Volunteer
Management qualification approved
A
brand new qualification for people who manage volunteers has been
approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
and is now available across the UK from Lantra Awards.
The
nationally recognised 'Advanced Certificate in Volunteer Management'
has been created to encourage consistently high standards of volunteer
management within organisations and to provide a framework for
candidates to develop their skills and knowledge in the workplace.
The
qualification is aimed at anyone who manages, supervises or leads
volunteers on a day-to-day basis, including people who are volunteers
themselves. It is applicable in any sector to any organisation
working with volunteers.
The
new qualification has been developed by Lantra Awards, in association
with leading voluntary organisations, including the BTCV (British
Trust for Conservation Volunteers), the National Trust, RSPB (Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds) and the Wildlife Trusts,
many of whom have already piloted the qualification with their
own candidates.
Director
of Lantra Awards, Hilary Bayliss says, "We are delighted
that we have been able to work with high profile organisations,
who have much experience of working with volunteers, to develop
a new qualification that recognises and develops the skills of
those who manage volunteers".
The
Voluntary Sector National Training Organisation (VSNTO) sees the
qualification as a key tool for professionalising the role of
volunteer managers:
"We
welcome the launch of the Lantra Advanced Certificate. The fact
that it has been developed with the voluntary sector and thoroughly
road tested ensures that it will be a very useful qualification
for those in direct day-to-day management of volunteers. This
new certificate will be a useful addition to the range of options
available".
Half
a million volunteers work in the environmental and land-based
sector alone. This qualification will be key to improving the
skills of the people who manage them.
Candidates
who completed the qualification in its development phase played
a key role in shaping the qualification and are extremely positive
about their involvement:
Christine
Robinson, Conservation Volunteers - Northern Ireland: "I
have benefited from an improved management style, which should
hopefully result in happier volunteers."
Sarah
Mason, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust: "I have gained a better
understanding of the work I do and an overview of volunteering
- so that a review can take place which had not been done before."
Irene
Cieplak, Wigan & Leigh Hospice: "I have most certainly
benefited. I have reviewed, questioned and updated some of the
forms and the working document I use. I have researched into volunteer
management publications to find better ways to produce, plan and
manage."
Anita
Goodwin, The National Trust: "I am actively looking at how
I manage, which will ultimately improve my work with volunteers."
Feedback
received from industry during the pilot phase has also been greatly
supportive:
Anita
Goodwin's Line Manager, The National Trust: "This has resulted
in improved monitoring and feedback procedures and better induction
and information to volunteers. As a knock-on effect, this information
is also available for all staff, making improvements across the
board."
Irene
Cieplak's Line Manager, Wigan & Leigh Hospice: "Irene
has found working towards this qualification a very positive experience.
It has enabled her to look objectively at her role and to recognise
areas of best practice. Key tasks identified from the project
will form part of Irene's next appraisal."
The
Advanced Certificate will be launched at a joint event on 18 July
with the VSNTO and Ufi (University for industry). Ufi will be
launching its own Managing Volunteers learndirect programme -
a comprehensive course designed to provide volunteer leaders with
the skills they need to manage volunteers in any voluntary sector.
The learndirect course has been specifically written in a way
that allows it to contribute to the evidence required for the
Lantra Awards Advanced Certificate in Volunteer Management
qualification.
For
more information about the Advanced Certificate in Volunteer Management,
contact Lantra Awards on 02476 419703 or email awards@lantra.co.uk
.
