The Volunteer Centre at Barnsley CVS is a source of guidance and advice for charities and community groups who use volunteers in their service delivery. We aim to encourage the growth and development of groups in the Barnsley Borough by providing a reliable and objective benchmark for best practice in volunteering.
Volunteering Quality Award - What is it?
The Volunteering Quality Award is specially designed for charities and community groups/projects who use volunteers. The aim is to formally recognise, via assessments from the Volunteer Centre team, that best practice and high standards are used in creating excellent volunteer experiences for anyone offering their time and skills.
These are standards that have been verified by volunteer centres across Yorkshire as being the ones that demonstrate best volunteer practice.
What this means for volunteers?
If you are looking to volunteer in Barnsley, finding a role from an organisation that has the Quality Award may assist you to make an informed choice of where to volunteer. You can see all the organisations/groups that have achieved the award so far by clicking here. (This is a PDF and will open in this browser window)
This list will be updated regularly, as more organisations go through the process. You will also find a note on any volunteering adverts if the organisation/group has this award.
What are the key benefits for groups and organisations, who use volunteers, of the Volunteering Quality Award?
- A “health check” to evaluate the effectiveness of the service delivery
- More attractive to funders due to approval from an external professional body
- Confidence to promote service to the wider public, service users and volunteers
- A robust evaluation of current policies and procedures
- Raising the profile of the project via entry onto the volunteer centre's directory of approved providers and the use of the Volunteering Quality Award logo
- Ensures they provide a safe and supportive environment for their volunteers and any beneficiaries
The 9 elements of Volunteering Quality Award
The Volunteering Quality Award is made up of 9 elements which focus on the key operational areas which we think is the minimum needed for an effective volunteer project.
- Inclusive – limiting the barriers to volunteering and creating opportunities for a wide and diverse audience
- Fair, safe, consistent and efficient recruitment process in place
- Adequate preparation and induction from competent trainers/project staff
- Regular supervision and support provided for volunteers
- Skills development and further training opportunities for volunteers
- Problem-solving procedures
- Safeguarding
- Recognising and valuing the role of volunteers
- Management structure and organisational governance
The award is valid for 2 years, in which groups and organisations can reapply to extend the award for a further 3 years, with a simple reassessment form.
The award is open to all organisations, charities or groups, of any size, that operate in Barnsley and use volunteers.
If you are interested in gaining the Volunteering Quality Award for your organisation or group, you can fill in our Expression of Interest form, which you can download here. (This is a Word document that will download at the bottom of your screen)
Once complete, please return the form to [email protected] where we will be in touch about the next stages.
However, you can also download the documents you need in advance below -
Introduction (This is a PDF and will open in this browser window)
Guidance Notes - Diagnostic Self Assessment Tool (This is a PDF and will open in this browser window)
Diagnostic self assessment tool (This is a Word document that will download at the bottom of your screen)