We did it! Following months of hard work from our Volunteering Team, and colleague support from the wider Action Together team we are delighted to have achieved Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA). This is a re-accreditation of the award for us in Oldham and Tameside, but this is the first time we have been recognised for our work in Rochdale too. We are now the recognised Volunteer Centre for Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside and we couldn't be prouder of our achievement.
Our Tameside Operations Manager - Sian Goodwin, reflected on our achievement:
“We are delighted with the outcome of this award, especially for our teams who are passionate about volunteering and the difference it makes to the individual and our communities. With this award, we will continue to champion and develop volunteering with our members and partners across Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside, to ensure volunteering is recognised, celebrated and available to all. ”
About the VCQA
The Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA) is the quality mark for organisations who are proven in delivering the five local Volunteer Centre functions:
- Strategic development of volunteering
- Good practice and development
- Brokerage
- Developing volunteering opportunities
- Voice of volunteering
It provides assurance to members of the public seeking volunteering opportunities, volunteer involving organisations, partner, commissioner and funding organisations, that the holder provides a high quality and effective local service. Accreditation takes place via a peer assessment, and is this recognition is valid for three years.
Our journey to accreditation
We know that volunteering is a vital aspect of building strong and compassionate communities in our three localities. Volunteer Centres play a crucial role in connecting volunteers with groups, organisations and initiatives that need their support. Our Volunteering Strategy outlines our plans and promises for the next five years and further strengthens our charitable purpose:
- To strengthen the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sector
- To enable positive social change and promote social justice
We are proud of our Volunteering offer and the positive impact it has on our communities. This recognition signifies our commitment to excellence, providing high-quality volunteering services and best practice through transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. It will help us to assure our volunteers, communities, and stakeholders of our commitment to high standards of excellence.
Following a period of stringent and independent assessment from NAVCA, we have been able to demonstrate that our Volunteer Centre strategically delivers best practice processes through our extensive programme of activities and engagement with our members, groups and volunteers.
Feedback from our Assessor stated:
"The strengths of the Volunteer Centre lie in its good reputation with Volunteer Involving Organisations and other external partners and its ability to leverage it at the strategic level. The organisation prides itself on being flexible and responsive to the needs of individual volunteers. Vision for Volunteering 2028 is an example of good practice that would be enviable by many counterparts in the country."
"The volunteer centre is very strong in promoting volunteering and volunteering roles, including as a way into employment. I enjoyed learning about the joint work in this area with the local Job Centre Plus in Oldham, and that follow-up work and funding might become available."
"The Volunteer Centre demonstrated that it listens to the organisation it serves. One of the interviewees commented: “They always have our interests at heart, and they are meeting our priorities."
For more information on our Volunteering services, take a look at: www.actiontogether.org.uk/our-volunteer-team or get in touch with us directly on n 0161 339 2345 or volunteering@actiontogether.org.uk