Staff have been learning how to make sure volunteers feel integral to the Kisharon team.

At a Cultivating Our Volunteers training session, staff learned to understand what motivates volunteers to give their time and energy, and how important they are to the daily running of Kisharon’s services.

“Kisharon values all of its volunteers and we want to give them a good positive experience. Our aim is to empower employees to take responsibility for each of their volunteers and we want staff and volunteers to feel mutually involved and supported by one another,” said Kisharon Volunteer Co-ordinator Lara Domjan.

The training also highlighted areas that need improvement. “In terms of good practice we’re not quite there yet, but we want to improve,” she said.

Staff at the course agreed that volunteers should be regarded as part of the team, and benefit from training and inductions like any employee.

Within days of the session, Lara said that she could see an improvement in the way employees interacted with volunteers.

Above: Some of Kisharon’s longest-serving volunteers lend a hand at Kisharon School

Chief Executive Bev Jacobson addressed staff at the training, which was led by Lara and colleague Francine Haagman, Volunteer Co-ordinator, with input from JAMI and the JVN.

Currently, Kisharon has 117 volunteers and numbers fluctuate according to individuals’ personal circumstances. The opportunity to make a valued contribution to any organisation by sharing life skills is especially appealing and Lara said a number of new opportunities would be opening up soon at one of Kisharon’s new social enterprises.

Would you like to become a Kisharon volunteer? Email: volunteer@kisharon.org.uk