sustainable volunteering
DESCRIPTION
Capability Scotland, a Scottish charity dedicated to disabled people around Scotland commissioned us, in partnership with the University of Dundee, to identify ways in which volunteering could be made sustainable. My team and I were associated with an area that we thought was fundamental to the successful running of the charity, Assessment Volunteers.Assessment Volunteers in relation to Capability Scotland would be defined as a person who is disabled or has a relationship with someone who is disabled. They have various means of Assessment, a 1 in 4 Poll and most importantly, the MIND panel. These allow the voice of the disabled, the clientèle of Capability Scotland to have their say. The MIND panel helps to decide policies for Capability Scotland for internal use and also to lead legislation change in Scotland.We employed classic ethnographic techniques to acquire the information pertinent to the success of the project such as face-to-face and phone interviews, attending and scribing at the \'Access to Justice\' conference in Edinburgh, November 2009 and the use of observation when applicable. With the information gained from these field excursions we were able to provide Capability Scotland with actionable insights they could apply to their charity.TRANSCRIPT
Assessment Volunteers
Daniel, Caoimhe, Mark, HimanshuDaniel, Mark, Himanshu, Caoimhe
Assessment Volunteers
‘nothing about us without us’‘nothing about us without us’International Disability Movement
Why are Assessment Volunteers important to you?
“Gives me a
voice”
Why are you important to Assessment Volunteers?
“CS is a caring
Organisation”
voice”
Induction
Enhance Recruitment Opportunities
RejuvenationRejuvenation
Embracing New Media
Incorporation of Skilled Volunteers
Actionable Insights
MIND Panel Members
1 in 4 Poll Members
Mystery Shoppers
MIND Panel Observation
Access to Justice Conference
Capability Scotland Research & Policy Team
1 in 4 Poll Manager (Scotinform)
What We Did, Who We Talked To
Who Are Your Assessment Volunteers?Who Are Your Assessment Volunteers?
- Volunteering allowed him to use his postgraduate education.
- Volunteering helped grow experience and confidence.
- Moved into a paid role within Capability Scotland.
- Interest in MIND panel, can’t always attend as short on time.
- Enjoys his work with Capability Scotland and being able to make a difference.
Charlie
- Approached Capability Scotland through contact.
- Specific project in mind.
- Became involved with Capability Scotland as a volunteer.
- Brings skills, would like to learn new ones and grow in experience.
- If more people knew what Capability Scotland do, they would be more interested in volunteering.
Hazel
“CS should change the perception of
volunteering that you have to stand in a
shop”
- Contacted Capability Scotland to learn about managing his disability and became a service user.
- Involved for around 15 years.
- Enjoys diverse experiences and being able to contribute.
- Was active member of MIND panel and 1 in 4 poll.
- Personal issues – health , finance and organisational changes.
Gregory
“I started volunteering because I wanted to give back”
Teenagers
Young Adults (under 30)
Parents & Carers
Who could be your assessment volunteers?
Themes
VoiceEmployment
Reach RecognitionAwareness
Recruit
Purpose
Paths
TrainingClarity
Methods Contact
Induction
Resources
DifficultyChanges
ExpensesTravelStaff
Retain
Constraints Situation
Mentality
Feedback
NetworkingCommunicate
Withdrawal
Pooling
Voice
Empowerment
Contribution Self Esteem
Attention
Inclusion
Activism
In the Loop
Value
Induction
Enhance Recruitment Opportunities
RejuvenationRejuvenation
Embracing New Media
Incorporation of Skilled Volunteers
Actionable Insights
Induction
- Should be a structured process to enter Capability Scotland.
11/19/09
Capability Scotland.
- Volunteers should have a clear understanding of their roles.
- Induction
- Should target specific groups (such as young disabled people).
Recruitment Opportunities
11/19/09
disabled people).
- Should make volunteering opportunities more prominent (on website/at conferences).
- Induction
- MIND Panel should be tailored for specific skills and interests.
Rejuvenation
11/19/09
skills and interests.
- Younger volunteers and Parents/Carers should be included in MIND Panel and 1 in 4 Poll.
- Induction
- Tools should be used to connect to new and existing volunteers (Facebook/Twitter/etc).
Embrace New Media
11/19/09
existing volunteers (Facebook/Twitter/etc).
- Should speak directly to volunteers to allow a more personal approach (Blogging/Podcasts/Youtube).
- Induction
- Should use volunteers to supplement Capability Scotland staff.
Skilled Volunteers
11/19/09
Capability Scotland staff.
- Should match volunteer skills to specific needs within the organisation.
Induction
Enhance Recruitment Opportunities
Rejuvenation
Embracing New MediaEmbracing New Media
Incorporation of Skilled Volunteers