Thursday 29 January 2026 | 9.30am to 11.30am | Online via Zoom
Ticket prices: Members £27 | Non-Members £43
How do we get volunteers off to a great start, ready to excel at their role?
How do we ensure engagement from volunteers with induction processes?
What should we cover, and what should we leave out of volunteer inductions?
Volunteer inductions can be the make or break for volunteers. You’ve got them in and now is your real opportunity to show them what you do, how you do it, and why they should stick around to volunteer with you.
Despite this we know that with stretched schedules and competing priorities this can often mean that we leave volunteers to do some online learning, read some policies and ask us questions if they have them, but this doesn’t lend itself to a great experience.
Each charity will be different but there is one thing that we all want and that is to provide our volunteers with a great experience – how we get there might look different, but the benefits of a great induction are extensive.
In this session we’ll look at how you can improve your inductions by looking at case studies from two charities who overhauled theirs, and hear about the benefits of doing so.
This event will cover:
- What makes a good induction?
- How to get buy-in for creating a new induction process from the charity’s leaders.
- How to go about developing an induction package.
- The benefits of a comprehensive, volunteer focused induction.
About the speakers
Karen Gurney – Volunteer Development and Experience Manager at Oxfam
Karen Gurney is Oxfam’s Volunteer Development and Experience Manager for London and the South East. She has spent over a decade championing inclusive volunteering, reshaping how organisations welcome, support, and celebrate their volunteers. From redesigning Oxfam’s volunteer induction to pioneering new ways of engagement, Karen is passionate about making volunteering rewarding, flexible and open to all.
Dan Smith – Volunteering Development Manager, Noah’s Ark
Dan Smith is Noah’s Ark’s Volunteering Development Manager, leading on the recruitment and onboarding of new volunteers ensuring their introduction to the organisation is supportive and welcoming. Since joining the charity Dan has developed new roles and services which directly support the work of the charity and those who use it. Dan is passionate about ensuring the time which volunteers are giving is meaningful and effective and their impact is maximised.
AVM Members’ discount
AVM members are eligible for a discount on the event ticket price. Please login to your account so that your discount can be automatically applied.
If you’re not an AVM member, you can join AVM today to gain access to this event, as well as receiving lots of other benefits, including access to free member-only events, discounts for all public events and the annual AVM conference.
You will also have access to the AVM BiteSize webcasts and AVM Replay videos of previous events, including our annual conference. Members also have the opportunity to join our Mentoring Scheme and build their professional network through AVM Connect.
Join AVM today to access your discount for this event.