Volunteering Focus - 25 February

Hi and welcome to our latest Volunteering Focus Newsletter! 

We’re happy to share with you some news about upcoming events, a call for case studies, and the results from the 2026 Priorities Questionnaire sent to you all in January. 

Firstly, have you heard?  The Scottish Charity Awards 2026 applications are now open!


 
Would you like to nominate one or more of your volunteers?  You have until 17 March to submit that application.  If you would like assistance with the application, get in touch!

Apply - Scottish Charity Awards - SCVO

 

Volunteer Managers Forum

01 April 2026
10:00–11:30am
Engage Renfrewshire & Online (Hybrid)

Our next Volunteer Managers Forum will take place on 01 April at Engage Renfrewshire, and we’re pleased to offer this as a hybrid session, giving you the option to join in person or online.

The agenda will be shared soon, but as always, expect useful discussion, peer support, and updates relevant to anyone involved in managing or coordinating volunteers across Renfrewshire.

Eventbrite link - In Person sign up

Eventbrite link - Hybrid sign up 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Volunteer Fair -  Book your stall

30 April 2026
Tannahill Centre

Engage Renfrewshire is delighted to host our Spring Volunteers Fair on 30 April at the Tannahill Centre.

Volunteer Fairs are a fantastic opportunity to:

• Showcase your volunteering opportunities to potential volunteers
• Connect with fellow volunteer managers
• Raise awareness of the amazing work your organisation does

If your organisation would like to book a stall, please get in touch as soon as possible.

Spaces are limited, and stalls will be allocated on a first‑come, first‑served basis.

We hope to see you there!
 

Thank You for Sharing Your Priorities

Thank you to everyone who completed the Priorities Questionnaire circulated in January. Your input is incredibly valuable. We will use these results to plan and deliver services that support, empower, and strengthen your volunteer programmes for the year ahead and beyond.

Below, you’ll find some of the key results and how we plan to respond to them.


 

Volunteer Scotland

Call for case studies and volunteer stories: help shape the future of employer-supported volunteering

Volunteer Scotland is inviting people and organisations involved in ESV to share their experiences.

By taking part, you’ll help highlight good practice, inform future ESV activity and showcase the impact of ESV across Scotland.

We’re looking for short ESV case studies and volunteer stories from:

• Employers with ESV policies or programmes
• Voluntary organisations that host employee volunteers
• Joint employer–voluntary organisation ESV partnerships
• Employee volunteers

We’ve created various Microsoft Forms, linked above, to help you submit your case study or volunteer story. They should take around 5–15 minutes to complete. Please submit all case studies and volunteer stories by Friday 27 February.

If you already have a case study or would prefer not to use a form, you can email your contribution directly to Erin.Burke@volunteerscotland.org.uk.

Refer to the blog post on the Volunteer Scotland website that has all the key information.

Guide Dogs - Puppy Raiser

Celebrate National Puppy Day on Monday 23 March by joining Guide Dogs’ online event to find out how you could get involved in raising a guide dog puppy. Register here. 



Guide Dogs Scotland are seeking volunteers across Renfrewshire to raise a guide dog pup, or support puppy raisers by providing temporary accommodation for pups, for example when puppy raisers take a well-earned holiday! Volunteers will have local support and a monthly puppy class in the area, as well as food and vet costs covered.

If puppy raising isn’t for you, you could help out the Renfrewshire community group raising funds and awareness for Guide Dogs in your local area.

Whether you take a lead role in organising events, or come along to help now and again, your contribution will make a difference to the lives of people with sight loss.

For more information, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/volunteer or contact Emma on VolAttractNorth@guidedogs.org.uk