Date & Time
Thursday 30th January, 2025
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Venue
Online - Accessible
CPD Certified
Availability and Pricing
Available
Voluntary and Third Sector: £195 + VAT
Public and Private Sector: £245 + VAT
Registration
Overview
Volunteering has undergone significant shifts in recent years, with charities and organisations across the UK facing growing challenges in retaining and expanding their volunteer base. Factors such as volunteer burnout, the rising cost of living and shifting priorities post-covid have made it increasingly difficult to sustain long-term engagement.
Join Inside Government’s Volunteer Management Conference, a must-attend event for anyone working in the third sector. This conference brings together industry experts, leading charities, policy makers, volunteers and more, to share insights, strategies and innovative solutions. Gain the tools to better understand and adapt to the evolving needs of your volunteers, enhancing your ability to recruit, retain and engage them more effectively.
Attend this year's conference to hear directly from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), gaining insights into the latest policy developments and plans for the third sector under the new government. Explore best practice case studies and hear expert panellists discuss safeguarding, building sustainable volunteer programs and driving diversity, capped off by practical strategies for integrating technology into volunteer management.
Attend this event for a day of insightful discussions, practical strategies and networking opportunities to drive volunteer management and engagement within your organisation and across the sector.
Learning Outcomes
Understand the latest trends and policies shaping the future of volunteering, including digital transformation and community-led initiatives
Learn innovative strategies to improve volunteer recruitment, retention and engagement in an increasingly competitive landscape
Explore practical approaches to fostering inclusivity and diversity in volunteer programs, breaking down barriers to participation
Gain best practice insights into safeguarding practices that ensure volunteer wellbeing and create a supportive environment
Discover how to leverage digital tools and technology to streamline volunteer management and enhance volunteer experiences
Network with sector experts, experienced volunteers and charity leaders
Expert Speaker Highlights
Ruth Leonard
Chair
Association of Volunteer Managers (AVM)
Shaun Delaney
Head of Volunteering Strategy
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
Dave Scott
Assistant Director of Volunteering and Safeguarding
Royalty Voluntary Service
Agenda
09:30 am
Chair’s Welcome Address and Setting Your Objectives
Ruth Leonard, Chair, Association of Volunteer Managers (AVM), Co-chair Vision for Volunteering - Confirmed
09:45 am
DCMS Keynote: Empowering Communities through Volunteering
During this keynote session, Shaun Delaney from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will explore innovative strategies for empowering communities through volunteering. Delve into current government initiatives and discuss recent policy developments impacting the third sector, including the role of digital technology in volunteer engagement and the implementation of the Civil Society Strategy. This session is an opportunity to interact and engage with the DCMS agenda and discuss what the new government may mean for your organisation.
Explore the shift toward hyper-local volunteerism, where communities directly shape and control volunteer projects to address their unique challenges
Discuss recent government policies focused on community empowerment and local autonomy, such as place-based funding and support for grassroots organisations
Discuss how communities can be better empowered to make their own decisions on needs and delivery through volunteering
Explore what resources and support communities need to build a volunteer infrastructure that meets local needs
Understand how government and charities help facilitate and coordinate ground-level and informal social action programmes
Shaun Delaney, Head of Volunteering Strategy, DCMS – Confirmed
10:30 am
NCVO Keynote: The Latest Research and Insights in Volunteering
This keynote session will provide a focused analysis of the latest research on the state of volunteering in the UK, with a particular emphasis on innovative models such as digital volunteering. Drawing on fresh data and insights from a new 2025 NCVO report, examine how organisations can adapt to current trends by making volunteer roles more flexible, inclusive and accessible.
Deep-dive into fresh research on the state of the volunteering
Explore new models of volunteering or new approaches to digital volunteering
Saskia Konynenburg, Director of Strategic Communications and Insight, NCVO – Invited
11:15 am
Break
11:30 am
Panel Discussion: Recruitment and Retention: Developing a Sustainable Volunteer Base for the Future
Understand the largest motivators for volunteers and what makes volunteer opportunities stand out in a landscape of increased competition
Examine new approaches to volunteer retention and how expectations on the volunteer experience are evolving
Explore how volunteers interact organisations and discover innovative strategies to enhance outreach efforts for greater engagement
Outline how to increase and diversify the volunteer base through targeted recruitment
Discuss the importance of recognition, rewards and creating a sense of purpose and value in retaining volunteers
Lucia Ciolanel, Volunteer Engagement Manager, Asthma + Lung UK – Confirmed
Melanie Price, Head of Volunteering at the British Red Cross and an NHS Volunteer – Confirmed
Emily Hughes, Head of Volunteering, Girlguiding UK – Confirmed
Brian Reeves, Head of Volunteer Experience at RSPCA – Confirmed
12:15 pm
Royal Voluntary Service Case Study: Safeguarding and Supporting Volunteers
Discuss what safeguarding means in the context of volunteering
Highlight the need for a balanced approach that ensures volunteers feel supported while maintaining robust safeguarding standards
Outline the key safeguards organisations should have in place to protect volunteers
Discuss how organisations can create a culture where volunteers feel comfortable raising concerns about safeguarding or wellbeing
Understand how to recognise and address volunteer burnout, vulnerability and challenges with appropriate support
Dave Stott, Assistant Director of Volunteering and Safeguarding, Royal Voluntary Service – Confirmed
1:00 pm
Lunch
2:00 pm
Digital Transformation and Volunteering: Embracing Technology for the Future of Volunteering
Understand how digital transformation is reshaping the volunteering landscape
Discuss the benefits and potential challenges of integrating digital technology into volunteer management
Explore real-world examples of how organisations have successfully implemented digital strategies to revolutionise their volunteer programs
Gain insights into the tools and technologies available to enhance volunteer recruitment, engagement, and management
Understand the risks and opportunities AI presents to volunteer management and how to utilise it to streamline volunteer processes
Paul Remic, Head of Product (People Services), British Red Cross - Confirmed
Rob Jackson, Volunteering Consultant – Invited
Chris Wade. Chartered FCIPD, Managing Director at Time for Impact, Charity Trustee – Invited
2:45 pm
Fostering Inclusivity and Diversity in Volunteer Programs
Discuss how to break down barriers to volunteering and how to reach underrepresented groups
Explore targeted programs that address barriers to participation, such as economic inequality and lack of digital access
Understand how to build inclusive onboarding, training and management processes
Discuss how to ensure accessibility and fairness in volunteering opportunities
Explore practical and cultural outcomes for an individual and how all engagement points can be enhanced to drive inclusion
Examine organisational culture and how you can explore your inclusion journey to broaden access
Jo Keller, Head of Volunteering at RNIB – Confirmed
Liz Wigelsworth, Head of Volunteering at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland - Confirmed
Kishma Smithurst, Volunteering Manager at the Wellcome Trust - Confirmed
Glenda Bonde, Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Terrence Higgins Trust – Invited
Gwyneth Thomas, Head of Volunteering, Alzheimer's Society – Invited
Alan Murray, Head of Volunteering and Safeguarding at RSPB - Invited
3:30 pm
Chair’s Closing Remarks and Key Takeaways
Pricing
Voluntary & 3rd Sector
£195 + VAT
Public & Private Sector
£245 + VAT