Environment & Conservation

Venture Scotland

Name of Organisation

Venture Scotland

Why did you decide to go for Investing in Volunteers?

November 2005

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

It gave us clear and sensible benchmarks to work towards and added impetus to our work to improve our volunteer management tools. It has also given us confidence that our work with volunteers is of a good standard. I would definitely recommend IiV to other organisations.

How did the assessment work in your organisation?

The assessor came into our office and had face to face and telephone interviews with a range of volunteers, management committee members and staff.

5 Practical tips you would give another organisation working towards Investing in Volunteers
  • Be committed to making genuine improvements – don’t make it an exercise in ticking boxes for the sake of it.
  • Ensure changes you make are well communicated to staff and volunteers.
  • Use the process as an opportunity to get genuine and extensive feedback from volunteers.
  • Get on with the work that needs to be done, don’t wait until the week before the assessment!
  • Don’t be fearful of the assessment. It is a friendly and supportive process.

What training/learning did you require to help you meet the standards and where did you source it ? e.g.VDS, local Volunteer Centre, local college

I was supported through the process by the Volunteer Centre Edinburgh. They gave me sensible advice and pointed me in the direction of useful resources e.g. those found on their website.

My volunteer management approach has been shaped by the book ‘Essentials in volunteer management’ by Steve McCurley (I think!)

I am also a member of UKVPMs on yahoo groups which is great for canvassing opinion from people working with volunteers.