Action for Change

Name of Organisation

Action for Change

Why did you decide to go for Investing in Volunteers?

Volunteers have been an essential part of our organisation for over 16 years, and so the opportunity to have our standards of working with them tested against a new national quality mark was very important. We also felt that if we could achieve the quality mark it would be a significant recognition of our volunteers and their contribution to Action for Change’s work.

What benefits have you found from working towards Investing in Volunteers?

We have examined all of the aspects of our relationship with our volunteers, the policies, procedures and day to day working practices. This has been helpful in ensuring that we are offering the very best to our volunteers and has been very useful for other aspects of the organisation’s work too.

Tell us about your experience of the assessment process in your organisation.

This has been helpful, testing but supportive at all times.

5 Practical tips you would give another organisation working towards Investing in Volunteers

• Work through each criteria one by one.

• Set yourself clear timetables for each aspect and keep to them.

• Involve as many people from your organisation as possible.

• Be self critical and open as to improvements to make.

• Go for it!