The Volunteer Friendly Award (VFA) is a simple, user-friendly quality standard designed to support, recognise and reward groups in Scotland who involve volunteers. It is designed to help organisations and groups develop and follow best practice techniques when it comes to recruiting, utilising and supporting volunteers.
The Award has recently been reviewed, and its new format launched during Volunteer’s Week 2021. The refreshed Award is designed to appeal to a wide range of groups and organisations, and offers a range of Award options that suit the volunteer-involving organisation, with a streamlined, more even assessment process and achievable requirements. Additionally, the new format takes into account mutual aid and informal volunteering, in line with the Volunteering for All framework from Scottish Government; policies are not required to complete the first stage of the Award as a result.
Other benefits of the revised Award include:
- a volunteer-focused approach to ensure all volunteers have a great experience
- achievable levels for all volunteer programmes
- the new format highlights and demonstrates good practice in volunteer management
- a way to show commitment and value to volunteers
- a format designed to be supportive development opportunity
There is now a cost for some groups and organisations to take part:
- Cost for those with an income of £100,000 or less per annum and un-constituted group: FREE
- Cost for those with an income between £100,000 – £150,000 per annum: £49.99
- Cost for those with an income between £150,000 – £200,000 per annum: £99.99
(Image caption: the VFA 6 step process.)
There is no fixed deadline for any application, but most organisations and groups can expect to complete the new 6 steps within 6 – 9 months.
Our team at CVS Falkirk and Volunteer Falkirk is available to support anyone looking to begin this process post COVID-19, and work towards their own Award.
For further information on how we can support you in this, and in developing your volunteer programme in other ways, please contact our team by email: info@volunteerfalkirk.org.uk
