Hull CVS is delighted to be one of the first five organisations nationally to have successfully achieved reaccreditation of the new Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation. This accreditation is awarded to organisations that demonstrate impact in their delivery of volunteer centre services in their local area, focussing and addressing the difference that access to a local volunteer centre makes.
We were able to demonstrate that our Centre delivers the following five functions to a high standard:
- Strategic Development of Volunteering
- Good Practice Development
- Brokerage
- Developing volunteering opportunities
- Voice of volunteering
This re-accreditation highlights that we are the leaders in volunteering in the city, supporting best practice and ensuring that volunteers are valued and recognised for their amazing contribution to the city.
The accreditation is awarded following a rigorous independent assessment process set up by the National Association of Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA), and we are pleased to share this feedback from our Assessor:
“Overall you have shown that through your involvement, volunteering in Hull is planned, targeted and developed to meet local needs. Through your volunteer centre and the forums you are part of there is a positive environment in which the value of volunteering is recognised and volunteer activity appears to be flourishing.”
“You have enabled local organisations to deliver volunteer opportunities to under-represented communities through the promotion of your brokerage services in their communities, and through delivering drop-ins on behalf of organisations who don’t have the capacity or ability due to size.”
“You connect groups to each other, developing volunteering opportunities in a collaborative approach where organisations learn from one another.”
Matthew Wright, Head of Community Development at Hull CVS said: “We are delighted to achieve the re-accreditation as Hull’s only Volunteer Centre. For over 40 years volunteering has been a key part of our DNA and we have become the go-to organisation for volunteering in city.
“The continued Volunteer Centre status will provide confidence to both volunteers and organisations who host volunteers that we are experts in our field and will do everything possible to raise the standards of volunteering and recognise the amazing volunteers in Hull.”
Our Volunteer Centre at The Strand, 75 Beverley Road, Hull provides a range of information and support for people who want to volunteer; for voluntary and community organisations who involve volunteers; and local businesses that engage their employees in team building volunteering. We advise hundreds of people each year who are keen to find out about interesting and rewarding volunteering opportunities.
The Centre offers the following services:
- Linking people with volunteering opportunities that match their interests, skills and knowledge
- Assisting voluntary organisations to support and manage volunteers through specialist volunteer management training and good practice
- Promoting and advocating volunteering in Hull along with partners
- Supporting employers to encourage their employees to take time out during the working week to put something back in the communities in which they live.
The public can access Hull Volunteer Centre on a drop-in basis between 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday (except bank holidays) with dedicated advisors also available on an appointment basis on Monday 1pm – 3.30pm, Wednesday 9am – 12 noon and Friday 9am – 12 noon. To book a Volunteer Centre advisor appointment call 01482 324474 or email enquiries@hull-cvs.co.uk.
In addition, Hull CVS in partnership with HEY Smile Foundation launched Time2Volunteer in September 2022. Time2Volunteer (www.time2volunteer.org) is a volunteering platform for Hull and East Riding, bringing all the possibilities of volunteering to one place. It provides access to a wide range of volunteering opportunities as well as information and support in accessing volunteering and involving volunteers. It also informs and involves people in the big issues around volunteering across Hull and East Riding.
Time2Volunteer was developed with the support of local public, private and voluntary sector partners, who formed the Hull Building Forward Together and the East Riding Empowering Volunteering Stakeholder Groups. The system is helping to ensure best practice around recruiting and managing volunteers and has encouraged partners to adopt a Volunteering Principles & Charter to reflect and encourage a consistent approach to volunteer management, and ensure volunteers feel valued and have a positive volunteer experience.
If our achievement has sparked an interest in volunteering quality standards in your organisation, then please do get in touch with us to find out more about our Volunteer Management Support, including policies and procedures to improve the volunteer experience, and advertising volunteer roles via the Volunteer Centre or Time2Volunteer.