Vision for Volunteering logo

The Vision for Volunteering logo can be used to promote your themed event.

volunteering

Vision for Volunteering NAVCA Think Piece

Following the launch of the Vision for Volunteering in May 2022 and the changes to the volunteering landscape since the pandemic, this paper aims to explore the current status of volunteering, and provide relevant information to members to work with the new Vision for Volunteering programme (June 2023).

volunteering

Vision for Volunteering Session Plan Toolkit

This toolkit helps you run a session exploring the Vision for Volunteering in your community. The session aims to explore and develop each of the Vision themes. This toolkit is intended to offer suggestions on how you might run an effective workshop on the Vision for Volunteering.

volunteering

Vision for Volunteering - Oxfordshire presentation

This presentation, by NAVCA members Community First Oxfordshire and OCVA (Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action), details their approach to developing a volunteering strategy locally.

councils, volunteering, collaboration, strategy

Vision for Volunteering Participant Notes Template

This notes template can be used by participants during their session to write down what they have learnt and what they will take away from the session. (PDF printable version)

volunteering

Vision for Volunteering Briefing Note for NAVCA Members

The Vision for Volunteering is a collaborative project that provides a framework for improving the volunteering landscape. It was co-produced by a wide range of volunteer-involving organisations including many NAVCA members. This briefing note gives an introduction to the project and includes member case studies.

volunteering

Vision for Volunteering Participant Notes Template Word Version

This notes template can be used by participants during their session to write down what they have learnt and what they will take away from the session. (Editable Word version)

volunteering

Report Form for Host Organisations

Share your views and feedback on the NAVCA Vision for Volunteering toolkit and the outcomes of your session using this form.

volunteering

Session Feedback Form for Participants

This is a feedback form for session participants.

volunteer

Session PowerPoint

This PowerPoint can be used alongside the Session Plan Toolkit to help you host a Vision for Volunteering session in your community.

volunteering

Social Media Messages

This social media copy can be used to promote the Vision for Volunteering session that you are running.

volunteering

#VolunteerReady Week Three image

This social media-friendly image will accompany Week Three of #VolunteerReady, letting people how where they can go to find a good volunteering opportunity.

volunteering, big help out, volunteers week, engagement

#VolunteerReady Week Two image

This social media-friendly image will accompany Week Two of #VolunteerReady, encouraging people to think about causes they care about in their community.

volunteering, big help out, volunteers week, engagement

#VolunteerReady Week One image

This social media-friendly image will accompany Week One of #VolunteerReady, encouraging people to think about the skills they can bring to volunteering.

volunteering, big help out, volunteers week, engagement

#VolunteerReady challenge image

This image can be used to start off the #VolunteerReady campaign.

volunteering, big help out, volunteers week, engagement

In giving, how much do we receive? The social value of volunteering

A speech given by Andy Haldane [when Chief Economist Bank of England] on the contribution of volunteering to the economy and wider society. The lecture explores the economics of wellbeing, volunteering in 2014, measures of the value of volunteering and its benefits and looks at how it can be developed. Although now 10 years old, a very useful reference piece.

volunteers, volunteer, value

Volunteers' Week brand guidelines

These branding guidelines will help you engage with Volunteers' Week. Download the logos and assets from the website using the link below.

volunteers, volunteering, comms, communications, logo, branding, social media

#VolunteerReady Week Four image

This social media-friendly image will accompany Week Four of #VolunteerReady, encouraging people to arrange giving it a go, trying out a volunteering opportunity for the first time.

volunteering, big help out, volunteers week, engagement

Empowering Young People in Volunteering slides

These slides are from a workshop by George Fielding, Policy and Public Affairs Officer at Volunteering Matters, on engaging young people in volunteering in a meaningful way.

young people, voluntary, volunteering

Insights into post-pandemic volunteering in Teignbridge, Devon

Nationally, many voluntary organisations saw an influx of volunteers during the pandemic. However, since then, volunteer levels have dropped much lower than they were previously. If this continues, the voluntary sector will not be able to continue to provide the incredible support to our communities that it is known for. This report uses the Vision for Volunteering as a framework to help us better understand what’s working and what’s not, so that our voluntary sector as a whole can keep supporting the community. It celebrates some of the incredible and inspirational work that our local organisations and volunteers are doing to make Teignbridge a stronger, happier place to live, work, and visit. Thank you to NHS Devon and Teignbridge District Council for funding this report.

volunteering, teignbridge, devon, health, wellbeing

Developing a local Vision for Volunteering - Birmingham VSC

These slides by Rebecca Isaac (Vision for Volunteering Implementation Manager at Birmingham VSC) were used at the NAVCA Annual Conference 2024 to share learning from developing a local vision for volunteering strategy.

