Resources for Volunteer Managers and Co-ordinators

Overview

This section of the Good Practice Bank brings together resources on a variety of topics related to the role of a volunteer manager or co-ordinator.

We hope this section will offer a simple introduction to some of the support and information which is available for anyone who works with or manages volunteers.

If you have a question about working with volunteers, please get in touch with Volunteering England's Information Team.

• Contact details for the Information Team

Articles

• Training and Accreditation for Volunteer Managers - VE Information Sheet
• Definitions Of Volunteering - VE Information Sheet
• National Statistics on volunteering - VE Information Sheet
• Monitoring & Evaluating a Volunteer Programme - VE Information Sheet
• Resources to Assist with Fundraising - VE Information Sheet
• Measuring The Economic Value of Volunteers - VE "Frequently Asked Question"
• Role profile for a 'volunteer organiser' - Learn Direct job profiles (external link)
• How To Get Volunteers To Work For You! - a dissertation and local survey by Jana Berkhan

Examples

• Example of planning training and support for volunteer co-ordinators - English Gymnastics

If you have any example policies or documents to contribute please let us know!

Links

Local Volunteer Centres

Your local Volunteer Centre can offer a range of support. All Volunteer Centres offer a 'brokerage' service to help you advertise volunteering opportunities and can also upload details of volunteering roles to do-it.org.uk, the national volunteering database.

• Get contact details for your nearest Volunteer Centre

Most Volunteer Centres also organise local volunteer co-ordinator forums and training sessions. These offer great opportunities for development and peer support for volunteer managers, so get in touch with your local VC to find out what's available.

• Find out more about the work of Volunteer Centres

UK networking and group support

• Learning Loops
  A new form of support group where volunteer managers meet to discuss their support and learning needs. The group is led by a volunteer Learning Advisor who helps the participants to develop their skills and examine each others' concerns or challenges
  Read more about Learning Loops, run by Volunteering England's Excellence in Volunteer Management (EVM) Programme
  
• UKVPMs
  A internet discussion group for 'volunteer programme managers' in the UK. You can join this friendly informal e-group and either read the posts on Yahoo's website or receive email alerts on a daily or weekly basis.
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UKVPMs/
• The National Association of Voluntary Service Managers (NAVSM), an association for people working in the field of health and social care.
  http://www.navsm.org.uk/

Quality Standards and Frameworks

• Investing in Volunteers (IiV)
  The UK quality standard for all organisations which involve volunteers in their work
  http://www.investinginvolunteers.org.uk/
• Investing in Volunteers for Employers (IiVE)
  The UK quality standard for recognising commitment to best practice in employer-supported volunteering
  http://www.investinginvolunteers.org.uk/
• National Occupation Standards (NOS)
  National Occupational Standards are based on a particular job or role, for example 'a volunteer coordinator'. They define a standard of good practice for performing that role.
  - Read more background information about NOS (external links)
  - Download a copy of the Managing Volunteers NOS
  - Download a copy of the Trustees and Management Committees NOS

International websites on volunteering and volunteer management

• The European Volunteer Centre
  (also known as 'Le Centre Europeen du Voluntariat' or CEV)
  An umbrella association for regional and national volunteering organisations across Europe
  http://www.cev.be/
• World Volunteer Web
  The website of International Volunteer Day (IVD), run by United Nations Volunteers
  http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/
• Energise Inc
  A USA-based website for leaders of volunteers
  http://www.energizeinc.com/
  
• Coyote Communications
  Essays and links on volunteerism and volunteer management, with a particular focus on online and virtual volunteering
  http://www.coyotecommunications.com/volunteer/index.html

Important dates for your calendar

• UK-wide Volunteers' Week
  1 - 7 June each year
  http://www.volunteersweek.org.uk/
• UK-wide Student Volunteering Week
  February each year
  http://www.studentvol.org.uk/
• International Volunteer Day (IVD)
  5 December each year
  http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org
• International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day (IVMA)
  1 November each year
  http://www.ivmaday.org/
  

Publications

Free publications

• A Choice Blend: what volunteers want from organisations and management - Volunteering England
• Bright Future: developing volunteer management - Volunteering England
• The Right Stuff: New ways of thinking about managing volunteers - Volunteering England

Priced publications

Volunteering England (VE) sells a wide range of publications on managing volunteers. Some of the range are published by VE and some by other publishers. Publications on managing volunteers are also available from other booksellers and charitable organisations.

You can browse the publications section of VE's website or use these quick links to specific publications:

• The Good Practice Guide: for everyone who works with volunteers (2nd edition) - Volunteering England
• Essential Volunteer Management - The Directory of Social Change
• Supervising Volunteers - Energise Inc
• The (Help!) I-Don't-Have-Enough-Time guide to Volunteer Management - Energise Inc
• From the Top Down (Executive role in volunteer management) - Energise Inc

Share your experiences!

The Good Practice Bank is growing steadily as more information is added to it. An important feature of the Bank is allowing users to share their documents with other volunteering organisations. We are particularly interested in receiving example policies or documents that you are happy to share with others. If we use your contribution, you could win a book on volunteering from our regular prize draw.

• If your organisation has an example to contribute, please use our simple form to submit it.
• Or, please send us an email or telephone 0800 028 3304 (phone and textphone)