Charities and the third-sector are undoubtedly key to ensuring the country emerges from this pandemic as unscathed as possible. Now is the perfect time to recruit volunteers – both due to increased demand for services and the general public’s very real willingness to support local initiatives.
As demonstrated in Danny Kruger MP’s Levelling Up Our Communities report, there has been an almost unprecedented willingness from ordinary people to step up and collaborate with local service providers. Against a backdrop of huge economic uncertainty, the public has shown they are prepared to support those in need. Community power is being shown. People who ordinarily would not consider volunteering are thinking of new ways to get involved with their communities to support those who are struggling. This is fantastic news for organisations who rely heavily on volunteers to deliver much-needed resources and interventions. Where previously you may have struggled to communicate the importance of supporting people who are struggling, campaigns that have captured the public imagination, such as those led by Marcus Rashford and Captain Tom, have meant there are now thousands of people willing to play their part.
Training this new mobilised group of volunteers can be tricky, especially with social distancing making traditional approaches unfeasible. Online training is a great way to keep your staff and volunteers safe – but setting it up can be difficult and time-consuming, time which could be better spent serving those most needing support. There’s also the added difficulty of ensuring your training is both engaging and informative, volunteers are expected to take on large amounts of information so avoiding Zoom fatigue is key. This is where Your Own Place’s online Volunteer training comes in.
Working with The Learning Tank we design and deliver bespoke training for your volunteers, providing the most comprehensive online training available to a budget-conscious sector. Having trained over 250 volunteers in just over seven years, we have an excellent track record and understand what’s important to both organisations and volunteers. Utilising a blend of trainer-led Zoom sessions and self-led modules, all our training packages guarantee volunteers get the information they need in an easy-to-access format.
As part of the trainer-led sessions, volunteers have the opportunity to get to know one another – providing the same support and insights they would have if it were taking place face to face. These modules cover motivations and what volunteers gain from mentoring, the role, the importance of boundaries, prejudice and why it matters, building empathy, listening and good communication practices, the asset-based and restorative approaches, and look at beneficiary case-studies including safeguarding issues. We can design modules based on any information specific to your organisation and the role volunteers will have with you. During these sessions, we utilise the full functionality of Zoom to ensure volunteers stay engaged and present throughout.
The self-directed learning modules cover more of the theory behind the role including an introduction to the organisation, what the role is and the support offered, key skills and values they need, and the legal aspects and specific policies and procedures relating to safeguarding. Our use of interactive activities sets us apart from other self-led trainers and helps keep learners focused and on-track.
There are several ways you can integrate Your Own Place’s online Volunteer training into your onboarding process; whether you need us to create a fully bespoke package, transform your current offering to suit the needs of online training in an engaging and fun format which you then deliver, transform your current training and then delivering it ourselves, or provide off-the-shelf solutions that cover the main areas required.
If you think your organisation could benefit from using online training to onboard your volunteers, get in touch with Rebecca for more information – rebecca@yourownplace.org.uk or on 07530 028446.
