Submitted by Carrie Brookes on 1 Mar 2024 - 3:28pm
We are delighted to have awarded the first Volunteer Academy Quality Award (VAQA) to Fareshare North East, Middlesbrough branch.
The Volunteering Academy Quality Award is to help organisations give volunteers assurances on the quality of their experience. It's been set up by MVDA's Volunteering Academy, and will officially launch in June 2024.
Lesley Spaven from MVDA said:
"The Middlesbrough branch of Fareshare North East has been helping MVDA's Volunteering Academy to pilot test our local volunteering quality award. This will be given to volunteering involving organisations that meet criteria around how they recruit, train, retain and support their volunteers. Fareshare was assessed by two members of the Volunteering Academy which included how they ensure their volunteer's experience and volunteering journey is a positive one. Having successfully met the criteria Fareshare were granted the award on 29 February 2024 which will be valid for three years."
During the assessment process, we heard from their volunteers who had very positive things to say about their experience including:
- ‘I enjoy volunteering at Fareshare, it keeps me active and I meet many different people. The atmosphere is friendly and supportive’
- ‘volunteering with Fareshare has been a truly rewarding and enriching experience’
- ‘the moment I stepped into Middlesbrough branch of Fareshare North East, a warm and inviting atmosphere enveloped me. The staff greeted me with genuine smiles and friendly gestures.. to ensure I felt comfortable and included’
- ‘it has been a pleasant and enjoyable experience for me to volunteer with Fareshare and has allowed me to positively influence by neighbourhood and support this vital goal’
- ‘if anyone has time on their hands – volunteer. Volunteering is fantastic and I would advise anyone to do it if possible’
Find out more about our Volunteering Academy and our new award which we will be launching widely in June.