VCSE Barometer Survey: Present Struggles, Past Origins: Current Challenges in Volunteering Amidst Two Decades of Decline

This is the latest report from the VCSE Barometer Survey: Present Struggles, Past Origins: Current Challenges in Volunteering Amidst Two Decades of Decline. The report highlights key findings from the topical question set on volunteering, which featured in the latest wave of the survey, live from 10 April – 1 May 2024.

cost of living crisis, poverty, volunteers, volunteering

Volunteering Guide

This document is the fourth in a series of guides explaining more about the Four Functions of Infrastructure. This guide focuses on volunteering. It uses examples from Connecting Locally (research on local infrastructure by Sheffield Hallam University), and real life member case studies. It is designed to help you develop your work.

Youth Provision Network Roadmap Presentation

NAVCA member hvoss (Herefordshire Voluntary Organisations Support Service) coordinates a quarterly VCSE youth organisation/worker network. This roadmap sets out how they are developing. The project has helped to increase understanding of what the LIO role is.

youth, young people

Vision for Volunteering - Insights and Inspiration

Slides from the Vision for Volunteering Insights and Inspiration meeting. This is a summary of findings from the past year of the Vision for Volunteering project. It will be useful for anyone working with volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations. You can also share this with your community groups.

DCMS Volunteering Research - Think Piece by NAVCA

On 3 February 2025, DCMS released three research papers conducted by a consortium led by Basis Social, alongside London Economics and New Philanthropy Capital, as part of the Volunteering Research Managed Service which explored Digital Tools that Support Volunteering, Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in volunteering and Compared national enabling environments for volunteering. This briefing summarises the key points that NAVCA believes are most relevant to local infrastructure organisations and offers our perspective on how local infrastructure can support positive change in volunteering.

Inclusive Volunteering: A Guide for Organisations

This guide by NAVCA member Voluntary Action Stoke on Trent explores what inclusive volunteering is, why it's important, and how you can carry this out in practice.

Volunteering and Multilingual Communities - top tips by the Association of Translation Companies

Engage your local multicultural community and increase volunteer diversity through multilingual support with these top tips by the Association of Translation Companies.

language, inclusive, volunteers

Inclusive Volunteering Guide

We asked volunteer involving organisations for what they find most difficult when it comes to making sure everyone can access volunteering opportunities, and all volunteers are supported and celebrated. In this guide, we share the experience and expertise of NAVCA members in inclusive volunteering, so that you can be inspired to make your own volunteering practice more inclusive.

volunteering, accessibility, applications, eedi

Big Help Out - NAVCA members' meeting (9th April 2024)

These notes from a NAVCA members' meeting contain information about the Big Help Out, Volunteers' Week, Small Charity Week, #VolunteerReady and the Big Lunch. They contain information and updates on each campaign and event, including key dates, communications assets and toolkits, and current plans for events.

volunteering

Size of the sector - infographic

This infographic shows the size and composition of the VCSE sector. NAVCA members are free to download and use these infographics on your social media, website, and with local stakeholders such as statutory authorities and health systems.

Explaining what the V, C and SE mean - infographic

This infographic explains concisely the difference between the V, C and SE in VCSE (voluntary, community and social enterprise) sector. NAVCA members are free to download and use these infographics on your social media, website, and with local stakeholders such as statutory authorities and health systems.

Different roles, one ecosystem - infographic

This infographic delves into what the different parts of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector do. NAVCA members are free to download and use these infographics on your social media, website, and with local stakeholders such as statutory authorities and health systems.

Volunteering Network: Developing a Local Vision for Volunteering (NAVCA member meeting notes)

At the most recent meeting of the NAVCA volunteering network, we heard from NAVCA member Becky Isaac from Birmingham VSC, about how they implemented a local Vision for Volunteering in Birmingham. You can also find out more information about upcoming meetings, and the proposed policy on asylum seekers and volunteering.

Ex-Offenders Volunteering Policy

This policy, from NAVCA member Community Links Bromley, gives information on involvement of ex-offenders as volunteers.

safeguarding

Birmingham VSC - Implementing the Vision for Volunteering

Slide deck from the November Volunteering Network meeting, 'Implementing the Vision for Volunteering', which provide an overview of the work Birmingham VSC have done around this.

Volunteering, Vision for Volunteering

Toolkit - Volunteering Doesn't Happen By Accident

This document is designed to support partners to come together to assess how well their local volunteer system works collaboratively and consistently to make volunteering a positive, accessible choice for all, and to create an environment where volunteers are truly valued. Designed as a practical workshop tool, this will help partners to reflect on their collective impact, identify strengths and gaps, and agree priority actions. Where a workshop isn’t possible, LIOs and VCs can also use it as a straightforward self-assessment.

Guide - Volunteering Doesn't Happen By Accident

Volunteering doesn’t happen by accident, and this guide is designed to help build understanding and strengthening of the foundations for local action by demonstrating best practice in three core areas: Promoting volunteering; Reducing barriers; and Volunteering policy and practice. We’ve created this guide to enable conversations that identify where efforts are most needed, so that local communities are supported by strong volunteering infrastructure. Use the guide alongside the toolkit.