Volunteering Focus - 28 January

Welcome to our last newsletter for the month of January.  

It can be a tough month for some people.  Remember to check in with your volunteers, ask how they're doing and how they feel about their volunteering.  Share another positive affirmation: 

“I am a positive force, I make a difference” 

This newsletter features a survey for future planning, some useful guidance to thank and celebrate your volunteers, training opportunities and a volunteer opportunity for Bowel Cancer UK.

We have put together a Questionnaire for our Volunteer Involving Organisations to help us shape our Volunteering Support in 2026.  

Please do take the time to complete it and help shape our service for you.

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We’re currently developing our Volunteering Development Programme for the year ahead, and we want to ensure it reflects the needs and priorities of our network.

To support this work, we’ve put together a short questionnaire that gives members the opportunity to share:

• Your current volunteer programme priorities
• How we can best support your organisation and your volunteers

Your feedback will play a vital role in shaping the delivery of Engage Renfrewshire’s Volunteering Service. It will help us better support organisations that rely on volunteers, as well as individuals seeking meaningful volunteering opportunities across Renfrewshire.

We would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire.

Your insight is invaluable in helping us develop services that are relevant, responsive, and effective.

Thank you for your continued support.

Renfrewshire Volunteer Managers Network - 2026 Priorities – Fill out form
 

Celebrating Volunteers

One of the difficulties Volunteer Involving Organisations have is attracting and retaining volunteers.
 
One of Scotland’s Volunteering Framework key outcomes is: “There is an environment and culture which celebrates volunteers and volunteering and all of its benefits”.
 
Evidencing that you recognise, and value volunteers is crucial.
 
Attached is an example of how Glasgow life captured the data needed in a way that showcased the volunteers’ impact by designing a simple, lively social impact report that served as a thank you to volunteers. 
 
You can find it here.

Could re-evaluating how you deliver impact data to funders be something to think about this year?

Maybe something you could work towards for Volunteers Week 2026? 

Some food for thought.

The Heart of Your Programme

The Heart of Your Programme article by TeamKinetic promotes the importance of saying thank you.

The article features some meaningful ways to say thank you that don’t cost an arm and a leg. 

Take a look: The Heart of Your Programme: Volunteer Reward and Recognition - TeamKinetic

Also available as part of a free TeamKinetic masterclass on YouTube. Click the image below: 
 

Bowel Cancer UK are seeking a Service Promotion Helper to help reach the people who need their services the most by distributing leaflets to local health centres.

If you would like to help, contact Laura Volunteer@bowelcanceruk.org.uk
 

Bridging the participation gap – Volunteer Scotland Members - Volunteer Scotland



How to Plan a Wildly Successful Volunteer “Win-Back” Campaign Tickets, Wed, Feb 4, 2026 at 3:00 PM | Eventbrite


Don't forget: Engage Renfrewshire's Training Calendar highlights various training, information sessions, events and forums, which are all free to join for registered members. If you are not already a member of Engage Renfrewshire join today to enjoy all benefits already received by over 400 members. 

Click here to join today

Creating a Nation of Volunteers

Originally shared last week but if you missed it: the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election Manifesto by Volunteer Scotland, highlights the critical role of volunteers in strengthening Scotland’s communities.

The manifesto emphasises the health, wellbeing, and social benefits of volunteering, with research showing significant positive impacts, especially for individuals with disabilities or long-term health conditions. ​ Despite these benefits, volunteer participation has declined, with formal volunteering rates dropping from 31% in 2010 to 25% in 2024. ​ Challenges include fewer people starting volunteering, more people stopping due to economic pressures, unsustainable funding, and increasing service demands. ​

Volunteer Scotland proposes ten policy asks to accelerate recovery and close inclusion gaps, including fair funding, supported volunteering projects, embedding volunteering in schools, promoting health benefits, and reviewing charity regulations. The manifesto calls for urgent action to sustain and grow volunteering, ensuring inclusivity and support for marginalized groups. ​ Volunteer Scotland aims to engage political candidates to prioritize volunteering in the 2026 election. ​

The manifesto can be found here Our Volunteering Manifesto - Volunteer Scotland