Volunteering Focus - 12 February

Volunteers’ week is back!

Volunteers’ Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held from the first Monday in June to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers. Launched in 1984, this initiative has been running for over 40 years, providing organisations and communities a platform to thank current and past volunteers for their invaluable efforts. The campaign highlights the diversity and unity of volunteer work across the UK. In its 40th year, the campaign underwent a rebrand, introducing a vibrant identity to inspire continued engagement.

Volunteers’ Week fosters connections between national organisations and grassroots groups, celebrating the spirit of volunteering that enriches communities each year.

This year’s celebration runs from Monday 02 – Sunday 08 June.



Find out more here

2025 Summit Award Nominations now open - Get your nominations submitted in time for Volunteers Week!

Do you know a young person who has made an outstanding contribution to volunteering in their local area? Do they stand out from the rest, go above and beyond and exceed all expectations? Then why not nominate them for a Summit Award?
Young volunteers must be:

• Resident in Scotland
• Aged between 12-25
• Nominated by either: the organisation they volunteer for, their school, college or University or local Saltire delivery office (Engage Renfrewshire)
• Not a previous Summit Award winner

Nominations can be made using the link below and will be submitted to Engage Renfrewshire. Nominations will then be considered by RYV (Renfrewshire Youth Voice).



Nominate a volunteer using the link below:
https://saltireawards.scot/info-for-organisations/summit-award
 

In a major boost to the voluntary sector, the Scottish Government will continue to provide free Disclosure Scotland Protecting Vulnerable Group (PVG) scheme membership to volunteers following a public consultation on fee waivers and discount.

This decision by Scottish Ministers recognises the vital role volunteers play in Scotland’s society with roles in care, health, sports, community and children’s recreational activities.

Membership of the PVG scheme provides assurance to employers and the public that a person can work safely with children and protected adults. By continuing with the fee waiver, volunteers and charities can continue to consider new opportunities by accessing PVG membership without encountering any financial barriers in doing so.

For organisations, it will also provide many smaller charities a crucial lifeline in recruiting and retaining new staff and will help eliminate the barriers some people may face when applying for jobs because of affordability.

Disclosure fee levels remaining at current levels
As well as retaining the fee waiver for qualifying voluntary organisations, fees for the new Level 1 and Level 2 disclosure products will remain at their broadly equivalent levels in 2025.

The decision to retain existing disclosure fees was taken after balancing several factors, including affordability for customers – particularly those on the lowest incomes.

Find out more here :Scottish Government to continue PVG fee waiver for volunteers - Disclosure Scotland

Reward and recognition are vital elements in any volunteer program, ensuring that individuals feel valued and motivated to continue their efforts. A recent blog from Points of Light emphasises how integrating key milestones, such as employee volunteer days and significant events, can elevate an organisation's volunteer program.

By aligning volunteer efforts with these important moments, companies can drive engagement and strengthen their connection to broader social causes. Recognising volunteer achievements during these times not only boosts morale but also embeds volunteerism into the workplace culture.

This approach fosters a greater sense of community and purpose, benefiting both volunteers and the organizations they support. Read their recent blog here -

Elevate Your Employee Volunteering Program by Integrating Volunteer Days and Key Milestones

Booking for Make Your Mark’s annual volunteer managers conference is now live! Join them on 27 February either in-person at the Engine Shed or online via Teams to learn how you can support a range of volunteers with varying abilities and needs

There will be a combination of informative talks, interactive workshops and panel discussions that cover inclusive group volunteering for people with support needs, lived experiences of a diverse range of volunteers, how to fund inclusive volunteer programmes, supporting older volunteers who have to stop volunteering due to age-related reasons and more!

For more information regarding the Make Your Mark campaign, including access to their inclusive volunteering toolkit, and to sign up for free today, please visit their website: https://makeyourmark.scot/

View the full conference programme and book your free spot: bit.ly/MYMconf25

We wanted to remind all Engage members to log in and check all volunteering opportunities, key contacts and pending applications are up to date and have been actioned. Please take a moment to log in and review the applications at your earliest convenience. You can approve or deny them directly from the platform. If you are no longer recruiting volunteers, we kindly ask that you log into the system and make your opportunity inactive, so potential volunteers will not see it when searching for available opportunities. You can log in as an opportunity provider here https://volunteer.engagerenfrewshire.org/vk/providers/login.htm
 
Additionally, if you are no longer the primary contact for Team Kinetic for your organisation, please let me know the details of the new key contact person, and I will update the information on the system.
 
If you require further training, or a wee reminder of how the system works, let me know and we can book in some time together.

Carers Awareness Workshop

Renfrewshire Carers Centre invite you to attend their Carers Awareness Workshops, please see upcoming workshop dates and booking link below:

• Tuesday 25 Feb 2-4pm
• Tuesday 25 March 2-4pm
• Wednesday 23 April 2-4pm

Upcoming Events › Carers Awareness Workshops › – Renfrewshire Carers Centre
 
The link to booking is enquiries@renfrewshirecarers.org.uk or by phone to 0141 887 3643.