AVM, facilitated by Andy Broomhead (Diabetes UK), hosted 38 organisations for an information and networking session on Volunteers Week 2020. The group heard from Sarah Merrington, deputising for Tiger de Souza, on the plans for this year’s coordinated response to Volunteers Week in England. Sarah ran through the plans for the week and how organisations could get behind the coordinated response, by aligning their messaging and activity where they can. Participants then broke out into groups to discuss what they were doing for the week and how it might link to the national response.
A recording of Sarah’s presentation is available below.
In summary the main activities will be:
- Shared press release on day 1 to announce the Volunteers Week 2020 and our intentions, sent by all of us in a synchronised way (template to be provided)
- Shared joint Volunteers Week 2020 video promoted through social media by all organisations on day 1
- Use of daily ‘themes’ so we do our external pushes through the week in a joined up way to maximise media interest and gain most coverage. These are:
- Monday – Listening & Support
- Tuesday – Health & Well-being
- Wednesday – Fundraising for the causes we care about
- Thursday – COVID-19 response and informal community civic action
- Friday – Nature & the Outdoors
- Saturday – Art & Culture
- Sunday – Sport & Leisure
- Continuation of the Australian #waveforvolunteers social media campaign, by encouraging as many as possible to take a photo of themselves saying thank you to volunteers in this way – something you can be doing on the day that makes most sense to your organisation
- Make a big effort on Thursday to recognise the volunteers who are helping out in an informal way who don’t normally get acknowledged through Volunteers Week
- Link to the Big Virtual Lunch on 6/7th June any opportunities organisations have for their volunteers coming together virtually: https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/thebiglunchhomepage
- Final synchronised press release on 8th June focusing on volunteering to support us coming out of the pandemic linked to the #nevermoreneeded campaign
A full messaging toolkit will be available from Friday 22nd May which will include information about how you link up to each element, template press releases, hashtags and key messages. To receive this and be a part of this fantastic movement of over 60 organisations coming together to promote as one voice the vital role volunteers play in supporting society, email Tiger.deSouza@nationaltrust.org.uk and join the ‘Voluncheers Planning Group’ on Voluntary Voice.
For AVM members in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Volunteers Week is being coordinated by Volunteer Scotland, WCVA and Volunteer Now.
