To receive an report from the Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership.

The Chairman welcomed Emily Spicer, Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership and Alison Carlisle, Volunteer Co-Ordinator to the Meeting.  Members were referred to the report, pages 1 to 8 of the Supplementary Agenda refer.

Members were advised that the report provided an overview of the activity that had taken place in the first three months of the Trusted Volunteer Scheme funded through UK Shared Prosperity funding which formed part of the Partnership’s strategic approach to working with the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) within the Sub-Region.

Members were further advised that a Volunteer Charter had been developed to inform new recruits of what to expect when they started volunteering and to provide foundations for a good volunteering experience.  The Committee were advised that the Charter would be circulated to Members following the Meeting.

The Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership introduced the Volunteer Co-Ordinator to the Committee and highlighted to Members the work undertaken since June 2024.  This included working with Partners including Lincolnshire CVS and insurance bodies to ensure that policies and procedures were up to date, co-ordinating volunteering opportunities, creating a dedicated webpage, working with community groups in East Lindsey and across the Partnership and examining opportunities for volunteers to assist with beach cleans and to clear the sand on Sutton on Sea Promenade. 

The Volunteer Co-Ordinator stressed the importance of obtaining feedback and encouraging new volunteers.  Members were informed that contact was being pursued with local schools and colleges to provide work experience opportunities for students.

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• In reference to Paragraph 2.5, a Member welcomed the new efforts being made to encourage volunteering and queried whether basic training was compulsory, page 3 of the Supplementary Agenda refers.  In response, the Volunteer Co-Ordinator advised Members that the Council’s insurance required all volunteers to undertake core online training which included equality and diversity, GDPR, Safeguarding and Health and Safety.  Members were further advised that the Council was required to assess the risks and have policies and procedures in place, however training requirements could deter volunteers from taking part.  The Volunteer Co-Ordinator further advised Members that current volunteers were able to sign a disclaimer if they wished to participate without undertaking training.

• A Member queried what the benefits of volunteering were for individuals.  In response, the Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership advised Members that training provided benefits in assisting people with preparing for employment and that the Trusted Volunteers Scheme was a learning process that was established to determine the barriers and opportunities for volunteering.

• A Member commented that the wording ‘Trusted Volunteer’ could be misinterpreted by long standing volunteers and that potential volunteers could be discouraged by a prescriptive approach to undertake training.

• A Member highlighted that many volunteers were sourced through word of mouth rather than online.

• The Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership assured the Committee that Members feedback was valued and that through performance reporting it had been highlighted that volunteer numbers had increased.  The Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership further assured Members that the Council was committed to ensuring that volunteering outcomes were beneficial.

• A Member queried whether a Food Hygiene course would be beneficial for volunteers.  In response, the Chairman commented on the value of volunteers being able to access the training that they need. 

• The Volunteer Co-Ordinator further explained the benefits of training to Members and gave an example of increased employability where two CCTV spotter volunteers had recently progressed into employment with the Council.

• The Chairman queried whether the Volunteer team had been in contact with Parish Councils who frequently utilised the service of volunteers.  In response, the Volunteer Co-Ordinator confirmed that progress was underway in expanding contact to Parish Councils to identify any training needs.

• A Member commented on the value of maintaining a volunteer contact book in case of emergencies which could save lives.

• A Member commented that Parish Councillors were an example of volunteers who were not required to undertake any mandatory training.

• A Member commented in support of the approach being taken and queried whether the website advertising dedicated volunteering opportunities could include wider volunteer roles such as school governor and treasurer vacancies.

• A Member reemphasised the importance of the work carried out by volunteers.

No further comments or questions were received.

The Chairman thanked the Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership and the Volunteer Co-Ordinator for their report.

Following which it was,

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

N.B The Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership and Volunteer Co-Ordinator left the Meeting at 11.14am.