New Enterprise Supports Volunteer Power

Volunteer Now Enterprises Ltd. helps organisations that involve volunteers, offering a range of services such as training, assessing and maintaining quality standards and providing consultation and research.

The company employs six staff and all profits will go to support Volunteer Now, the leading charity that promotes, develops and supports volunteering across Northern Ireland.

“We started this social enterprise exactly one year ago after the funding for the charity was cut. As Northern Ireland’s key infrastructure organisation for the voluntary and community sector, we were determined that the social enterprise would support our charitable work. The charity employs 52 people and it impacts on thousands of volunteers and the vital services that they provide – it was essential that this work is continued,” explained Director Sandra Adair.

“Volunteer Now Enterprises has delivered training to over 900 volunteers for the Giro d’Italia cycle race, worked with hundreds of local organisations to help them improve best practice and develop the skills of their volunteers and staff, and we’ve even delivered workshops on the Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard to King Fahd University in Saudi Arabia,” she explained.

Other projects have included delivery of volunteer management training to trustees, staff and volunteers from Cats Protection across the UK; carrying out research with the main uniformed youth organisations in Northern Ireland to measure the impact of volunteers; secured a contract to provide development and support to over 600 groups funded by Awards for All Big Lottery grants; and delivered training to approximately 500 young people as part of the National Citizen's Service programme.

“Volunteering is essential to so many charities and community organisations. Many just would not be able to operate without their brilliant volunteers. Our aim is to help these organisations and individuals to develop and grow,” she added.

At the company’s celebration event, they also held a recognition  for Investing in Volunteers (IiV) - the UK quality standard for good practice in volunteer management by organisations involving volunteers. Volunteer Now Enterprises manages the standard in Northern Ireland, with 77 organisations successfully achieving the Award to date and over 30 currently undertaking accreditation.  Volunteer Now Enterprises also facilitates delivery of Investing in Volunteers in the Republic of Ireland, in partnership with Volunteer Ireland, with 2 organisations already achieving the Award.

IiV was started 10 years ago and has been awarded to 765 organisations countrywide, including organisations such as Northern Ireland Chest Heart Stroke, Ulster GAA Council, The Corrymeela Community, Young Enterprise Northern Ireland, Guide Dogs NI, Leonard Cheshire Disability NI, Northern Ireland Policing Board, Action for Hearing Loss and the Western Health and Social Care Trust.

Achieving it has a wide range of benefits, including demonstrating the organisation’s commitment to good practice, helping to attract and motivate volunteers and enhancing their experience.

One of Northern Ireland’s IiV achievers is Belfast Central Mission (BCM) one of the country's oldest charities, having been founded in 1889 as part of the Methodist Church's response to problems inherent in inner city life. 

“BCM involves over 100 volunteers in a range of different activities so staff understand the importance of good practice in volunteer management and ensuring that we are doing things right for our volunteers,” said Community Services Manager Janet Sewell.

“Investing in Volunteers is a worthwhile process for any organisation, large or small, involving volunteers,” explained Janet, “it does let you see the gaps and it’s made easier by the expert support and approachability of the team of Assessors and Advisers at Volunteer Now Enterprises.”

For more information on Volunteer Now Enterprises visit www.volunteernow.co.uk