Volunteering Focus - 26 March

PVG changes reminder

From 1st April 2025 the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme becomes a legal requirement in Scotland. Volunteer Scotland have announced a grace period to move current staff & volunteers to PVG system between April 01 – June 30. PVG applications must be submitted by June 30 and it will be an offence from 01 July. 

Any person aged 18 or over who, by reason of physical disability, mental disability, illness, infirmity, ageing has an impaired ability to protect themselves from physical or psychological harm or requires assistance with the activities of daily living is considered to be a vulnerable adult.

More info here Disclosure Services - Volunteer Scotland

You can sign up to the 1 hour online Disclosure Service information sessions with Volunteer Scotland here Disclosure Act Implementation Session Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite. A regulated role guidance pack will be shared with TSI’s this week, and I will circulate as soon as it’s available.

Other resources here:

PVG scheme - list of activities for regulated roles - mygov.scot
PVG scheme - list of regulated roles - mygov.scot
Check if a role needs PVG scheme membership - mygov.scot


 

Local Volunteers Week plans

We’re excited to announce some fantastic events during Renfrewshire Volunteers' Week and would love for you to be part of them! Please save the following dates:

• Monday 02 June 12-2pm for our Volunteer Fair
• Thursday 05 June (evening) for our Volunteer Appreciation Event.

More information on the Volunteer Appreciation Event will be circulated soon.  If you would like to book a stall at our Volunteer Fair please get in touch ASAP as spaces tend to fill up fast.

Volunteer Appreciation Event: National or local awards

As Volunteers' Week approaches, we are excited to celebrate and spotlight the incredible contributions of volunteers across Renfrewshire. To make this year’s celebrations even more special, we would love to highlight any local or national volunteering awards that have been awarded to groups, or organisations over the course of this year (July 2024 – June 2025). These awards will be spotlighted at a Volunteer Appreciation evening during Volunteers Week – more details to follow.
 
If you are aware of any groups or organisations who have received awards or recognition, please share this information with us. We’d love to feature these achievements during our Volunteers' Week celebrations, giving them the recognition they truly deserve!
 
Some examples of local/national volunteering awards we are looking for include The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, Provost Community Awards, SURF Awards etc.
 
If you have any details or contacts for recent award recipients, please send them our way at your earliest convenience. Your help in showcasing the outstanding work of volunteers will make a real difference in inspiring others to get involved.

 
We are excited to announce that, in response to valuable feedback from the Engage Renfrewshire network, we have decided to rename our Inclusive Volunteering pilot project to Pathways to Volunteering. This change comes after it was highlighted that the previous name didn't fully convey the essence of what our project offers. The new name, Pathways to Volunteering, better reflects our aim to provide clear, supportive routes for individuals to access volunteering opportunities, ensuring it’s easier for people to understand the positive impact and opportunities available through our programme.

If you know, or are supporting, an individual living in Renfrewshire who has identified a volunteering opportunity but needs support from a volunteer mentor with confidence building, support navigating public transport and acting as a general safe space for the individual at the beginning of their volunteering journey, please contact lwalker@engagerenfrewshire.com.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer mentor for this project, more information can be found here Pathways to Volunteering - Volunteer Mentor

Volunteer Managers Forum

Join us on Wednesday, 14 May, from 10:00 to 12pm, at Engage Renfrewshire. This forum is your chance to connect with fellow volunteer managers, exchange insights, and learn from inspiring approaches to Inclusive Volunteering Strategies. We’ll spotlight organisations that have successfully embraced inclusivity in their volunteer programs. Whether you’re an experienced manager or just starting out, this event is a fantastic opportunity to gain practical ideas and showcase your own work. Spotlight sessions from Dates N Mates, STAR and Pachedu will feature diverse topics such as:

• Creating Accessible Volunteering Opportunities
• Engaging Diverse Demographics
• Overcoming Barriers to Inclusion
• Partnerships for Inclusion
• Measuring Success

We’ll also be joined by Fraser Clark from #YouthVIP, YouthVIP is part of the Volunteering Matters (charity) organisation who work in the voluntary sector all over the UK. They work in partnership with Young Scot & Youth Link Scotland as well as Scottish Government, the Third Sector (TSI) community and lots and lots of other organisations at a grassroots level, ALL working together with Young People within the voluntary sector.

YouthVIP develop ideas and support opportunities to help create an impact within your local community with young people at the heart of everything we do. HOME | Youth VIP
 
Register now to secure your spot!
 
Renfrewshire Volunteer Managers Forum Tickets, Wed, May 14, 2025 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite

At Engage we believe that the charter supports the foundations for a great volunteer experience and gives individuals, groups and organisations the opportunity to express their support and appreciation for volunteering, whilst upholding the principles of good volunteer practise. We already have some Volunteer Charter Champions in Renfrewshire – but we need more! It takes a few moments to sign up to the pledge, why not do it now?



 
Become a Charter Champion - Volunteer Scotland