Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
Volunteering Strategy
2014 – 2016
As a part of our commitment to transparency and creating
opportunities for community involvement, Aneurin Bevan
University Health Board welcomes volunteers in a variety
of roles to complement services provided by paid staff,
thereby improving the patient and family experience of
care and enabling positive benefits for volunteers
themselves.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Purpose of the Strategy
3. Consultation with Stakeholders
4. The Vision
5. Core Principles Underpinning the Strategy
6. Roles and Responsibilities
7. Funding the Strategy
8. Conclusions
9. Next Steps
1. Introduction
This is the first strategy for volunteering within Aneurin Bevan
University Health board. The strategy provides the vision for
volunteering schemes to be strengthened and new and innovative
schemes to be developed. It is underpinned by a robust and
comprehensive policy and procedure for volunteering.
The strategy has been developed in partnership with the
Volunteering Partnership Group and as partners we are committed
to delivering it together. The strategy will be subject to regular
review in order to respond to the changing circumstances and
environment of care.
2. The Vision
As a large employer, we are aware that the provision of
volunteering opportunities is a key part of our corporate social
responsibility. This is an exciting time when volunteering within the
NHS is expanding and evolving. As the scope and breath of
volunteering develops and extends within ABUHB, a wide range of
innovative and traditional schemes will provide significant benefits
for patients, volunteers, the service and wider community. The
benefits for volunteers themselves will be multi-faceted, including
improved mental and physical health and well-being, skills
development and an effective pathway to employment.
Our vision is to ensure that all volunteering services within ABUHB
complement the work of paid staff and are safe, of high quality and
add value to the experience of patients and families and to the lives
of volunteers.
Successful delivery will mean that volunteering activity takes place
in every division across the Health Board and provides
demonstrable benefit to patient and family experience.
Key aims include:
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Improving the experience of patients
Providing worthwhile volunteering opportunities that will
benefit patients and their families, volunteers, the community
and services
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Establishing and maintaining a resilient framework for the
recruitment, induction, placement, support and supervision of
volunteers within the Health Board.
Expanding the range of roles and activities undertaken by
volunteers in all clinical and public areas.
Raising the profile of volunteering within the Health Board and
the wider community
Working in partnership with other Health Boards to share
good practice, developing a coordinated approach to
volunteering across Wales.
Working in partnership with GAVO, TVA, third sector
organisations and support groups to promote volunteering
opportunities.
Developing and maintaining volunteer schemes in partnership
with third sector organisations ensuring formal written
commitment to the principles contained in this strategy and
the ABUHB Volunteer Policy.
That the contribution of volunteers is fully and formally
recognised by the Health Board.
3. Purpose of the Strategy
The purpose of this strategy is to provide greater focus on
volunteering and a clear direction regarding the future planning and
delivery of volunteering services across the Health Board.
The document describes the core principles that are fundamental
to providing effective volunteering services and outlines the key
strategic issues that need to be addressed in forthcoming years in
order to deliver high quality, safe and cost effective volunteering.
4. Consultation with stakeholders
The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board Volunteer Partnership
Group were instrumental in developing a strategy for volunteering
within the Health Board. The group involved representatives from
the Health Board and Partner Organisations.
5. Core Principles Underpinning the Strategy
The Volunteering Partnership Group agreed the following core
principles for volunteering within the Health Board:
Volunteers should be:
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Valued and recognised for their contribution
Safe
Supported
Treated fairly
Included in planning and developing volunteer services
Appropriately trained
Able to have their out-of-pocket expenses reimbursed
6. Roles and Responsibilities
Delegated Executive accountability for volunteering across Aneurin
Bevan University Health Board rests with the Director of Nursing,
with support from the Assistant Director of Nursing - Patient
Experience and the Volunteering Development Manager. Each
Division is responsible for identifying a Volunteering Lead.
7. Funding the Strategy
A number of the larger volunteer schemes operating within ABUHB
are funded by individual partner organisations. We anticipate that
the strategy will lead to greater opportunities for existing and new
partner organisations to work with us, to consider how we use our
resources, and most importantly offer the best added value through
volunteering services to the populations we serve.
‘In-house’ volunteering schemes are currently either funded by
Divisions or via the Health Board’s Charitable Funds Committee. It
is envisioned that the Volunteering Development Manager’s Role,
which is temporary is made substantive, as the role is essential to
the delivery of the strategy and oversight of the policy.
As part of the drive to raise the profile of volunteering and
recognise the contribution of volunteers an annual volunteering
recognition event will be introduced.
8. Conclusions
This is the first Volunteering Strategy produced by the Health Board
which outlines the commitment of the Health Board and its partners
to the planning, delivery and monitoring of volunteering services for
the future. This strategy enables the key partners to be clear about
the shared core principles that will underpin the future of
volunteering services within the Health Board and provides clarity
for operational Divisions in terms of expectations around
volunteering.
9. Next Steps
An Implementation Plan will be devised that will describe what is
necessary in order to deliver the strategy in terms of work streams
and action plans, anticipated outcomes and resource requirements.