Dave Thomas, Volunteering Development Officer at NCVS, writes...
The pandemic hasn't gone away but now that lockdown has eased, I am seeing a real determination from many Leaders of Volunteers to re-engage with their volunteers and harness the enormous amount of goodwill towards volunteers and volunteering that has come about as a result of the outbreak.
Almost six months ago, at the start of lockdown, we all responded by changing our volunteer programmes. This meant that some volunteer roles had to be put on hold, while new roles were being created. Now some of those pre-lockdown roles are being re-opened to volunteers.
However, the world has changed and volunteering is not exempt. Very few of those former volunteer roles will be exactly the same. As Leaders of Volunteers, we now have to consider incorporating social distancing, remote contact and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) into our volunteer programmes and reviewing our roles to ensure that where close contact may be required, safety precautions, to protect both the person supported and the volunteer, are being met. Now is the time to take a look at the roles you promoted six months ago and review what needs to be changed to make sure your opportunities fit the reality that we are now inviting volunteers to join.
The Volunteer Centre at NCVS can help you to redesign your volunteer roles, contact me by emailing davet@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.
