Working with brokers

Brokerage is the bringing together of an employee and a volunteering opportunity. There are specific agencies and consultants who specialise in this. Examples include: volunteer centres, Business in the Community’s Cares network, Community Service Volunteers, Business Community Connections, Education Business Partnerships.

Why use a broker?

Brokers can be the key to successful employer supported volunteering relationships for the following reasons:

1. Time: Busy employers may find it hard to devote enough time to finding the perfect project. Those who wish to involve employer supported volunteers in their work can also be so stretched providing day-to-day support to clients that they cannot research suitable partners.

2. Knowledge of different sectors: Brokers realise what each party needs out of an employer supported volunteering partnership and know how to translate these needs into negotiable outcomes.

3. Local understanding: Brokers understand local community issues such as regeneration, homelessness, education and unemployment, and can source suitable matching partners to bring about positive change.

When liaising with you about the types of volunteering opportunities you are interested in involving employer supported volunteers in – brokers may wish to know the following information to help them inform employers and volunteers, and so that they can effect the best service on your behalf.

• Do you know why you would like to involve employer supported volunteers with your organisation?
• Does everyone in your organisation agree that this is something that you should be supporting?
• What benefits will both the employer and your organisation get from involving their employees in your work?
• Do you have a range of opportunities that could be developed for employer supported volunteers? If so:
  - What sort of volunteers do you need?
  - Do you know what tasks they could do?
• Are specialist skills required to complete your volunteering activity? Please note: for a practical volunteering activity or team challenge – most volunteers will just have basic DIY skills (and of course lots of enthusiasm).
• How much time will it take (one hour a week over a six week period for example).
• Do you have a budget, resources or materials to help fund or be used for the project (this may or may not be necessary)?
• Can you develop a short/snappy description of your organisation and the opportunity, as this really helps to sell it to prospective volunteers?
• Think about the benefits that volunteers and the employer can get too.
• Can you provide someone to act as the main contact, to liaise with volunteers, provide training, answer any telephone calls they may make etc.
• Do you have deadlines for getting volunteers recruited?
• Can you support volunteering activity outside your usual work hour and at weekends?
• Will there be someone available to act as the main contact for your volunteers – to liaise with them, provide induction and any training required etc.?
• Can you help with supporting any press and media activity around the activity?

Your broker may also wish to know:

Procedures in place for both the take-up of references and the carrying out of police checks as required. Please be aware of the time implications that such procedures may require - any delay may be a factor in influencing a potential volunteer’s choice of volunteering activity.

Details about your insurance cover – public and/or employer’s liability insurance.

Your health and safety requirements.