Charities look to flexible volunteering and inclusion to meet future demographic trends at the 7th JVN Volunteer Coordinator Forum

The 7th JVN Volunteer Coordinators Networking Forum took place in the second week of September at the UJIA building in Kentish Town on the theme of everything volunteer recruitment.

Keynote speaker Rachel Castle, Senior Public Affairs and Policy Officer from Volunteering England looked at the wider demographic trends putting pressure on charities, as time and money both become scarcer, as well as law and Government policy impacting on charities and the voluntary sector.

This was followed by two sessions: Laura Marks, Director of Mitzvah Day looking at how charities must build a focused brand to recruit volunteers; and Nicky Goldman, UJIA Leadership Development Director, and Samantha Clifford, UJIA Leadership Development Project Manager taking a detailed yet high-level look at the process of recruiting volunteers - from scoping a role, through to interviewing and training.

Participants from over 25 Jewish and interfaith charities including AJR, Chai Cancer Care, MDA, Jewish Care, Norwood, Langdon and Tzedek, also enjoyed presentations from a variety of volunteers talking about how they had been recruited, as well as a speednetworking session, information sharing and a kosher lunch to chat over.