Partnership Agreement
Any organisation acting as an Investing in Volunteers Partner must sign up to a Partnership Agreement. This outlines the minimum commitment a Partner must make to organisations they support in achieving Investing in Volunteers and the commitment Volunteering England makes to them in return. Volunteering England views local Partners as an essential part of the Investing in Volunteers Team. They provide individual support on best practice and a unique local knowledge of organisations and their specific concerns.
The agreement also outlines the benefits for Volunteering Development Agencies recognised as Partners:
- consistent definitions of volunteering good practice, a framework to work to and a tool to use with all organisations
- opportunities to increase knowledge and experience of good practice in volunteering, adding value to VDA service
- enhanced links with local organisations through Investing in Volunteers contacts
- potential income/funding opportunities – Investing in Volunteers is a good indicator to funders of a commitment to supporting and developing good practice
- improved knowledge about local organisations committed to good practice in volunteer management
- developing new ways of working with other VDAs and potential partnerships with agencies that don't have a VDA in their area
- opportunities to promote the role and expertise VDAs have to offer – raise profile and chargeable services such as training/consultancy.
Download the Partnership Agreement (2007)
Details of Requirements
Volunteering Development Agencies that have achieved the VDA quality mark and are members of Volunteering England are eligible to apply to be Partners.
Partners are not considered to be fully signed up until they have completed the Partnership Agreement and attended Induction Training.
It is not a requirement for VDA’s to have achieved Investing in Volunteers for their own organisation, although there are clear benefits of having worked through the standard before supporting others.
