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Volunteers Week 2011
Disability Equality nw (DENW) and volunteering
DENW is a registered charity with the overall aim to ‘further the human rights of disabled people’. We are a ‘Disabled People’s Organisation’ (run and controlled by disabled people). We work to ‘further the human rights’ of disabled people across the North West of England.
Working closely with our paid staff team, volunteers are pivotal in the delivery of our services. All our volunteers have personal experience of disability and therefore have an understanding of the issues service users bring into the organisation.
In addition, DENW runs a Volunteer Bureau, assisting disabled people to find out more about volunteering opportunities available in other organisations as well as DENW, and to offer the individual support to access, participate in and maintain their chosen volunteer placement.
What is Volunteers’ Week?
During the first week of June (traditionally the 1st – 7th), volunteer-using organisations are encouraged to put on an event or events that recognise the involvement and importance of volunteers in the day-to-day running and support of their services. Volunteers get involved for a number of reasons and bring a wealth of skills and life experience that are of benefit. They also don’t get paid! Therefore, it is of major importance that the efforts and time invested by these committed individuals are fully appreciated.
This report gives a brief overview of the events DENW organised to recognise the achievements and contributions of our volunteer team.
Volunteer Celebration Day
On the 3rd of June, it was a hot summer’s day and DENW were asked to provide a stall on Preston Flag Market to promote and raise awareness of our volunteering opportunities. Approximately 15 other organisations were in attendance from a mix of voluntary and public sector organisations. This gave everyone a good opportunity to find out more about each other’s work and their involvement with volunteers.
4 of our volunteers kindly helped staff the stall across the day engaging with the general public to inform them about volunteering and our other services. There was over a dozen enquiries about our work and 3 new potential volunteers signed up to be involved with us in the future.
In addition, there was a range of games, activities and music that everyone was welcomed to be involved in, which made the day a positive experience for all present.
Volunteer Presentation
Two of our volunteers represented DENW at this volunteer presentation event at Preston Town Hall on 7th June. The event, organised by Preston CVS, was attended by over 100 organisations. Every organisation received a Volunteers’ Week certificate, presented to them by the Mayor of Preston, in recognition of their volunteers contributions and to the wider Big Society.
During the event, 4 volunteers spoke about their experience of volunteering, including a former DENW volunteer, who had started with us and moved on into a range of other volunteering and running activities such as creative writing groups and meditation. The volunteer said,
“My time volunteering with DENW gave me the confidence that I could become more involved and that I had gifts I could share with others.”
Volunteers’ Trip to Liverpool
Annually, DENW organises an event or trip to say thank you for the work of the volunteer team. The volunteers make suggestions on what the event and venue will be and then a vote is taken to choose the favourite. This year a trip to Liverpool and the Albert Docks was chosen.
14 volunteers attended the trip, which started with a coach tour of some of the major sights in Liverpool, including Anfield and Everton football grounds, the City’s cathedrals and the Liver buildings.
After arriving at the Albert Docks around lunchtime, the volunteers had the majority of the afternoon to visit some of the local attractions including the Tate Liverpool, the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the Beatles Story museum and Liverpool One. Two volunteers even went on the Liverpool Wheel - a huge Ferris wheel – not for the feint hearted!
Volunteers were given the chance to give some feedback about the trip and suggest other venues for future events. Comments included:
“Thanks for a really enjoyable day – and the weather held!”
“The Albert Dock – the shops were really cheap!!”
“We didn’t have to walk too far to get anywhere. Museums were great.”
“I liked the tour – a chance to see all the different sights whilst on the bus.”
In general, the feedback and response was very positive and the volunteers are looking forward to the next event during Volunteers’ Week 2012.
Page Created: Thu 21/07/11 by Andrew Owens, Last Updated: Thu 21/07/11
