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The Volunteer Newsletter Spring 2020

Welcome to your newsletter!

Dear Volunteers,

When we first started getting the newsletter together we were looking

forward to the Easter break and planning for National Volunteers’ Week in

June. What a difference a few weeks make!

COVID-19 Update

Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to say a big ‘THANK YOU’ for

all your help and support through this difficult time. You have been

responsible when there has been the need to self-isolate, and you have

come in to volunteer if you are fit and healthy. I know that some of you are

feeling anxious about your own health, someone in your family or what

impact the virus will have on life as a whole.

As an organisation, we want you to do what is best for you and those

around you. Use reliable sources for information such as www.nhs.uk and

www.gov.uk and follow their guidelines. Try and keep positive and focus

on the things we have, read a good book or listen to some music. If you

do need to speak to someone then there is the Listening Line, 7 days a

week 12 noon to 8pm 0300 303 1360. The Samaritans 116 123 for free,

anytime and a crisis text line: text SHOUT to 85258. A good website to

access is the Mental Health Foundation www.mentalhealth.org.uk

We are following Government guidelines and so have asked all our

volunteers to remain at home. If you are low risk, healthy and you would

like to volunteer for a different cause, please contact your local

Volunteering Centre or for NHS Volunteering the application is via

https://www.goodsamapp.org/NHSvolunteerresponders who are

coordinating volunteering specific to the area and the responses needed.

It is a time for us all to be kind to one another, keep in touch with people

on the phone and social media, check on those who are vulnerable (but

keep your social distance) and remember to look after yourself by eating,

sleeping and doing some exercise (even indoors).

I look forward to seeing you all in the near future, take care.

Esther Douglas, Volunteer Service Manager

Contents

The Difference

You Make

Page 2

Training Updates

Page 3

Volunteer Forum

Page 4 & 5

Social Media and

Groop App

Information

Page 6

Latest News

Page 7

Get in Touch

Page 8

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The Difference You Make

Star Volunteers

‘Positivity’ or ‘Happy’ Jar

Creating a ‘positivity’ or ‘happy’ jar is a great way of reflecting on all the great things that have

happened or the achievements you have made. Now is a great time to stop focusing on the negatives and look at what we have achieved, no

matter how small and celebrate them by putting them in your jar. This could be something you do with friends or family or just by yourself. If you don’t have a jar,

you can use a box or any container you have. Ideas for your ‘positivity’ or ‘happy’ jar:

If you do make one, please take a photograph and share it on our Volunteer Facebook page.

Marzia Arts and Crafts Group volunteer

Marzia is always really helpful and willing to

get involved in anything.

When we have new arrivals she has looked

after and entertained all the children.

She has good people skills and always

creates a welcoming, friendly atmosphere in

the crafts group and on reception.

I really enjoy working alongside her and I am

grateful for all the time and effort she gives.

Tracy Training Centre Reception and Arts and Crafts volunteer For all her fantastic help and support with

the client involvement/forums. She is always

willing to help and works really hard to make

it a success.

Martin Community ESOL volunteer

Martin is always willing to support clients

and staff and will go the extra mile.

He is dedicated in providing support to

clients when required. He notices when

clients have finished their tasks and will go

to them and check their work. Martin is very

good at observing which client has done

better than the session before. He shows a

lot of passion in his job. Definitely a Star

Volunteer.

Sofia and Amir Training Centre Reception and Classroom Support volunteers Sofia and Amir have shown that they enjoy

supporting staff and clients.

Both are very good at meeting and

greeting anyone coming to the reception

and are very willing to help and support

everyone in a professional manner.

Inspiring quotes

Happy moments, things that made you smile

A ticket to a show or a trip you enjoyed

Compliments you have received

Goals you have achieved

New things you have tried

A great book you have read

A song title you like

Things you are grateful for

Fears you have conquered

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Training Updates

Horton Academy training courses

It is really important that you complete your core training in your first six months of volunteering with us. It is our responsibility to ensure that our volunteers are able to carry out the roles you have been recruited to do.

