Recruiting, Managing and Supporting Volunteers

We provide support and advice on recruiting, managing and supporting volunteers through a range of activities including network meetings and training, and sharing good practice with Volunteer managers (and/or those responsible for managing volunteers).

Recruiting Volunteers

We can help you to advertise your volunteering opportunities and to recruit volunteers by registering on the new Cumbria Volunteering Opportunities database here:

https://volunteering.cumbriacvs.org.uk/

Organisations can self-register their organisation and add different volunteering opportunities onto the database. Organisations can also keep their volunteering opportunities up to date by simply just logging into the system. This enables potential volunteers who also register through this Cumbria CVS Volunteering Opportunities database to search for local volunteering opportunities and apply directly to your organisation.  This brand new volunteer management software works to build better communities through volunteering and to raise the profile of volunteering to help to grow, nurture and develop our volunteer workforce and volunteer pool throughout Cumbria.

The new online database aims to enable organisations to advertise volunteering opportunities, attract more volunteers, and sign volunteers up quickly and effectively. Through this new Cumbria Volunteering Opportunities Database we can also email and communicate with volunteers instantly as well as reward and motivate  volunteers with instant feedback, achievement badges, and personalised thank you messages. Organisations can self manage their own volunteers through the system through volunteer rotas or use this system to attract volunteers to register via their own websites/online volunteer management systems. Furthermore, volunteer hours can be logged.

For more information please email: judiths@cumbriacvs.org.uk

Spreading Good Practice in Volunteer Management

If you are part of a voluntary, community, statutory or private organisation that involves or would like to involve volunteers, we can help you to recruit, manage and support them through a range of activities including network meetings and training, sharing good practice and one to one support for Volunteer Managers.

Here are some useful templates for Volunteer Managers for good practice in Volunteer Management:

How to Develop a Volunteer Policy

Template Volunteer Handbook

Template Volunteer Role Description

Template Volunteer Application form

Template Volunteer Interview Checklist

Template Volunteer Agreement

Template Volunteer Risk Assessment

Template Volunteer Supervision Form

Online Training for Volunteers

Template Volunteer Exit Form

County Volunteer Network

We support a County Volunteering Network for Volunteer Managers to promote good practice in volunteer management. Through the network you will receive regular updates on sector developments, volunteer and trustee recruitment events and much more.

Next County Volunteering Network Meeting for Volunteer Managers in Cumbria:

Inclusive Volunteering – Involving volunteers with mental health experiences

This meeting is for organisations in Cumbria to spread good practice in volunteer management and for organisations to network, learn and share ideas. This session will be led by Carlisle and Eden Mind in partnership with Cumbria CVS and the Step Forward into Volunteering and Employment Project.

The session will also cover:

  • This Is Us Volunteering Project for Westmorland and Furness
  • Furness for You
  • Volunteers’ Week Cumbria Events 3-9 June 2024
  • Big Help Out Campaign 7-9 June 2024
  • Vision for Volunteering toolkit
  • Update on Volunteering in Cumbria Portal

Wednesday 1 May 2024, 10am – 1pm at Sunbeams Music Trust, Stoller House, Redhills, Penrith.

For more information and to book a place click here

The Network is open to all volunteer-involving organisations and provides an excellent opportunity to meet and network with other Volunteer Managers, share skills and experiences and to receive valuable training and updates.

To join and receive an invite to the next Volunteer Managers Network meeting, simply email info@cumbriacvs.org.uk

Training for Volunteer Managers

We provides a range of training for Volunteer Managers to help with the recruitment, retention, management and support of volunteers.

How to develop and write a Volunteer Strategy

Delivered by NCVO in partnership with Cumbria CVS.

Monday 22 April 2024, 9.30am – 3.30pm online via Zoom.

For more information and to book a place click here

Recruiting Volunteers Training

Wednesday 15 May, 9:45am – 3:30pm at Holiday Inn Express, Market Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 2LR.

This course is delivered by NCVO in partnership with Cumbria CVS and funded through Furness For You.

For more information and to book a place click here

 

For the latest NCVO Volunteer Management Training please see:

https://booking.ncvo.org.uk/training/categories/volunteer-management

 

Support

This Is Us – Westmorland and Furness

This is Us is a new project for Cumbria CVS, funded by Westmorland and Furness Council, through National Government and the levelling up agenda, aiming to develop new volunteering opportunities and to support organisations to recruit volunteers.

If you would like support locally in Eden or South Lakes, please email Volunteering Support Officers: Rachel.Miller@cumbriacvs.org.uk or in Furness: chelsea.kay@cumbriacvs.org.uk

South Copeland Volunteering Support

If you would like support locally in South Copeland, please email Beresford.moylerosser@cumbria.cvs.org.uk who is based in Millom.

 

Helping to transform West Cumbria – Bedrock

Cumbria CVS is a delivery partner in the Transforming West Cumbria programme. This programme is funded by Sellafield Ltd and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and managed by Cumbria Community Foundation.

Cumbria CVS can help with volunteer recruitment – including reviewing policies and procedures in recruiting and supporting volunteers; developing and promoting volunteer positions.

For support in West Cumbria or all other areas of Cumbria please email: judiths@cumbriacvs.org.uk

 

Contact Cumbria CVS:

We are open five days/week: Monday to Thursday 9am – 5pm; Friday 9am – 3pm.

If you have any comments, feedback, compliments or complaints regarding the CVS Volunteering Service please email Judith Smale, Volunteering Manager for Cumbria CVS at judiths@cumbriacvs.org.uk