'Investing in Volunteers' award for Mansfield Children’s Centre

Investing in Volunteers is the UK quality standard for all organisations which involve volunteers in their work. The Standard enables organisations to comprehensively review their volunteer management, and also publicly demonstrates their commitment to volunteering. Achieving the Investing in Volunteers standard enables us as an organisation to make the best use of our volunteers and the communities in which they serve. Click on the image to the left to visit the Investing in Volunteers website.

Ladybrook and Pleasley Hill had to meet the required criteria in ten areas: commitment; resourcing; community diversity; role definition; protection; fairness; induction; recognition and support needs.

As a result of the success of this programme the centre has established a pathway to volunteering designed to give volunteers the best opportunity for an appropriate role that fulfils their expectations and ambitions. Volunteers may be seeking to broaden their experience, feel they can make a difference or simply want to explore new things.

Volunteers should have a clear perception of their responsibilities to the organisation as well as what they can expect from it. They can expect support from colleagues in the role, regular supervision and appraisal and training opportunities.

"“Working towards the award brought colleagues from different children’s centres and professional backgrounds together. We developed a Community Involvement Network which has now moved on to consider the consolidation of training for volunteers and the establishment of a common training programme.”

Noel Proud, Family Action West Mansfield Sure Start

Karen King, a colleague working for Warsop Children’s Centre - one of our partners in receiving the award - said: “The Investing in Volunteers award has given me the reassurance that I am working to a very high standard to give volunteers the best induction and development plan possible.

"“To achieve this award was so much work...but it makes me feel really proud to have been a part of producing a working toolkit that can be adapted to all volunteers...”

Karen King, Warsop Children’s Centre

The toolkit gives the security of a quality service for all volunteers working within Mansfield District Children’s Centres.”

Read about the role volunteering plays in Family Action, or find out more about our services at Pleasley Hill and Ladybrook Children’s Centres.

 

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