There's under a week to go until the Big Help Out on Monday 8th May, and many community and voluntary groups across BaNES may be already gearing up for the day, considering how to make the most of the campaign, or perhaps wondering what it's all about.
The Big Help Out is a national campaign to encourage people across the UK to lend a hand in their local area, on Monday 8th May - a national day of volunteering - to mark the King's Coronation that bank holiday weekend.
The long-term aim is to get more people volunteering, including those who wouldn't usually consider it, and to celebrate the contribution of volunteers.
Whilst levels of volunteering have been in steady decline in recent years, the Cost of Living crisis has presented a further barrier to some volunteers, at a time when they're desperately needed. The Big Help Out campaign, which offers a great opportunity to engage first-time volunteers in an inclusive and national day of support, has therefore come at a key time for the sector.
Across Bath and North East Somerset, volunteers play a vital role in building thriving communities and supporting local people. At 3SG, we help individuals find meaningful volunteering opportunities via our Volunteering Resources, and also support small charities and community groups to host and recruit volunteers. We are therefore supporting the Big Help Out, and the #VolunteerReady campaign, and encourage all our members to get involved!
All volunteer-involving organisations are encouraged to take part by:
Organising and registering an event that volunteers can get involved in on Monday 8th May
Sharing details about the Big Help Out, and their event, far and wide. For help with creative social media and newsletter content to spread the word, check out the Toolkit.
Take the opportunity to publicise your longer-term volunteering needs as well.
Share your volunteer stories for inspiration and showcase the value volunteering has brought to your community and your volunteers lives. NCVO is keen to hear case studies, so feel free to also share any via communications@ncvo.org.uk.
To help local organisations and communities to get involved, and make the most of the Big Help Out, NCVO has put together a Toolkit - click here to find out more. You can also find tips on how to deal with an increase in volunteers and the logistical pressures that may come with this here.
Maddy Desforges, CEO of NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) adds that 'The Big Help Out is an opportunity to highlight the importance of local volunteering and encourage people to volunteer for the first time. We also want to take the time to thank current volunteers for their hard work all year round. We are proud to support 3SG in achieving this.’
If your BaNES-based third sector organisation is hosting an event for the Big Help Out over the Coronation weekend, or getting involved in the campaign another way, let us know at contact@3sg.org.uk and we'll help spread the word!
The Big Help Out complements and ties in with other upcoming national campaigns, such as Volunteers' Week (1st - 7th June), Thank You Day (2nd July), and NCVO's Trustee's Week in November.