NDVS

NDVS Managing and Supporting Volunteers Forum
2025-02-04 10:30 - 12:00 (Europe/London) | Queens House, 6 Queen Street Suite 2025, Barnstaple, EX32 8HJ, Barnstaple, EX32 8HJ, GB
Networking, sharing and info

Main agenda items for February 2025 Forum: Safeguarding and Fundraising
10.30- 12.00 Managing and Supporting Volunteer Forum
This FREE forum will be a great way to stay up-to-date with and learn about the best practice around volunteer supervision and management.
The forum will be open to anyone who has direct responsibility for managing or co-ordinating volunteers, regardless of the size of your organisation and whether your role is paid or unpaid.
The forum meeting will provide an opportunity to develop skills and share experiences.
The structure, format and themes will be chosen in consultation with the group.
Refreshments provided.
12.00-12.30 Managing and Supporting Volunteer Forum Practitioners- Peer Support Network
A peer support network for people involved with Supporting and Managing Volunteers.
In this group, volunteer managers can seek guidance, support, troubleshooting, and have an opportunity to have topical discussions on particular issues in a confidential and safe space.
Participants will be asked to bring examples of situations where either they wish to discuss alternative approaches and outcomes or to share good practices and resources. This will be an informal space for peer support and discussion.

How to Recruit, Supervise and Retain Peer Volunteers
2025-01-30 12:45 - 16:15 (Europe/London) | Queens House, 6 Queen Street, Barnstaple, EX32 8HJ, Barnstaple, EX32 8HJ, GB
How to recruit, supervise and retain peer volunteers.

How to Recruit, Supervise, and Retain Peer and Lived Experience Volunteers
The most vital component of any peer support programme is the peers themselves. These peers will have lived experience of the condition they support, and therefore have additional support needs to other volunteers.
People providing peer support to others in similar situations can provide unique perspectives and true empathy to the people they support. On the other hand, people living with similar situations can be hard to persuade that they are capable of being mentors, may still be struggling with their own situation (which can make the even better mentors), or may find themselves triggered by the negative experiences of others who are not coping well.
Aims
This workshop will support organisations to consider the recruitment, training, supervising, and retaining of peer volunteers, helping to ensure the sustainability of your peer support programme.
Objectives
By the end of this workshop participants will:

Understanding the skills and knowledge necessary for the retention of peer support volunteers
Be able to plan effective supervision and continuous professional development of volunteers.

Our workshop includes:

Recruitment: how to promote peer support roles and encourage applications from potential lived-experience volunteers
Training: what skills and preparation r peer volunteers may need to fulfil their role
Supervision: how to provide effective and meaningful support to your peer volunteers
Retention: How to ensure active, engaged and long-standing peer volunteers.

Who is it for?
This workshop is for voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations across the UK. Participants will not require any prior knowledge of volunteer recruitment to participate. There will be a maximum of 15 participants per workshop.

Supervision Skills Training
2025-01-22 09:30 - 16:00 UTC | Family Compass, Old Town Station, North Walk, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 1DF, United Kingdom
Back by popular demand – after running previous successful cohorts.
Course aim:
Throughout the two days there is space to consider real life scenarios, ethical dilemmas, the place for creativity in our supervision approaches and the importance of reflective practice.
•To equip participants with the knowledge to develop a systematic approach to effective supervision
•To further develop participants’ skills and confidence to deliver effective supervision
Course objectives:
By the end of the course participants will have had opportunities to:
•Explore participant’s knowledge, experience and attitude to supervision, both personal and organisational
•Consider an ‘integrated approach’ to supervision
•Agree some basic principles in delivering effective supervision
•Create a checklist of items that should be included on a supervision agenda
•Consider the range of skills, qualities and roles involved in supervision
•Explore and practise ideas to improve effective challenging and intervention in situations that arise within supervision sessions
•Be introduced to a range of theoretical frameworks
9.30 – 4.30 each day.
Nearest parking is Commercial Rd or Cattle Market. Cheaper long stay parking 5 mins walk away at Fairview
Trainer: Susan Moores (Training Exchange)
Delivery: In-person
Trainer’s background: Susan brings 30 years of varied experience in ‘people work’ to her training delivery with the company. She has been in many paid and unpaid roles in community and youth work, voluntary sector development and management. Her approach to supervision is grounded in values that recognise the personal story and collective endeavour, whilst also paying attention to organisational change and the wider context in which we work. She is committed to reflective practice, and in all roles Susan works from the heart to make a positive contribution. She is currently working across the South West and loves her voluntary role with Plymouth Scrapstore.
Other dates available.
We need 16 people to run this event.
Please get in touch if you would like any further information.

Boundaries in the Workplace & Voluntary Settings
2024-12-11 11:00 - 15:00 UTC | Queens House, 6 Queen Street, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 8HJ, United Kingdom
Boundaries in the Workplace
What are boundaries, and why do we have them?
Many organisations have been experiencing greater numbers of people attending their centres and accessing their services during this period, and those visiting are often coming with more complex circumstances than we have the capacity to manage. This can have a significant impact on us as service providers.
Professional and personal boundaries are key to keep service-users, staff, and organisations, safe, effective, and professional. They help us to utilise our skills in the most appropriate way within our professional roles, and to ensure consistency of service and management of the expectation of service-users. But what are boundaries, and what can make it difficult to maintain them?
Our workshop explores the various aspects of boundaries in the workplace, using open discussion of our own boundaries, case studies of situations that can arise, and how we can manage the maintenance of boundaries through internal and external policies and personal accountability.
Aims
This workshop is designed to support staff and organisations in the voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) to consider, plan, and implement personal and professional boundaries in the workplace.
Objectives
By the end of this workshop participants will:

Understand their personal and professional boundaries
Be confident in how to manage boundary issues
Have explored situations that can occur, and how they can be managed.
Consider implementing boundaries policies, and how they can support staff and service-users.

