Our volunteering strategy

Volunteering has been at the core of what we do for over 80 years and the scale of our achievements is only possible through working together with volunteers.

Throughout 2018 we worked to create our first Volunteer Strategy (PDF, 1.5MB). It’s something which sets out our vision for volunteering over the next few years and shows how we’ll continue to improve the volunteering experience for everyone who gives their time to support us.

 

"Volunteering is in my blood. Being a community Champion gave me the confidence to get out there and talk to people. You just feel so good that you've helped even one person."

 

- Rohit Patel, Community Champion

 

How we developed our strategy

We developed this strategy in four different ways:

• comparing the volunteering experience at similar charities
• consulting with colleagues who work with volunteers 
• Local Group Annual Returns and annual volunteering surveys 
• detailed research with you, our volunteers.

The theme at the heart of it is to make it easier for people to volunteer with us and to be able to see more clearly how they’re making a difference to people affected by diabetes. As such, we’ve written it in a way that means all you have to do is keep giving us your feedback and continue being part of this hugely passionate team of people who are working towards a world where diabetes can do no harm.

Already this year we’ve started to develop an online training platform for volunteers, which gives some of the basics about diabetes as well as some modules to keep you safe and healthy while volunteering. We’ll continue to add to this so that you have access to all the information you need, accessible where and whenever you need it.

Our principles for volunteering 

• Human: Keeping volunteers at the heart of everything we do
• Involvement: We’ll make sure we involve volunteers them in all aspects of our volunteer training, support and development.
• Development: Developing volunteering roles to meet both the needs of our organisation and our volunteers.
• Growth: Grow the number of people choosing to volunteer with us.
• Skills: Developing the skills of our volunteers.
• Recognition: Volunteers are appropriately recognised for the work they do.
• Trust: Build trust and lasting relationships with volunteers.
• Simplicity: Making it simple to be a Diabetes UK volunteer.

How we achieve our principles

We live out these principles by using your feedback to improve the volunteering experience, as well as creating training and offering support to make you feel as confident as possible about your role with us. What you do is incredibly important, and we’ll use every opportunity we get to make sure everyone knows it.

Our Volunteer Strategy (PDF, 1.5MB) shows how we’ll ensure volunteers continue to play a pivotal role here and how we’ll go further in being able provide the training, support, guidance and recognition that everyone deserves.  

We know we couldn’t achieve all the things we do without the time that volunteers give and we want everyone involved to have the best possible experience with us. Thank you for all the time you give towards a world where diabetes can do no harm.