JVN Conference 2024: Strength in Unity: Building a Volunteering Culture

The Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society

Stuart Andrew is the Conservative MP for Pudsey, Horsforth & Aireborough. In February 2022, Stuart became Minister for Housing at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities until resigning from the Government in July 2022. Stuart also agreed to hold the interim position of Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice at that time.

In September 2022, Stuart became Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and was reappointed to this role in October 2022. He was also pleased to be asked to take on the brief of the Minister for Equalities in October 2022.

He currently serves as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society.

Dr Allison Smith,
Royal Voluntary Service

Allison is Head of Research and Insight at Royal Voluntary Service where she leads the charity’s impact evaluations, strategy, and policy development. She has a Bachelor of Science in Neuropsychology and a Master’s and PhD in Gerontology. She worked for 9 years as a senior policy advisor on welfare, healthcare, and civil society reform in the Cabinet Office. Allison has also done consultancy work for Nesta, Centre for Ageing Better and Helpforce.

Dominic Pinkney 
HFVC Group & Camden Volunteer Centre 

Dominic Pinkney is the CEO of two London Volunteer Centre charities (Hammersmith & Fulham and Camden) and a not-for-profit social enterprise (Works4U) specialising in employee volunteering. He is the co-chair of the London Volunteer Centre Network and set up and Chairs the national Employer Supported Volunteering Network as well as part of the London Volunteering Strategy Group. Dominic has represented the UK on volunteering at the United Nations on multiple occasions and last year authored the national research report 'Monetary Value of Trustees 2023'. He is passionate about the power and importance of volunteering and volunteers himself as a Trustee with three charities and a local action group in his home town of Amersham.

Diana Squires
Pilotlight

Diana Squires is a creative facilitator of social change with 17 years of experience in strategic programme design and delivery. Her charity work in Canada and the UK has included senior management, fundraising, marketing, volunteer coordination, and arts administration. She has applied her user-centred design approach across diverse consulting projects, from employee engagement programme development to SAAS to DEI focus groups. As a programme manager at Pilotlight, Diana facilitates skilled volunteering by private-sector experts to amplify the impact of charities across the UK. Diana holds an MSc in Innovation, Creativity and Leadership from London’s Bayes Business School (formerly Cass) and complements her work at Pilotlight by supporting the social sector as a board member, innovation consultant, and public speaker.

George Fielding BEM
Volunteering Matters

In 2017 George Fielding became the youngest person ever to set up a CQC-registered social care provider, specialising in the care of young people with physical and learning disabilities, having had the pleasure of indirectly supporting approximately 750 individuals across England since then.

However, as the Policy and Public Affairs Lead at Volunteering Matters, he now dedicates his life and career to demonstrating care through community development, playing a leading role in convening and developing three UK-wide youth-led social movements: The Iwill Movement, The Hope Collective and The Vision for Volunteering. The truth is though that everything George has down centres around relationships and active listening practices, starting out as a mentor 500 wheelchair users in my teens as the Chair of Whizz-Kidz’s Board of Young Trustees.

In 2014, aged 19, he was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to young people with disabilities and their families.

Brian Channer
The Black Policy Institute 

An accomplished leader, exuding confidence and bringing a wealth of experience from diverse sectors. With a career spanning over two decades, he has successfully collaborated with universities, corporations, and non-profit sectors, delivering impactful training, consulting, and coaching to seasoned staff on a global scale, including contributions to international events.

Currently serving as the Chair of the Black Policy Institute, he is a dedicated advocate for positive change and empowerment within underserved communities. Under my guidance, the Black Policy Institute has become a dynamic force for change. Through transformative initiatives, the institute stands as a beacon for diversity and inclusivity, impacting policy-making, grassroots organising, and youth development.

Kirsty Marrins
Digital Communications Strategist

Kirsty Marrins is a copywriter, accredited trainer and consultant working in the charity sector. Kirsty won a CharityComms Inspiring Communicator Award in 2016 and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the charity sector in 2019. She is a proud trustee of CharityComms and a regular writer for Charity Digital and Third Sector. She currently volunteers for The Felix Project and loves being able to use her comms skills for good