Notes, Tips and useful links from the General Networking Discussion held on 23 July 2023

Positive Impact

• It was noted that there had been a positive impact on the recognition of volunteers since NHS England made it a statutory requirement to report on the number of volunteers and volunteer hours.

Funding

• If you are looking for funding, if you have one, check with your Charitable Funds Department to see if volunteering can be included in some of their bids.

Recruitment

The conversation was drawn around volunteers not reading information and instructions when going through the application process. This results in forms not being filled in correctly and staff spending more time re-sending information to applicants.

• Alternative ways of delivering the information to applicants were discussed and one suggestion was to create short instruction and FAQ videos. Keep the recording under 5 minutes. Today, people are more likely to watch a video than read though instructions.

• To ensure that all parts of the application form are completed instead of a word document use, for example, Microsoft Forms. With this format, they cannot submit the form until all relevant fields are completed.

Another issue is there are some who show an interest but don’t follow through after they have been sent all the details and forms.

• Some have stopped advertising on certain job sites.

• Some have a face-to-face interview before they start the application process.

Compassionate Conversations.

• Compassionate Conversations is a free awareness 2-hour training session delivered by St Elizabeth Hospice.

• https://www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/compassion/events/

Sign Language

One of our guests was due to attend a basic sign language course and others were interested but they are struggling to find an organisation that could do the training for them.

There are a few useful links below however, if anyone has any alternatives, please use this Forum to share.

• https://www.ndcs.org.uk/our-services/services-for-professionals/training-and-e-learning/free-e-learning-courses/

• https://www.british-sign.co.uk/learn-online-british-sign-language-course/

• https://rnid.org.uk/information-and-support/deaf-awareness/british-sign-language/

• https://wesupportdeafawareness.org/