Our workshop includes:

What boundaries are and why we have them
What can make it difficult to maintain boundaries
Case studies that explore situations that can occur, and how we might apply effective boundary management.
Developing policies that support effective boundary management in your organisation.

Who is it for?
This workshop is for staff and volunteers of organisations who provide supportive services across the UK, especially those in public-facing roles. Participants will not require any prior knowledge of boundaries to participate. There will be a maximum of 15 participants per workshop to allow for meaningful engagement.
Ticket Prices:
Volunteers – Free
Voluntary Organisation (NDVS Partner) – £20.00
Non-Voluntary Organisation – £60.00

NDVS Corporate Breakfast
2024-12-05 08:15 - 09:45 UTC | The Cedars Inn Hotel, Bickington Road, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 2HE, United Kingdom
As your local Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) we often get approached to support our local wonderful businesses and entrepreneurs, in helping to match local volunteer opportunities and projects, to Corporate Social Responsibility strategies including Giving Back Days
We know many businesses have a Good Cause Charitable pot and again we are in the business of helping support those that need it most.
So why not join us before the start of another busy day in the corporate business world – baps and coffee/tea will be provided – to hear about how we might collaborate and support each other.
After all happy and healthy community members – make happy and healthy customers and employees (in most cases)
We are proposing:
Brief overview from Marie Gould MBA – Chief Officer of NDVS alongside Beki Sharples (our sister CVS over in Torridge) alongside Representative of “The Woodyard” Management Committee

CVS and Third Sector funding landscape
National Lottery Successful Bid of £464,000.00 its proposed impact and match-funding needs and opportunities. including form part of the North Devon Community Development Alliance
The Woodyard Project – bring Ann Cleeves’ fictional community hub to life.

A brief talk about all things community from Neil Blackburn, Partnership’s Officer of Active Devon CIC
Corporate Giving – days or donations – how can we help?
Devon Connect – explanation of the opportunities provided by our online platform
NDVS Charity Christmas Card Sales
A chance to network and ask questions
Thank you so very much in advance
Any queries or questions do get in touch.

Northern Devon Community Developers Forum
2024-11-28 10:00 - 12:30 UTC | Brynsworthy Environment Centre, Main Meeting Room, Fremington, EX31 3NP, United Kingdom
The aim of the Forum is to bring together Community Developers/Connectors/Ambassadors/Animators working in Northern Devon to share experience, best practice, opportunities and ideas. To develop a strong voice representing Northern Devon, connecting and promoting joint working, and tackling issues together which affect our communities.
This forum will offer an opportunity to meet every other month alternating with the One Communities OND meeting and is open to any orgnaisation hosting or employing staff supporting Community Development.
The first meeting will be on Tuesday 28th November between 10am and 12.30pm at Brynsworthy Environment Centre. Parking is free but limited so if you can car share that may help.
We will start our session with free some CPD on Building Team Trust lead by Change Facilitator from Nowlab which you will be able to take away and undertake with your own teams or groups. Trust is crucial in building strong, effective, and enjoyable teams. Trust fosters open communication, mutual respect, and collaborative problem-solving, empowering your group to make a significant impact in your local community.
Join us for an interactive session featuring the Trust Constellation Game, designed to cultivate connection and strengthen trust within your teams.
This session will equip you with practical strategies to create a more inclusive and supportive environment within your group, developing essential skills for effective communication, conflict resolution, camaraderie and more.
We will have an opportunity to hear about the NDVS/TTVS lottery funded Community Developer and Connector Roles with an overview of the National Standards being used to evaluate the project. Plus an overview of the Community Animators roles as part of the new Biosphere Lottery Funded project. Any other organisation wishing to update on new initiatives please contact Louise Flagg Partnership Officer NDVS to book a slot on the agenda cvs@ndvs.org.uk. This will give plenty of time to discuss our Northern Devon priorities and an opportunity for a round robin where participants can share where they are based and their current community projects.
Tea/Coffee and Cake are an essential part of our meeting.
Community Development National Occupational Standards Overview
Community development enables people to work collectively together in a structured and co-ordinated way to bring about positive social change to achieve equality, social justice, climate justice and human rights. It is underpinned by a clear set of values and ethical principles.
This long-term process starts with people’s own experience and enables communities* to work together to:
● identify the needs and actions they wish to address
● plan and take collective action
● build on and strengthen their confidence, skills and knowledge
● challenge unequal power relationships
● promote social justice, equality and participation in order to improve the quality of their own lives, the communities in which they live and societies of which they are a part.
The National Standards of Community Development identify 6 core areas
Key Area 1: Understand and practise community development
Key Area 2: Understand and engage with communities
Key Area 3: Collective Action and Group work
Key Area 4: Collaborative and cross-sectoral working
Key Area 5: Community learning for social change
Key Area 6: Governance and organisational development
