24 September 2024

Thank you to our guests who attended this interesting and varied discussion, sharing their knowledge and useful information.

Here are the highlights:

“There is a need to get better at sharing. Volunteer work could be brilliant with the right vision as there is such an untapped source of charities in the third sector who have a pool of volunteers.”

Measuring reductions of loneliness for volunteers.

Examples of the statements:

• I've been feeling close to other people.
• I feel part of a team
• I'm using my time productively
• I feel connected to others.
• I feel confident

Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS).

Personal well-being user guide

• Directed at clients, patients, recipients of social prescribing, but it could equally apply to volunteers.

Hope Project

The volunteers support the service users to reduce isolation and reintegrate them into society. Service users may have various difficulties from mobility to digital skills. The volunteers help to upskill them or boost their confidence, helping them find meaningful activities in the community and meet new people.

Keeping volunteers engaged

• Rotate volunteers every 6-8 weeks to provide variety if they wish and do regular check-ins to make sure that they are okay.
• Micro volunteering.
• Utilise the skills of individual volunteers

Logging volunteer hours

• One organisation uses a system called Pro Visit to log volunteer hours. It's a tablet screen and they are dotted around the hospital making access easy for volunteers to sign in and out. Pro Visit

Volunteer roles discussed

• Volunteers who recycle office equipment that people no longer need.
• Falls Prevention
• More role descriptions can be found here

Concern about volunteers taking staff jobs.

• It was felt that this is an issue that will always be there and to prevent it from becoming a bigger issue it is important to make sure that the volunteers' role is just a supporting one with very clear boundaries.
• Cultural shifts take time. New staff inductions should include information about the role of a volunteer, the boundaries and how they enhance patient and staff experience.

Recommended reads:

Darzi Report - Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England

Future developments in NHS volunteering

By 2028, the NHS Volunteering Taskforce expects volunteering to be recognised as a key contributor to:

• improved patient experience and patient outcomes
• better staff experience and wellbeing
• reduced pressure on staff and services
• improved volunteer wellbeing and the acquisition of skills, experience, and confidence.

See attachment for PDF of report

Recommended Podcast

The podcast series explores the world of health and care volunteering in Norfolk and Waveney.

Opportunities to raise awareness of volunteering in your organisation

• Have you an inspiring volunteer story?
• Have you been invited to talk about volunteering on the radio?
• Have any of your team or volunteers won any awards?

Our Comms Team are always happy to share and repost your stories.

Let us know by contacting Vy Tran, Communications and Content Manager by email on vt@helpforce.community