29 Mar Investing in volunteers award of excellence
Saint Joseph’s Shankill is proud to be an Investing in Volunteers (IiV) achiever, having been awarded the quality standard in 2021 for the first time. It shows that we value our volunteers and demonstrates our commitment to volunteering within the organisation.
Nicola Yau, Volunteer and Community Coordinator at Saint Joseph’s Shankill said, “We are delighted to be the first nursing home in Ireland to achieve this award. The last year has been particularly challenging but our volunteers have been amazing. Every nursing home should have a robust volunteer programme to enrich the lives of the people who live, volunteer or work there”.
Investing in Volunteers is the UK and Ireland’s quality standard for all organisations involving volunteers. Investing in Volunteers aims to improve the quality of the volunteering experience for all volunteers and demonstrates that organisations value the enormous contribution made by their volunteers. Investing in Volunteers is delivered in the Republic of Ireland by Volunteer Ireland in partnership with Volunteer Now in Northern Ireland.
Saint Joseph’s Shankill was assessed against a range of best practice standards and proved to excel in all aspects of working with its volunteers. Terri O’Brien, Quality and Programmes Manager said, “Volunteer Ireland is delighted to announce Saint Joseph’s Shankill’s successful achievement of this Award, they have demonstrated a real commitment to volunteering, proven that their volunteer management policies and procedures meet nationally recognised standards.”
Investing in Volunteers is unique in that it is the only standard that focuses on volunteers. It is based on four areas of volunteer management; planning for volunteer involvement, recruiting volunteers, selecting and matching volunteers and supporting and retaining volunteers.
Niamh Moore, a volunteer since 2018, says, “As a volunteer in Saint Joseph’s Shankill for nearly four years, I have first-hand experience of the significant changes that the volunteer programme has made for the residents and staff. We are an integral and valued part of the team and you feel that from the moment you walk into reception. The Investing in Volunteers programme has encapsulated this ethos and ensures every volunteer receives the gold standard in training, communication and appreciation for the big and small things we do. We all miss our visits but the continued online training and regular communication means we are still valued despite the distance. I am extremely proud to be part of such an incredible organisation”.
Further information about the Standard can be found on www.investinginvolunteers.org.uk. The Standard will enhance volunteer management and is rigorous but is designed to be simple to implement and not to generate large amounts of paperwork. It is the only quality standard that has independent external validation with a UK Quality Assurance Panel that makes recommendations to the UK Volunteering Forum, the awarding body.
If you would like to hear more about volunteering opportunities in Saint Joseph’s Shankill log on to www.saintjosephshankill.ie/volunteer.
