The Brendon Care Foundation

Name of Organisation

The Brendoncare Foundation

Why did you decide to go for Investing in Volunteers?

A formal process for volunteering was introduced to our care centres early in 2006, a year in which we also merged with Club Hampshire, an organisation providing social interaction for older people living independently in the community but isolated because of it. The clubs are run by volunteers. Within the space of a few months volunteers became an integral part of the organisation.

We knew we had a good process based on good practice and wanted to test its quality against a national standard. Investing in Volunteers would give us this opportunity. It would also give us a way of sharing with our volunteers the vital role they play and be an additional way of recognising their commitment.

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

It gave us the opportunity to take a microscope to our process. By involving people from other aspects of the organisation we have been able to stand back, be fully objective and also develop a system that is appropriate for the organisation as a whole and fully understood by all.

Staff and residents in our care centres have an even better understanding of the importance of volunteers and the role they play.

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

The assessment process was a journey of discovery. It acted as a catalyst for improvement and adjustment. Volunteers and staff were delighted to be asked to participate in either face to face interviews with our assessor or talking to her over the telephone. No-one said no!

It was focused work, especially organising the assessment interviews but the sense of achievement at the end of it all more than compensated for the occasional head ache!

Fiona Rochford, our assessor, was a joy to work with, supportive and encouraging with volunteers nervous at meeting her and also with me as we moved through from stage to stage.

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

·Approach it with an open mind, want to learn from the experience

·Involve a cross section of people from your organisation

·Keep everyone up-to-date at each stage, let them know what is going on

·Make sure your diary is clear enough to give you sufficient time for each stage

·Embrace the process and go for it.