SUPPORTING THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR

Strengthening Voluntary Sector Support for Communities

South Derbyshire Volunteer Force, is here to help organisations such as yours make the most of their volunteers.

Volunteers can bring enormous value to an organisation. They contribute their time, skills, ideas and lived experience, helping organisations extend their reach, strengthen connections with communities and make an even greater difference.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Key considerations before you start recruitment and onboarding.

Whether you're thinking about involving volunteers for the first time or you already work with volunteers and want to refresh your knowledge of good practice, our planning toolkit is here to help and guide you through the journey.

You don't need to read everything at once. You can use the planning toolkit to review what you already have in place, or work through it from the beginning if you are starting from scratch.

Above all, our planning toolkit is about helping you create an environment where volunteers feel welcomed, valued, supported and able to make a meaningful contribution while making sure volunteering works well for your organisation too.

Planning Toolkit

NEXT STEPS

How to register for our support.

Register your organisation or group.

If you are not already registered to access our services please complete the short online registration.

Takes about 3-5 MINUTES

Register your voluntary roles.

Once you have submitted the registration form for your organisation, please complete the short online opportunity registration or alternatively email your role descriptions to volunteer@sdcvs.org.uk.

Please note we require a Volunteer Opportunity form to be submitted for each role.

Submit your roles

Takes about 10-15 MINUTES

We will add your opportunity to our directory and send it to our volunteer register through our matching service.

If we have any questions or clarification, prior to publishing and sharing we will contact you directly for guidance.

MAXIMISING INTEREST

Top tips to make your role stand-out!

Understand what motivates your volunteers

People volunteer because they care, whether it’s a personal experience, a cause they’re passionate about, or simply a desire to make a positive difference. Taking the time to understand these motivations can help you create meaningful volunteering opportunities and build stronger, more committed teams.

Challenge misconceptions about volunteering

Many people may hesitate to get involved because of misunderstandings or misinformation. Make information clear, accessible and welcoming, and give potential volunteers the opportunity to ask questions and find out what’s really involved.

Tell volunteers what they’ll gain

Community action isn’t just about helping others, it can be a rewarding experience for volunteers too. Highlight the personal benefits, such as building confidence, meeting neighbours, developing a stronger sense of community and civic pride, and seeing the real-world impact of their efforts.

Highlight the wider social impact

Show volunteers how their involvement can strengthen communities, bring people together and create positive, lasting change. Connecting individual actions to broader community and civic benefits can make volunteering feel even more meaningful.

Keep the ask small and simple

Avoid overwhelming potential volunteers with too much information or too large a commitment. Start with clear, manageable opportunities that feel easy to get involved with as people can always do more as their confidence and interest grow.

Be mindful of the language you use

When communicating with volunteers, use words such as “asks” and “expectations” rather than “must” or “obliged to”. This helps create a more flexible and inclusive environment, setting clear expectations without making volunteers feel that they are being given rigid obligations. Positive, supportive language can help maintain motivation, encourage participation and build stronger relationships with volunteers.