Welcome to the Christmas edition of the Volunteer Centre’s e-bulletin

· &nbs= p; Volunteer Speed Matching event in February. Interested?

· &nbs= p; Volunteer Management update and training opportunity

· &nbs= p; Social networking – i-volunteer.org

· &nbs= p; NEW website for Volunteer Centres in Hertfordshire

ARE YOU READY?

Volunteer Centre recruitment figure= s up by 60%!

Is your organisation benefiting from the influx of new volunteers?

Have you developed new opportunities? Short term tasks?

Are you doing all you c= an to encourage new volunteers to join you?

During the recession, m= any people are volunteering to learn new skills and be better placed to get p= aid work when things improve. Chances are they’ll continue with some fo= rm of voluntary activity once they return to paid employment. So the current situation represents a great opportunity for us to involve more people in community activities. But are we ready for this? Are we able to offer some short term opportunities? Most important= ly, are we welcoming new volunteers to our organisations?=

We know that most groups take the involvement of volunteers seriously and respond quickly when new volunteers express an interest in helping out. But there are instances wh= ere the response takes weeks, or doesn’t even happen at all. This resul= ts in disappointed volunteers who think that their offer of help is being rejected, and they may never offer to volunteer again. Please work with us to ensure that the voluntary and community sector in Dacorum benefits from the influx of new volunteers.

In 2010, Volunteer Cent= res in Hertfordshire will be la= unching a new initiative to encourage organisations to sign up to a minimum stand= ard of volunteer management. Watch this space!

Why not t= ake a health check on your volunteer management? Click here

Please contact the Volunteer Centre if you need help with any volunteer management issues and also see details of a training opportunity below.

NEW social networking site for volunteering

Those of you who attended our AGM, with speaker Ja= mie Thomas from the Red Foundation, will remember him mentioning a social networking site for people passionate about volunteering. i-volunteer.org is now up and running and worth joining for up to date views on volunteering issues. Please click the logo to view.=

Volunteer Management Training in Herts =

Volunteer Centres Hertfordshire and the Hertfordshire Training and Development Consortium a= re working in partnership to provide training for people who have responsibi= lity for managing volunteers.

If you have already app= lied for a place, you will be getting confirmation early in the New Year. There are still a few places left so respond soon if you are interested. Please follow the link in the blue panel opposite.

Volunteer Centres in Herts new website

www.volunteeringherts.org

Volunteer Centres in He= rts work together in a variety of ways, particularly around marketing.

This new website has be= en designed by a Tring based volunteer, Harvey Alison, who in his day job designs the software that brings planes safely into Luton airport! = We hope you like the site.

Christmas closing

Volunteer Centre Dacorum <= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#24406= 1'>will be closed from December 23^rd to January 4^th.

We look forward to working with you in 2010! Happy New Yea= r!

Please keep in touch and update us regularly.

Heather Allen (Manager): heather@volunteerdacorum.org

Sara Woodley: sara@volunteerdacorum.org

Lorraine Rockminster: lorraine@volunteerdacorum.org

Maxine Partridge: ma= c@volunteerdacorum.org

December 2009

HAPPY CHRISTMAS! from all of us at Volunteer Centre Dacoru= m

<= span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F49= 7D'>

2010 Diary dates

Volunteer Management training

February 2^nd in Hemel Hempstead.
Follow this link for booking forms and to see alternative dates and venues

Yes, it’s coming around again!

Thursday February 11^th

Court Theatre @ Pendley, Tring courtesy of The Grass Roots Group plc

If your organisation would like a table, please be in touch with Lorraine ASAP

More details in the New Year but please register your interest now

Please click here for information if you are new to volunteer recruitment done the “speed dating” way!

It’s fun!

Volunteer Centre Dacorum
The Roundhouse, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 1DT
Tel: 01442 247209 www.volunteerdacorum.org

To contact us or be removed from this mailing list, click here