Northern Ireland Achievers
To date 50 organisations have achieved the Investing in Volunteers award in Northern Ireland (this includes 2 organisations that have renewed their award)! They each retain the award for three years, having demonstrated policies and procedures which value volunteers and support positive volunteering experiences.
Sandra Adair, Director, VolunteerNow said "Achieving Investing in Volunteers demonstrates a real commitment to volunteering, proving that the organisations volunteer management policies and procedures meet nationally recognised standards."
Below is a list of the Northern Ireland Achievers and some quotes and case studies from the organisations.
| Rethink (Renewed as Mindwise) | Belfast Central Mission | |||
| Action Cancer | Arthritis Care NI | |||
| Voluntary Service Belfast | Newlodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership | |||
| Young at Art | Strabane Community Project | |||
| Downs Syndrome Association | Down District Volunteer Centre | |||
| Voice of Young People In Care (VOYPIC) | The Cedar Foundation | |||
| Forthspring Inter Community Group | NIACRO | |||
| RNID NI | Colin Glen Trust | |||
| Home-start Antrim | Lisburn Citizens Advice Bureau | |||
| North Down Citizens Advice Bureau | North Down YMCA | |||
| Off the Streets Youth Community Initiative | Strabane Citizens Advice Bureau | |||
| Craigavon District Citizens Advice Bureau | Educational Shakespeare Company | |||
| NI Chest Heart Stroke | NI Policing Board | |||
| Little Hands Sure Start | The LINK Family & Community Centre | |||
| FAST (Fermanagh & South Tyrone) Rural Transport | Zest | |||
| Youth Initiatives | New Lodge Arts | |||
| Northern Visions | Newry & Mourne Community Transport | |||
| North Coast Community Transport | NUS-USI Open Your Mind | |||
| Lagan Valley Rural Transport | Corrymeela Community | |||
| Ulster GAA | Out & About Community Transport | |||
| Niamh Mental Welbeing | Rural Lift for South West Fermanagh | |||
| Armagh Rural Transport | Down Armagh Rural Transport | |||
| Aware Defeat Depression | South Antrim Community Transport | |||
| Carrick YMCA | Headway Belfast | |||
| Holywood Family Trust | Laganscape | |||
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"We are so proud to have received this award. Our staff and volunteers now have the confidence that we are operating within recognised best practice. Certain changes needed to be made at an organisational level and having Investing in Volunteers to back up why these changes needed to happen gave more weight to our argument." RNID NI
"Undertaking and achieving the Investing in Volunteers award has been a very positive experience. It brought the Committee, staff and volunteers together to work on core systems and procedures, and has highlighted to our stakeholders why we involve and value volunteers.We promote good practice in volunteer management within our local community. Having achieved the standard we can now lead by example." Down District Volunteer Centre
"When we initially considered the Investing in Volunteers Standard, it became apparent quite quickly that it sat very neatly alongside what we were already striving to achieve in our management of volunteering – to provide good practice and increased recognition of the contribution of our volunteers both internally and externally. The Investing in Volunteers Standard has provided a benchmark against which we can measure our performance, identify gaps, further develop our work, and promote the immense value of volunteers to any organisation.” Belfast Central Mission
"Involving our organisation in working towards the Investing in Volunteers Award was challenging but very worthwhile. We value all our volunteers highly and this Award affirms our commitment to them. They are the cornerstone of our organisation."
Home-Start Antrim
“The Investing in Volunteers process was very straight forward and there was lots of support and advice from Volunteer Now.” MindWise
“The Investing in Volunteers standards made writing a volunteering strategy and development plan easy for the organisation. There was a great sense of achievement when we completed the award after all the hard work within the organisation by staff and volunteers in implementing change and working to the standards.” NI Chest, Heart & Stroke
"Investing in Volunteers has been a very worthwhile process and I would have no hesitation in recommending it to any organisation that involves and values volunteers." Off the Street Initiative
For more information on the Quality Achievers Network click here.
© 2012 Volunteer Now
