Overview of contents

Accreditation and volunteering in the curriculum

There is great diversity in the methods used to accredit and recognise the learning or participation of volunteers - from academic credit to award schemes, from in-house tailored certification to optional learning resources. The case studies in this section explore a range of these options. The later section on `Recognition of volunteering' looks at the role of informal methods of recognition and reward.

Communications

These case studies explore the different mechanisms for communicating, in the first instance, with students and staff in order to recruit volunteers or raise awareness in local communities; as well as communicating key messages to all stakeholders during the lifetime of the volunteering programmes.

Devolved projects

This section looks at best practice from institutions where responsibility for setting up volunteering programmes is not usually taken on by the manager of the HEACF, but by individuals or local groups. The HEACF provides funding for the brokerage or initiation of these placements and programmes.

Evaluation and sustainability

Evaluation of successes and failures is essential for HEIs to have a clear plan for embedding and developing projects funded under HEACF. Sustainability is part of this, to ensure that achievements can be built on. These case studies set out methods for conducting evaluation, and indicate areas to explore when devising an evaluation strategy and planning to ensure that projects will be sustainable.

Infrastructure

This section takes on some of the bigger issues faced by HEIs under the HEACF: such as what to do when no volunteering structure exists; how to reorganise volunteering for the whole institution; how to get students to take responsibility for running volunteering programmes; how to introduce monitoring and quality assurance systems.

Links with the community

Links with the community are at the heart of the HEACF purpose: volunteering helps build bridges between communities and local organisations such as HEIs. This section illustrates different ways in which institutions are demonstrating that this commitment is embedded in the university agenda.

Partnerships

Many HEIs have built upon volunteering work already established, and created partnerships with local community stakeholders to deliver HEACF projects. These case studies look at the different kinds of partnerships developed with, for example, Student Community Action, local councils, charities, and beneficiary organisations such as hospitals, schools and prisons.

Recognition of volunteering

One route to rewarding and valuing student commitment to volunteering is through award schemes and celebratory events. These may be stand alone or part of broader strategies for recognising effort and achievement by students and staff. This section illustrates different approaches to organising successful initiatives that recognise, promote and celebrate volunteering.

Recruitment

These case studies explore both the promotional and practical aspects of recruitment. Key information on Criminal Records Bureau checking, volunteer registration and assessment of opportunities sits alongside the planning and execution of promotional and targeted campaigns to attract volunteers and generate volunteering opportunities.

Safety and security

Ensuring the safety and security of HEACF volunteers and beneficiaries is clearly of prime importance. While universities are already experienced in some policies and procedures, there may still be scope for learning from the approaches developed for HEACF in other institutions. The case studies in this section enable HEIs to compare their own processes for safeguarding volunteers and vulnerable participants with those illustrated.

Staff volunteering

When university staff take part in projects with and for local people, their involvement exemplifies universities' commitment to engaging with all sections of the community. Staff volunteers are thus important ambassadors for university outreach programmes. This section examines ways in which the university sector can develop a volunteering culture among its staff.

Training

It is crucial for volunteers to have access to robust and transferable training and resources. This section explores the different forms that these can take: task-related training by outside organisations; recruiting a qualified trainer to develop and deliver courses for volunteers; creating detailed, accessible resources for volunteers' reference. It also provides information on training for staff in running volunteering programmes.

Vulnerable and non-participating groups

Current political, economic and social conditions have led to major areas of development in volunteering, focusing on marginalised groups such as asylum seekers and refugees, school students at risk of disengagement, and offenders. These case studies focus on the special needs of projects working with such vulnerable groups.