Tag Archive for: Volunteer Cambs

Volunteer Cambs new ‘How to..’ webinar series launched

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As Volunteer Cambs expands, we recognise the importance of ensuring that every user, whether public or involved in volunteer groups, maximises the system’s utilisation. Achieving this requires both time and access to information. While we’ve been informed that the site is user-friendly, we are aware of its potential to offer much more than just the basics. Therefore, we are eager to demonstrate to groups how they can fully grasp the system to enhance their experience, attract more volunteers, and streamline their operations.

Volunteer Cambs is thrilled to introduce the “How to” webinar series. This series consists of concise online sessions, each focusing on a specific topic to empower users with the skills to utilise Volunteer Cambs platform effectively.

All webinars will be 30 minutes long and commence promptly at 10:00 am. The session may extend beyond the scheduled time if there are additional questions or discussions.

 

The webinars cover the following topics;

 

How to: manage applications through Volunteer Cambs

Thursday 18th July

This session covers how you can manage applications and enquiries through Volunteer Cambs, with tips to help you set up a process that suits your group whilst keeping the volunteer’s experience in mind.

Book Here

 

How to: make impactful and effective adverts

13th August and Wednesday 11th December

This session covers how to improve your profile and adverts on the Volunteer Cambs website to increase your interest in your opportunities.

Tuesday 13th August

Book Here

Wednesday 11th December

Book Here

 

How to: promote through storytelling

Wedneday 18th September

This session covers the impact of storytelling on promoting your roles, along with how to use the Volunteer Cambs team to promote wider than your networks.

Book Here

 

How to: find your next helper through the volunteer pool 

Thursday 17th October

This session covers getting the most from the Volunteer Pool as an organisation looking to recruit volunteers.

Book here

 

How to: communicate with volunteers through volunteer Cambs

Wednesday 20th November

Understanding how the site can streamline data management and communication channels for your volunteer team.

Book Here

 

Each session is designed to equip you with the necessary information to apply what you’ve learned immediately. Additionally, these sessions will feature at some point on our website, and should we have the interest, we can repeat them.

If you ever require further assistance with the site, please don’t hesitate to contact the team at info@volunteercambs.org.uk. You can also browse through the FAQ section on the help desk to enhance your understanding and proficiency in utilising the site and its services.

Volunteer Cambs update

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The team working on Volunteer Cambs has been working hard to create new tools and help for organisations so they can take advantage of the growing interest in the site. Read how you can get involved.

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New Volunteer Cambs website calls on the local community to make their mark with volunteering

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A new website has been launched by Support Cambridgeshire, promoting exciting opportunities for residents of Cambridgeshire to explore volunteering near them.

Whether you have 10 minutes to spare or 10 hours, in a few clicks, you can be matched with an organisation or group in the community which inspires you to make your mark, expand on the skills you already have, discover new ones, unlock your potential or create lasting friendships with like-minded people.

All you need to do is visit the Volunteer Cambs website at volunteercambs.org.uk, create an account and hey presto! At the click of a button, you can find the ideal cause to support right on your doorstep.

 

“Volunteering is not just about helping others”, say the creators of the new volunteer matchmaking service – “it’s also about what they’ll get in return. This includes a sense of purpose, wonderful experiences, and a whole lot of thanks from the causes they are helping”

 

Volunteer Cambs works by asking organisations and groups to load up their opportunities and profiles directly so there’s always something new for a volunteer to look at every time they visit the site. And the good causes who are promoting their work benefit by having a continuous stream of potential volunteers.

 

Mayor Nik Johnston on volunteer Cambs website

Dr. Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough

The website has also had backing from the Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough. Speaking about the launch of Volunteer Cambs, Dr, Nik Johnson said: “The role of volunteers in supporting our local communities is crucial, and it’s always humbling to see the efforts of our residents who give up their time and skills to support the causes that are important to them. I’m hugely excited about the impact the Volunteer Cambs portal is set to make in matching volunteers with the organisations that need them – and am proud to see our region leading the charge and shining an even brighter light on the importance of volunteering and making connections like never before.”

 

 

An enquiry form featured on the website will help groups and volunteers match up, contact each other, and there is even a chat function for those who want to dip their toe in first. Would be volunteers can search for opportunities by location if transport is an issue, for instance, or by topics that match their skill set and interests.

 

Mark Freeman, CEO at Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service, Volunteer Cambs lead partner, continued: “Volunteers benefit from knowing they can make a real positive difference and have a strong impact on their local area. And anyone can volunteer, you could be retired, a skilled professional, a student, a family who want to volunteer together, or even a corporate team. Sharing talents with others connects all of us in a really special way and can boost our mental health and well-being too by helping us to feel valued, knowing that what we do as volunteers is appreciated and respected.”

 

The Volunteer Cambs team will be out and about across in Cambridgeshire over the coming year. You can also keep an eye on the site for more information and inspiring stories and photographs of great volunteer/group matches transforming lives and raising awareness of the value, impact and importance they’re having in their local area.

 

To find out how you can match your precious time to local good causes, visit volunteercambs.org.uk. It all starts with one act of kindness.

Once upon a time, a group never asked for volunteers 

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Kathryn Shepherdson header

When you are looking to buy a new home device or try out a new sport, what is the one thing most people will do, apart from google it? Ask a friend.  

It is common knowledge that word of mouth is the most effective way to market. We are much more likely to buy something that someone who we identify with has had a positive experience with than we will read something. This is why marketing through social media and influencers has had such a significant impact in the past few years.  

So why not utilise this within your not-for-profit group around volunteer recruitment and use those volunteers you already have to get you more volunteers? 

Story time.  

I once knew a group that never advertised for volunteers by promoting that they wanted volunteers. Yet they would attract around 70 volunteers every few months just through one easy method. They would tell a story on Facebook of one of their volunteers and the impact they made on their community and the impact this had on the volunteer themself. They used a stock image linked as closely to the story and then shared it across the local Facebook groups, asking, ‘Would you like to be part of this?’, the replies would always amaze the volunteer manager, who then quickly contacted those who showed interest and had them going through the induction process a week after that initial post was put out! It was a recipe for success.  

How can Volunteer Cambs boost our recruitment? 

Volunteer Cambs want to give you that opportunity to do the same. When you go on our website you see on the front page our stories blogs. These are the stories of those wonderful volunteers within our communities talking about what they do, how they make an impact, and what they get out of it. We want to get as many groups as possible from across Cambridgeshire on there.  

How do we make the most of this story? 

At Volunteer Cambs, we can then link your stories with your current volunteer roles. This means once someone has been motivated to volunteer for a group like yours, they are taken directly through how they can get involved.  

This isn’t the only way to squeeze the most out of this blog. You can also then link this story in your social media, and share it across Facebook groups and other platforms, making sure to get your volunteer to share it too, because word of mouth is the most effective marketing method.  

How do I get our stories on Volunteer Cambs? 

So, find your most inspirational volunteer and get in contact, the story can take many forms, an interview with us, a story, or explaining the volunteer roles you have but make sure you have amazing quotes throughout. Check out what we have already put on the website and email info@volunteercambs.org.uk  

Have you sign up to Volunteer Cambs yet?

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If your thinking about signing up to Volunteer Cambs, watch Sally Page present this talk about the website and it functions.

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