Volunteering Strategy 2021- 2024

Foreword

I’m delighted to introduce our new volunteering strategy for 2021-2024.

COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on the role of volunteers across health and social care with many organisations now recognising the importance and impact of volunteering – it is not seen as a ‘bolt-on’ or ‘nice to have’ but an integral part of supporting service users, patients and carers. Our organisation has had a long tradition of championing volunteers, having worked extensively with local groups to deliver a wide variety of volunteer-led health and wellbeing activities over many years to support our local communities.

We recognise that volunteering gives individuals the confidence and skills to take on new opportunities, provide fresh perspectives and make a real difference to the NHS. Volunteers often provide a unique perspective and have the skills, time and energy like no other group. In developing the different strands of this strategy our staff have been overwhelmingly positive about the volunteering strategy and how we can help integrate this work into strategic planning at the Trust.

Prior to, and during, the pandemic we have developed our volunteering offer with partners such as St John Ambulance and Helpforce to embrace new opportunities (like our NHS Cadets and Volunteer to Career schemes) as well as refreshing existing programmes (such as our Well Together service, formerly known as Champions Show the Way). We have successfully recruited to our volunteering co-ordinator roles at both of our inpatient sites to enhance our therapeutic offer and enable those with lived experience to volunteer to support recovery and discharge. We have also refreshed our policies and procedures which support training and induction to help minimise any delays for people taking up volunteering offers as we know this can have a negative impact on longer term engagement.

Support at the most senior level of the organisation is crucial to the success of this volunteering strategy and the Trust Board has fully endorsed this approach. The five different service elements which form the basis of the strategy provide local people with the opportunity ‘give back’ to the NHS, support recovery and discharge, and grow our future workforce. It is an approach that is accessible, with opportunities to involve a diverse range of local people and as a Trust we look forward to both developing our existing volunteers and welcoming new ones to support the vital work of the Trust.

Paul Hogg, Director of Corporate Affairs

For the full report please download the attached PDF