We were delighted to have reinstated our Volunteer Forum this March, with volunteers representing a range of groups including Walton Common / Gordano Valley, Browns Folly, Wild Cats, Wednesday Action Group, and the Portishead Local group.  

We discussed the following items: 

Volunteer Policy & Procedures: 

• The Wildlife Trusts are looking at supporting individual Trusts with a new Volunteer Management System. A volunteer management system is software that helps to recruit, train, engage and retain volunteers in one centralised space. A benefit of using a VMS is that Volunteers can access their own details and have autonomy for recording hours, and training etc. Volunteers will be given notice of any changes and full training if we decide to proceed. 
• We are currently auditing our volunteer policy and procedures to ensure they are streamlined and effective. Again, we will give you notice of, and support you with any potential changes that may affect you. 
• Contacting AWT when volunteering out of office hours: Your main point of contact should always be your volunteer lead, if you are volunteering at the weekend your lead should provide you with an emergency contact number.  
• Updating of volunteer skills: We are currently providing some first aid training and reviewing volunteer training needs and how we record these.  The subject of insurance regarding brush cutters was brought up, we confirmed that currently insurance covers volunteers up to the age of 75. We were all keen to explore how volunteers can share skills and knowledge across all our volunteering sites. 

• The induction policy is in the process of being updated and will be completed by the summer. 
• AWT is aware that many of our volunteers are keen to have some form of branded clothing, so that they can be identified when volunteering. We agreed that in the first instance a AWT High Vis would good start. We are now looking at how we might be able to fund this and will update you all soon. 

Recognising volunteer achievement:  

• National Volunteer week is the first week of June. We are currently looking at how we might celebrate this. Suggestions include celebration stories on social media and newsletter letters.  
• Some of our volunteers have asked if it is possible to reassess SSSI status for some sites to boost team morale and to feel validated about the work they are doing. This is something that is being explored but at this time we cannot confirm if this is possible.  

• Volunteers would like to see the return of events such as Christmas lunches, Summer BBQ and Team days out – connecting different groups. We are keen to get back to having in-person events and looking at building a sense of community across our volunteer groups. We will keep you posted about events via the volunteer newsletter. 
• Volunteers liked the idea of Badges to mark a certain number of years/hours of volunteering with trust. We will explore this as an option. 

Newsletter and communications:  

• We launched the new monthly newsletter at the end of February. This includes updates from our reserves, volunteer stories and interviews, blogs, and wildlife facts. We want to encourage volunteers to submit articles on their experience of volunteering, what they might be doing at home or the community to support nature and to share wildlife/conservation skills, interests, photography, and art.  
• We would like to invite all volunteers to read the newsletter as we are increasingly using it as our main communications channel, please encourage anyone you know who is not to sign up via the volunteer page on our website.  

• A link for all current volunteer vacancies will be included in the newsletter.  
• We are in the process of updating our volunteer page on the website. We want to reduce the amount of text and make it more interactive, and volunteer focused. We would like to include interviews, short films, and photos of volunteers. Christian will be visiting volunteer groups to start compiling content. 

The next volunteer Forum will be in the summer, details will be confirmed via the newsletter. 

Christian Emmerson 

Volunteering Manager