How charities can get involved in Volunteers’ Week

Volunteers’ Week 2020 takes place this week (June 1-7) as an annual event to recognise the amazing contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering.

Event organisers NCVO have had to cancel UK-wide activity due to take place during the week due to COVID-19.

But the week of thanks is still very much taking place online. Organisers have made sure that a raft of online resources and ideas are still available to help charities recognise their volunteers.

This includes communications and logo packs, with imagery to use across social media and on charities’ websites.

Charities are urged to use the logos that avoid the word “celebrate” and stick to the more generic messaging of thanks. Organisers say it is important for charities to focus messaging of campaigns during the week to take into account COVID-19, “which changes how people may react to a celebration campaign”.

It advises using messaging and imagery that conveys “time to say thanks” rather than “time to celebrate”.

A social media content resource pack is also available, which include countdown imagery, such as “one day until….” Volunteers’ Week. This pack also contains a template letter to supporters to help charities further thank their volunteers. A banner to help charities decorate their Twitter profile has also been created.

Other online resources from the week’s organsiers focus on promoting volunteering among the media and MPs and the importance of “saying thank you”.

Above all charities should “keep telling volunteering stories” online, say organisers.

“People are stepping up to help in ways we’ve not seen before in the UK. Telling their stories is a great way to recognise and thank them for all the great things they’re doing,” adds the latest advice from Volunteers’ Week organisers.

Among charities backing the week on social media, using imagery and the hashtag #Volunteersweek2020, is Bolton Carers Support. In one Tweet it quotes one of its carers saying “my volunteer is my lifeline. She has made such a difference to my life”.

Next week is #VolunteersWeek2020. We will be celebrating our volunteers and the difference they make to our lives as staff and carers.

In the words of one carer " My volunteer is my lifeline. She has made such a difference to my life"

Be a @boltoncarers volunteer. pic.twitter.com/rOujKqSLiq

— Bolton Carers Support (@boltoncarers)

Next week is #VolunteersWeek2020. We will be celebrating our volunteers and the difference they make to our lives as staff and carers.

In the words of one carer " My volunteer is my lifeline. She has made such a difference to my life"

Be a @boltoncarers volunteer. pic.twitter.com/rOujKqSLiq

— Bolton Carers Support (@boltoncarers) May 28, 2020

Another to take part is Northampton General Hospital Volunteers, which is to provide updates each day during Volunteers’ Week.