Re-invigorating volunteering with Active Kindness
Our senior volunteering consultant shares lessons from a unique volunteering programme
NCVO’s consultancy team has been proud to work with Community Leisure UK to deliver the Active Kindness programme since 2021.
Active Kindness has re-invigorated volunteering experiences in the charitable leisure trust and social enterprise sector. The programme supports organisations to:
- enhance their volunteer management capacity
- improve delivery
- increase volunteer numbers and diversity.
Leisure trusts involved in the programme have benefitted from funding, training and bespoke support. The project is funded by Sport England.
Watch the video below to find out more about the project and its beginnings.
The latest phase of the project concludes in February 2024. We’re now planning the programme’s aims and ambitions for 2024 and beyond. Ahead of this exciting next phase, we reflect on what’s been achieved so far.
Making space for learning
The space Active Kindness made for peer learning between trusts has been so valuable for staff. Online and in-person peer learning days were joyful and constructive events.
NCVO’s role on these days shifted noticeably from that of trainer and facilitator to bystander. As the programme progressed, staff shaped and shared with each other to solve problems and celebrate successes.
We used our volunteering consultancy experience to build skills, expertise and capacity with Active Kindness participants.
They’ve been committed to sharing and continuing to work together beyond the bounds of the programme. This will help create an enviable legacy for the programme.
Meaningful change comes from passion within organisations, not from consultants. This can be seen in spades from volunteers and staff, including senior leadership, across the Active Kindness programme.
We look forward to keeping up the momentum and supporting the programme to grow into 2024 and beyond.
Watch highlights from the programme below:
