By Matt Richardson - Social Value Lead
To fully comprehend the social impact of volunteering, it’s crucial to understand our core mission as 'profit for purpose' in prioritising how we address social issues over commercial gain. By integrating volunteering into our operational activity, we’re able to amplify our ability to support individuals and communities where these issues hit hardest.
One of the main ways volunteering generates social impact is by directly contributing to the community. With our large colleague-base, we can mobilise a substantial number of volunteers, enabling them to reach a broader section of the population. Whether it's providing additional physical resource to frontline services, offering career training and guidance to underprivileged young people, or supporting small organisations in marginalised communities, you have the platform to make a tangible difference in people's lives.
Empowering individuals and communities
Moreover, the societal impact of volunteering extends far beyond immediate assistance, and it plays a crucial role in empowering individuals and communities. In volunteering your time, skills and support, it creates opportunities for skill development, capacity building, and self-sufficiency. For instance, volunteers may teach essential life skills, mentor disadvantaged individuals, or facilitate workshops to enhance employability. By doing so, they equip individuals with the tools they need to improve their lives and break the cycle of poverty.
Volunteering alongside colleagues also fosters a sense of belonging and social cohesion. When colleagues actively engage in volunteer activities, they strengthen their bond as a team and build a collective identity rooted in their shared commitment to making a difference. This camaraderie extends beyond the workplace, creating a ripple effect that inspires others to get involved and contributes to the overall social fabric of the community.
Social impact generated by volunteering
Another important part of the social impact generated by volunteering is the ripple effect it has on society's perception of social issues. By uniting a diverse workforce of over 1500 colleagues, a social enterprise can create a powerful platform for raising awareness and advocating for change. Volunteers, by sharing their experiences and insights, challenge societal preconceptions and contribute to broader conversations about the root causes of social problems.
An often-overlooked aspect of volunteering is its potential to create systemic change. When our colleagues support organisations with strong social purpose, they gain a level of first hand understanding of the issues faced by marginalised communities. Armed with this knowledge, they can become advocates for policy reforms that address the underlying causes of social problems. By leveraging their collective voice, a socially conscious workforce can influence decision-makers and drive systemic change at a more extensive scale, perpetuating sustainable social impact.
In conclusion, the social impact of volunteering by you and your colleagues can be impactful and rewarding. It reaches beyond immediate assistance, empowering individuals, building social cohesion, challenging societal perceptions, and driving systemic change. By harnessing the collective power of our colleagues expertise and experience, we have the unique ability to maximise the true value of volunteering – unlocking the potential of individuals, transforming communities, and creating a more equitable and inclusive society for all.
Our volunteering policy, Volunteer2day, allows you to take up to two days leave in any one-year rolling period to volunteer. To find out more, visit the Volunteering Opportunities page on Our Working Way.