Why our volunteers love volunteering with us

 

At Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS), we acknowledge that our volunteers play a fundamental role in fulfilling our mission, while making a positive contribution to our community.

For this to be possible, we understand the importance of supporting our volunteers and highlight the outstanding contribution they make to our charity and beyond.

In this article, we provide an insight into both sides of the fence; how we support and celebrate our volunteers, while sharing the positive experience our volunteers enjoy with us.

How we support our volunteers

Providing both support and recognition are essential cornerstones to CHSS ensuring that our volunteers enjoy their time with us. In this section, Douglas Sewell, Trustee and Chair of CHSS Volunteering Strategy Group, explains this in more detail.

How does your charity celebrate its volunteers?

Volunteer involvement is woven into the fabric of CHSS. We are committed to celebrating our volunteers and ensuring their insights, connections and contributions are recognised.

Across CHSS, we celebrate our volunteers in a wide range of ways, including:

• Ensuring volunteers are front and centre of our publications and communications
• Holding ‘Appreciation Events’ across Scotland – nominating volunteers for external awards, certificates, badges and local events to recognise outstanding commitments
• Celebrating key volunteer recognition dates, including ‘Volunteers Week’

We acknowledge that every volunteer has different motivations for volunteering, and it’s important that the way we recognise volunteers is tailored to their unique circumstances.

What impact do your volunteers have on your organisation?

 

Across Scottish communities, thousands of volunteers raise funds through our shops and events, support people with our conditions and broaden our reach and voice. Volunteers help deliver our strategy, widen our voice, bring unique skills and insights, connect us to places and communities, and hold us accountable.

 

What are your unique methods of rewarding or recognising volunteers?

 

At CHSS we hold ‘Volunteer Appreciation Events’ across Scotland, to say ‘thank you’ to our volunteers and highlight the impact they have made across Scotland. The events are a great opportunity to bring people together and show our appreciation for the time, skills, commitment and dedication our volunteers give to ensure no life is half lived in Scotland. 

Charity Hosts Glasgow Celebration Event to Say ‘Thank You’ to Local Volunteers – Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland

Do you think your approach to rewards and recognition supports recruiting and retaining volunteers?

 

Celebrating and recognising volunteers are an integral part of our commitment to ensuring the voices of our volunteers are heard, leading to them having a great experience, while feeling welcomed, accepted, supported and valued. We believe that our focus on the volunteer experience is an important aspect of attracting volunteers to the organisation and enabling volunteers to continue volunteering for us. 

 

What advice would you give to other charities looking to improve their volunteer appreciation?

 

Although awards and events are an important aspect of volunteer recognition, the relationship between volunteers and their Volunteer Manager should never be under-estimated.  Ongoing ‘thank yous’, meaningful conversations and celebrating wins are at the centre of volunteer recognition and vital in ensuring volunteers feel valued and supported. 

 

How has volunteer management software supported our goals?

 

In order to support our focus on volunteer recognition and wellbeing, we have invested in volunteer management software. Since using Access Assemble, it has played a fundamental role in building stronger volunteer communities by making it easier for volunteers to feel part of the wider CHSS community.

Liz Wigelsworth, Head of Volunteering, summarises this by saying:

“It’s created a sense of belonging. Volunteers feel more connected to the organisation, and we’ve seen increased attendance at appreciation events as a result.” 

Find out more about how Access Assemble has supported CHSS

 

Our volunteers’ positive experience with CHSS

 

Our approach to volunteer support and recognition – along with the assistance of volunteer management software – has been strongly acknowledged by our volunteers. In this section, our volunteers provide valuable feedback in relation to their experiences with us.

 

What motivates you to volunteer? How has volunteering impacted your life?

 

I volunteer to give back to CHSS for helping me to recover from my stroke and TIAs and to have an opportunity to help others who have been through a similar experience.  Volunteering has improved my recovery by presenting me with a variety of opportunities to support others and socialise with like-minded people.

 

How does it feel when your efforts are recognised by the charity?

 

Pleasing, rewarding, satisfying and fully justifying the time and effort that I put into my volunteering.

 

What is the most meaningful form of appreciation you’ve received?

 

From individual service users and their carers/family i.e. seeing how they have improved and progressed with my support and the support of CHSS.

Can you share a memorable experience or moment from your volunteer work? How was your hard work recognised/appreciated by the charity?

 

When attending the funeral of one of my service users, the family welcomed me with great warmth and gratitude and explained how the time I had spent with the service user meant so much to him i.e. that someone (and CHSS as an organisation) outside of his family genuinely cared and gave their time and effort. This resonated as I had been through a similar stroke experience.

CHSS has very kindly put me forward for a number of national volunteering awards, which I did not expect and which filled me with humility and appreciation to the charity for such recognition.

 

What suggestions do you have for charities to better recognise their volunteers?

 

Demonstrate to the volunteers the impact that they have had, whether raising funds or supporting service users and to explain how the volunteers have influenced both their lives and the lives of their families.  

 

Become a volunteer today!

 

There are a number of ways to help us make a difference to people living with chest, heart and stroke conditions. Whether you have five hours or five minutes, we would love to hear from you!

Find out more about becoming a volunteer