What we do

Volunteering

Investing in Volunteers Award

Read On - Write Away! was awarded the Investing in Volunteers quality status, following an assessment day at the end of March 2006. The IiV plaque and certificate were presented to ROWA! staff and volunteers by Councillor Bob Janes at a celebration event in September.

The reasons why ROWA! applied for IiV status are many but include:

• Ensuring effective practice in recruiting, training and supporting volunteers;
• Comparing ROWA!'s volunteer practices against a national standard;
• Ensuring that all volunteers feel that ROWA! trains and supports them as effectively as possible;
• Encouraging more people to volunteer for ROWA!, when they see that volunteers are valued and well supported.

The managers of ROWA!'s two volunteering projects, Millennium Volunteers and Buddy Plus+ Project, are over the moon, not just with gaining the award, but with all the kind remarks which volunteers expressed during the assessment process.

Carole Brookes, the IiV assessor, said: "Buddy Plus+ volunteers were unanimous in their praise for the organisation and the support given to them by the project manager. They unanimously praised the training and induction and spoke of the exceptional level of support offered by the Volunteer Manager. They felt he had a deep understanding of the mentor relationship and how volunteers may be affected by it. The level of support ensured they felt confident."

Tony Faulkner responded: "I would like to say a very sincere thank you to all Buddy Plus+ volunteers for the wonderful work they do. The success of the project is down to their efforts, their time and their caring enough to help young people through difficult times."