Certificate in the Effective Management of Volunteers
Certificate in the Effective Management of Volunteers is jointly delivered by Queen's University and Volunteer Now. It is the highest level of volunteer management training accreditation in Northern Ireland.
This course will not be running in 2012/13. Please see further details below including how to register expressions of interest for 2013/14 delivery.
Development Year
We are taking the opportunity of a move from Queen's University School of Education to the School of Management to take some time to review the course and complete any required development work.
Applications 2013/14
We hope you will still be interested in the course for 2013/14. A year goes quickly so 2013/14 applications will be available before you know it!
We already have an extensive 'interested list' for this course as it is the highest level of accreditation in volunteer management training in Northern Ireland and we now see it as a desirable criteria for Volunteer Co-ordinator/Volunteer Development Officer jobs.
Please let us know if you are interested in the course for 2013/14. We will send you out marketing information about the 2013/14 delivery, when available. Please contact Julie-Ann, Administrative Officer to register interest in 2013/14 delivery.
If you require any further details about the course, please contact Certificate in the Effective Management of Volunteers Co-ordinator: Fiona Nicol, fiona.nicol@volunteernow.co.uk or 028 9081 8325. Fiona's working hours are Tuesday-Thursday 8.15am - 3.45pm.
2013/14 course fees and bursaries
Course fees will be set by the University so we can give no indication at this stage of how much they will be for 2013/14. We also cannot say what financial support, in the way of bursaries, we can offer students for 2013/14. Bursaries are only available to those who work (carry out their volunteer management) for an organisation within the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland. We will update this page when we have further information.
Course structure
Below is some information about the last run of the course to give you an idea of the course structure. Please note that after we have had our year to review and develop the course, there may be some changes.
This third-level Certificate is organised and delivered jointly by Volunteer Now and the School of Education at Queen's University Belfast (QUB). Delivered part-time over one year, it provides an academically rigorous programme based on nationally recognised standards of good practice and is the highest level qualification available in Northern Ireland in volunteer management. The programme is open to individuals who have some current responsibility for managing volunteers.
Level
This course attracts 60 credit points at Higher Education Level 1. This is equivalent to level 4 in the Further Education sector.
Course Outline
Aim
To enable students to analyse and evaluate their policies and practice for involving volunteers and to develop a coherent system for the effective management of volunteers in their organisation.
Objectives
On completion of this certificate, students should be able to:
- Outline the values underpinning good practice in volunteer involvement.
- Demonstrate a knowledge of relevant concepts and theories in management and learning development.
- Describe key features of good practice in relation to a range of volunteer management tasks.
- Evaluate their own practice and organisational policy for volunteer management.
- Plan, implement and evaluate development of policy and practice in volunteer management.
- Demonstrate development of their understanding and practice through the presentation of practical and written evidence.
Content
MODULE 1: Effective Management of Volunteers
- Concepts and values in volunteering
Definitions of volunteering, valuing volunteering and volunteers. - Theory frameworks for managing volunteers
Concepts from management theory and person-centred learning theory. - Recruitment of volunteers
Volunteer motivations, defining volunteer roles, planning a recruitment strategy, attracting volunteers - image and methods. - Selection of volunteers
Principles of selection, procedures for selection, interview techniques, accepting and rejecting volunteers. - Managing volunteers through support and supervision
Definitions of support and supervision, functions of support and supervision, methods of support, techniques for supervision, recognition, dealing with difficulties. - Mid programme review
MODULE 2: Developing Volunteers and Volunteering
- Managing volunteer training
Identification of training needs, principles of programme design, accreditation issues. - Monitoring and evaluating volunteer involvement
Aims, criteria and indicators, gathering and assessing information, producing reports. - Volunteers and the wider organisation
Volunteers and the law, equality and diversity, volunteer/staff relations, developing volunteering. - Developing volunteer policies
Definitions and functions of policies, framework for policy development, reviewing and updating policies.
MODULE 3: Work Based Project
- Project workshop
Development of a work based project which enables participants to analyse their organisations and to apply good practice learning derived from the programme. - Support Workshops
Progress review workshop and support clinic to enable advancement of the work based project, and to facilitate discussion and support amongst participants.
Assessment (based on 2011/12 delivery)
There are 4 assignments (essay style) in total, spread throughout the year, ranging from 1000 - 3500 words. The essays encourage you to reflect on what is good volunteer management practice against what is happening within your organisation in order to identify gaps in practice. The final assignment is the write up of a work based project. Students carry out a short piece of work/project to help address one of the gaps identified in previous assignments. Previous students have carried out a range of activities including; designing volunteer exit questionnaires, role descriptions and recruitment posters; developing a standardised volunteer induction checklist and establishing a Volunteer Forum.
Example Programme Schedule (based on 2011/12 delivery)
All training sessions run from 9.30am sharp - 4.30pm unless otherwise stated or agreed. The majority of sessions are held at Queen’s University Belfast. Some review sessions are hosted at Volunteer Now training facilities in Belfast (Ormeau Rd or Shaftesbury Square).
2011
Sat 17 September
QUB and Course Induction
________________________________________________
Wed 28 & Thurs 29 Sept (2 day training block)
Concepts and Values
Leadership and Management
________________________________________________
19 & 20 October (2 day training block)
Recruitment and Selection of Volunteers
________________________________________________
19 October 2011 (Assignment 1 hand in date)
________________________________________________
16 & 17 November (2 day training block)
Managing Volunteers- Effective tools
________________________________________________
7 December 2011 (1 day training)
Managing Difficult Situations
________________________________________________
8 December 2011 (Half day review)
Assignment Guidance
________________________________________________
2012
Wed11 & Thurs 12 Jan 2 day training block
Evaluating Volunteer Involvement
Managing Volunteer Training
_________________________________________________
Wed 11 Jan 2012 Assignment 2 Hand in Date
_________________________________________________
Wed 1 & Thurs 2 Feb (2 day training block)
Volunteers: the wider organisation and the law
Developing a Volunteer Policy
_________________________________________________
Thurs 1 March (1 day training)
Managing Change
Developing a work based project
__________________________________________________
Thurs 1 March Assignment 3 Hand in Date
__________________________________________________
Wed 7 or Thurs 8 March (1 hour)
One-to-one Support Interviews
To help plan work based project.
__________________________________________________
8 March – 3 May
Completion of a work based project to address a gap
identified in assignments 1-3. Write up of work based project.
__________________________________________________
Wed 11 April
One-to-one support
A session to discuss the progress of work based project (optional)
___________________________________________________
Thurs 3 May (1 day)
Work Based Project: Sharing of learning (not assessed)
Programme review and close
_____________________________________________
Thurs 3 May
Assignment 4 Evaluation of Work Based Project Hand in Date
_____________________________________________
Evening December 2012
QUB Graduation
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© 2012 Volunteer Now
