Managing the UK’s Volunteers

9/1/2011 10:50 AM EST

For immediate release

Did you know there are an estimated 24 million people who volunteer each year* adding roughly £21.5 billion to the UK’s economy**? In order to properly train individuals who manage, supervise or lead volunteers, Lantra Awards has developed the Level 3 Award in Volunteer Management.

Lantra Awards, one of the UK’s leading awarding and accrediting organisations, has created the Level 3 Award in Volunteer Management to help individuals build the skills needed to manage volunteers more effectively and to be more confident no matter what industry or sector they work in.

Lesley Barr, Head of Product Development for Lantra Awards said: “This qualification is designed to empower individuals with skills to inspire and lead volunteers across the UK. As they are such an important addition to the UK economy, it is vital that those who manage them have the skills needed to maximise the contributions made through volunteering.”

This qualification helps individuals and the organisations within which they work to develop an awareness of the way they manage volunteers. It may also provide a progression route into paid employment, other management opportunities or further study such as work-related, competency-based qualifications. Learners on this course will develop:
• The skills to analyse the requirements for volunteer work, and plan the working methods to carry it out
• A basis on how to match resources to planned activity, record keeping and negotiation with colleagues and stakeholders
• The ability to effectively communicate to a team of volunteers
• A structured approach towards maintaining records and monitoring outcomes
• The skills for evaluating volunteer work and giving feedback to encourage reflection and individual development
• An understanding of the importance of effective communication in supporting volunteers
• The knowledge required to undertake a SMART analysis
• The ability to agree individual responsibilities with volunteers
• Strategies for dealing with problems that may arise while managing volunteers.

Lesley continued: “As volunteers are generally unpaid, they can come from various backgrounds with different levels of motivation and dedication. The Level 3 Award in Volunteer Management is designed to give managers the tools and skills they need to get the most out of their volunteers, no matter what their background and previous experience.”

To find out more about the Volunteer Management Qualification, visit http://www.lantra-awards.co.uk/training/volunteermanagement.aspx or email  .

*Citizenship Survey 2009-10
** Civil Society Almanac 2010



ENDS

ISSUED BY
Lantra Awards Press Office
Samuel Zelmer-Jackson, PR Co-ordinator
Tel: 02476 858 418 or email  

Follow Lantra Awards on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LantraAwards

CREDIT FOR PHOTO

Lantra Awards ‘Volunteer Management’ Qualification

NOTES TO EDITOR

About the Volunteer Management Qualification

The Qualification is achieved through the completion of six mandatory units (42 Guided Learning Hours) all of which have been identified as suitable and relevant to the range of skills required for learners within a voluntary environment. The learners will research and complete a workbook that relates to their role in their organisation. The units available can be used to create individual learning programmes tailored to the learners’ needs. There are no pre-requisites for this Qualification.

Plan Volunteer Work• An overview of the techniques required to identify the requirements of successful volunteer work, and to formulate a plan to achieve those requirements.
Organise Volunteers and Resources• Identifying and planning the resources required for specific work, whilst maintaining accurate schedule of activities and revising when necessary.
Communicate Effectively to Brief Volunteers• Understanding the purpose and value of effective communication, and the ability to agree responsibilities with volunteers to complete tasks.
Monitor Volunteer Work• Planning and scheduling work against key objectives, quality standards and budget requirements, and evaluating the outcome of work performed.
Give Feedback to Volunteers• Evaluating volunteer objectives against work requirements, motivating and encouraging the development of volunteers and agreeing future development plans.
Support Volunteers to Solve Problems• Identifying and monitoring volunteer activities, applying appropriate solutions to problems and communicating effectively with a range of volunteers.
• The skills to analyse the requirements for volunteer work, and plan the working methods to carry it out
• A basis on how to match resources to planned activity, record keeping and negotiation with colleagues and stakeholders
• The ability to effectively communicate to a team of volunteers
• A structured approach towards maintaining records and monitoring outcomes
• The skills for evaluating volunteer work and giving feedback to encourage reflection and individual development
• An understanding of the importance of effective communication in supporting volunteers
• The knowledge required to undertake a SMART analysis
• The ability to agree individual responsibilities with volunteers
• Strategies for dealing with problems that may arise whilst managing volunteers.


About Lantra Awards

Lantra Awards, one of the UK’s leading awarding and accrediting organisations, offers and develops national qualifications in a range of subject areas related to the land-based and environmental industries. It also offers provision for the voluntary and construction sectors.

Its delivers courses through a network of more than 750 training providers and centres, and more than 60,000 learners attend its technical awards courses each year.
Lantra Awards is a registered charity and wholly owned subsidiary of Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for the land-based and environmental sectors.
For more information see www.lantra-awards.co.uk.