Volunteers' Week 2009

Rewarding, recognising and recruiting volunteers

Volunteers' Week Newsletter

Volunteers' Week is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2009. This annual awareness week celebrates volunteers and volunteering. With more than 22 million people throughout the UK donating their time and effort in one way or another every year, this week is used to recognise their valued contribution to society as well as encouraging others to consider getting involved.

Click here to view the online version of the newsletter

Volunteers' Week has arrived

Volunteers’ Week has arrived with hundreds of celebrations taking place throughout the UK this week.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the volunteers who give their time in one way or another. This week is about recognising the contribution you make to many organisations and groups throughout the country, so thank you!

Now is the time to say thanks

You can still do your bit to thank a volunteer by leaving a message on the Volunteers’ Week website’s thank you page. It is a simple and easy way to say thanks but will mean the world to your volunteers.

Alternatively if you have a volunteering story you would like to share you can visit the website to leave some details about your experience as a volunteer.

Promote your event

Many groups and organisations around the country put a lot of time and effort into rewarding and recruiting volunteers. From canal boat trips in London to Big Red Bus tours in Hertfordshire these events help promote volunteering and the activities of their volunteers.

This year, to recognise the work that goes into all these events we have a Wii, including a WiiFit, and five copies of The Rough Guide to Happiness to give away.

To be in the running for these great prizes simply send in some pictures or video, an overview of your event and some press cuttings, and you could be lucky enough to win the Wii or one of the five copies of the The Rough Guide to Happiness. Entries should be emailed to volunteersweek@volunteeringengland.org.uk by 12 June 2009, with winners contacted by telephone and announced the following week in this enewsletter.

The Rough Guide to Happiness is the ultimate 'how to be happy' handbook. Discover how to effectively improve your work/life balance, increase self-esteem, and nourish your mind and body while nurturing relationships with the ones you love.

Rough Guides are offering 20% OFF to all our users. To buy the book visit www.roughguides.com and enter ROUGH as the coupon code.

Coming to Youtube

Volunteers’ Week will this year have a channel dedicated to the work of volunteers. This channel will launch at the end of the week to mark the great events that have happened throughout the UK during the 25th anniversary of Volunteers’ Week.

We would like to feature footage from events throughout the country. Simply send your short video clip to kim.rowley@volunteeringengland.org and we shall pop it online.

Volunteers’ Week and do-it!

Volunteers’ Week is a great time to get involved in volunteering or to find a new opportunity, and do-it.org.uk is a great place to start.
 
do-it.org.uk now has over a million opportunities to volunteer in a UK-wide database, including opportunities working with teenagers or older people, in fundraising or IT, in communications or as a trustee. There are listings from volunteer centres and from major charities such as the National Trust and Oxfam, one-off and long term positions, opportunities to build your skills, to make friends, make a difference and so much more. Just enter your postcode and an area of interest, browse local opportunities and apply online.  It’s volunteering made easy.
 
do-it.org.uk is also looking for its own volunteers: people who are committed to volunteering and improving the experience for others.  If you’re 16 to 25 years-old and are interested in becoming a volunteer champion for young people, why not join our Youth Advisory Group?  Volunteers of all ages are also needed to blog about their experiences on the do-it.org.uk website.  See the current blogs and the do-it.org.uk opportunity for more information.
 
do-it.org.uk is run by online charity, YouthNet: a proud partner of Volunteering England as they celebrate the 25th anniversary of Volunteers’ Week.

News from Northern Ireland

Volunteers’ Week events are underway throughout Northern Ireland this week. Some of these events include:

3 June
Swing into the summber volunteering action day at VSB, Belfast

Omagh Volunteer Centre will be promoting volunteering at their local supermarket

The Parents Advice Centre is taking their volunteers on a cruise followed by a BBQ

Royal Mencap Society is organising a fun day for their Millennium Volunteers

4 June
Celebration of volunteering event organised by Newry and Mourne Volunteer Centre

Volunteer Recruitment Fair at Craigavon & Banbridge Volunteer Centre

5 June
Volunteering Festival at VSB, Belfast

Guided tour of Downpatrick followed by lunch and presentation of certificates to volunteers from Down District Volunteer Centre

Open day at Fermanagh Volunteer Centre

For more information on Volunteers’ Week in Northern Ireland go to www.volunteering-ni.org

The many faces of volunteering

Ann Walters volunteers with Community Space.

“When my husband died I was going for bereavement counselling. This is where I got to know about Kilburn neighbours. It gave me a way of dealing with the loss of my husband.

I befriend elderly people and give them emotional support. I have been volunteering for eight years. I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. It is lovely to see the older people I work with, have happy smiles on their faces when they see me. I make a difference by visiting elderly women who have some company and someone to talk to.

Without volunteers people who we look after would loose contact with the community.”

An initiative of Volunteering England, Wales Council for Voluntary Action, Volunteer Development Agency (Northern Ireland) and Volunteer Development Scotland, the week will focus on rewarding, recognising and recruiting volunteers.