Making Corporate Volunteers Work For You
This March ELBA’s Community Programme hosted its annual training event for community partners. The aim of the event was to share best practice when working with corporate volunteers. Over 15 community organisations including community centres, food banks, youth groups and social enterprises heard from members of the Challenge and Connect teams who spoke about the different types of support that ELBA’s Community Programme could provide east London’s third sector organisations with. Topics ranged from help with finding trustees and mentors, to support with transforming spaces and places, and engaging with beneficiaries.
Team Challenge co-presented with Cassie Liversidge, an eco teacher that works across several primary schools in east London to enhance the learning of the environment, nature and plants with the use of school gardens. As an experienced community partner working with ELBA for over 5 years, Cassie was sure to emphasise to the room the importance of ‘always telling volunteers the value and impact of their assistance to your charity.’
The Connect ELBA team, who facilitate business skills volunteering, presented their BoardBuilders programme which places Trustees at ELBA’s Community Partners, their Executive Partnerships programme which provides coaches/mentors for senior members of staff at east London charities and both their consultancy and capacity building pieces and beneficiary workshops.
Marie Mcleod from Depression Changes Minds, a charity in Tower Hamlets, spoke about how she has benefitted from an Executive Partner over the past year:
“It has been very rewarding. I had a really good match and found it a positive relationship for both mentor & mentee. I am still in touch with my mentor now and update her on my progress, which is great!”
Overall, the Community Training was a fantastic opportunity for ELBA’s community partners to come together and learn about the offerings that the Community Team can deliver. Community partners are leaders in their space and it was a pleasure to provide an overview of both halves of ELBA’s Community Programme including expertise and advice on best practice. This was the very first time Challenge and Connect had worked together on training and it was a great team experience for us all. Thank you to all our attendees. We look forward to working with you in the near future!
