moment how about this one from Volunteering Matters, NCVYS and NAVSM.

FREE SEMINARS: Developing youth volunteering in health and care

Youth volunteering is part of the delivering the Five Year Forward View and has many positive benefits for patients and volunteers. Join us for a practical seminar and find out about good practice, the Youth Social Action Toolkit, and explore topics such as safeguarding and engaging harder to reach communities. Seminars are funded by NHS England and are aimed at professionals in health and care, including hospital volunteer managers, primary care practitioners, care home managers, health commissioners, and managers in youth and education. Book your place: Southampton seminar.

Volunteer Management Training!

Who wants some? well, so that I can create the most interesting, helpful training sessions I'm going to need your help!

PLEASE!!! Can you complete the survey below so that I can design the training for this year. The benefit being that we will hopefully be able to run these sessions WITHOUT a cost to you.

If I get 50 responses I'll make sure I make some truly special fudge for the next VCG meeting - Those of you who have been before know I don't mess around when I make confectionary!

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LTBHMKG

Student Volunteer Week!

It's almost here - and with a city whose population is twice the national average for students it's an opportunity not to be missed to get more students involved locally. The twitter hashtag for the week is #iwill. From a recent meeting I attended It was mentioned that the term Social Action goes down better with students.

Whats going on for Student Volunteer Week:

Southampton Voluntary Services will be attending a Volunteer Fayre at both Southampton Uni and Solent (Monday & Thursday) we've made an interactive game for the students to show them the range of volunteering opportunities available in the city.

Monday evening I will be on a panel with Southampton University - Along with several other groups to talk about volunteering which should be interesting. If I'm aloud (I haven't checked yet) I'll be live tweeting as we go.

We'll also be tweeting & Facebook posting throughout the week. If you have students volunteer for you it would be a great chance to celebrate them and also to encourage other students to join in.

Volunteers week June 2016!

Our plans for the extended Volunteers week are starting to come together. We will be encouraging new volunteers to join in and celebrating volunteers from cross the city. If you're doing anything we'd love to hear from you so that we can publicise it. But please keep an eye out for "Southampton Superstars" we'd like to hear from Volunteers and Volunteer Coordinators about the day they realised that they made a difference in the city. These stories will be a great way to promote organisations, volunteering in general and also the city.

Don't worry - they can be anonymous - once we've got the submission page up and running I'll let you know.

From the web

I don't think you can have missed the talk in the news over the past day or so about the discussion going on about the UK and the EU referendum. I'm sure there are some strong opinions out there either way. The Electoral Commission have published guidance for charities in regards to supporting either side of the debate. A quick overview can be found here. More detailed information can be found from their published guidance.

Free for the month of February is this research into "Volunteering for all? Explaining Patterns of Volunteering and identifying strategies to promote it". Not sure if I was supposed to (shhh) but you should be able to download it from here.

Volunteering may teach you something about yourself...

Hmmmm, I'm not sure how I feel about this... An App for volunteering that gives you badges and increase levels on the amount of volunteering you do. I think perhaps it's the terminology and your main page being called "My Karma". Is this really the volunteering solution for the future? Would be interested to hear your thoughts. However - a Volunteer Management App which would help you engage with your volunteers is an amazing idea!

Don't forget - if you're looking for volunteers please submit them to us! You can find all the forms you need. If you need any help please contact me.