I know it can be hard when you only volunteer for a few hours a week but please ensure you have a conversation with your Supervisor in your next supervision as to how you can fit the training in around your volunteering.

Mandatory courses for volunteers are:

Professional Boundaries

Health & Safety

GDPR

Data Protection

Basic Personal Safety

Equality and Diversity

You can log in to Horton Academy at home (if this is your preferred way of completing training) via the link below using your name e.g. joesephb and password:

https://hortonhousing.learningpool.com/login/index.php

Volunteers can also access face-to-face training via Horton Academy.

Please note: due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, all of our face-to-face training has been cancelled for the time being. I will let you know when this is available again.

If you are self-isolating and well or just looking for something to keep yourself occupied,

you can complete some of the online training at home.

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Winter Forum

Volunteers from a range of services gathered at Horton’s Training Centre in February for the

first Volunteer Forum of 2020.

The start of the forum was rather unusual as Esther entered with two members of a video

production company in tow, who were filming Esther for Horton’s recruitment film. We look

forward to seeing Esther’s cameo when the film is released!

Head of Training Services Lisa Whelan joined us to discuss feedback from the 2019 Volunteer

Survey and a volunteer-focused survey completed by Horton staff. (The main headlines of the

Volunteer Survey were published on the front cover of the Winter newsletter – please let Esther

know if you would like to see a copy).

We also reviewed the Volunteer Service Business Plan and many of you had excellent ideas for

proposals to include in the Plan for the year ahead. Ideas included a Volunteer Open Day, ideas

for an away day and introducing a buddy system. More detail on these ideas can be found in

the ‘You Said, We Did’ on the next page.

Thank you to everyone who attended and took part in the Forums. We hope you found them

useful and took away information about the Survey and plans for the year ahead.

Esther will contact you to let you know whether the next Forum in May is going ahead.

“It was my first forum and I

enjoyed meeting volunteers

from other parts of the

organisation.”

- feedback from forum attendee

“It was interesting to see what

had been achieved in the last

year and for us to be given the

chance to make suggestions

for change.”

- feedback from forum attendee

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Volunteer Service Business Plan Ideas:

Action

Host a volunteer Open Day on either a weekend or an

evening.

Give potential volunteers the chance to come and meet other volunteers and talk

about what we have on offer.

This sounds like a great idea and can be a follow

on of National Volunteers’ Week in June.

We do, however, need to think about logistics and

the venue.

We are not sure yet.

We will discuss it a bit more.

Look at advertising events in the Metro newspaper.

Link in with the T&A regarding

Volunteers’ Week and the Open Day.

We already have good links with the T&A so this should not be an issue.

Our Communications Team will look at the

Metro.

We can do this or we have already done it.

It would be useful to shadow other members of staff, especially if looking for

employment in this area.

We have passed this onto our Learning &

Development Team to discuss further. We will ask another

member of staff.

A buddy system may increase volunteer diversity, break

down language and access barriers to volunteering. Whilst at the same time,

developing the buddy volunteer with applicable

training.

This is a great idea - we will start developing the

role and put it in our 2020/21 Business Plan.

We can do this or we have already done it.

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Keep up to date on Social Media

If you are not already on social media, why not sign up and follow us to keep up to date with the

latest volunteering opportunities, news and events and get to know other Horton volunteers.

‘Like’ us on Facebook ‘Follow us’ on TwitterHorton Housing

Association Volunteers

@hortonvolunteer

Horton Housing Association

@hortonhousingassociation

Horton Housing

Association Volunteers

@HHAVol

Horton Housing Association

@HortonHousing

Groop App

Earlier in the year, we introduced the Groop App for all our volunteers.

You will be able to use this App to contact your Supervisor and other volunteers, log the number

of volunteering hours you have completed and book yourself onto our Forums and other events.

We will be launching the App once we have all volunteers on board.

If you have any issues or concerns, please speak to either your Supervisor or Esther.

Please be assured we are not sharing your data with everyone and only you will be able to see

your personal details.

Volunteers’ Week 2020

The annual national Volunteers’ Week takes place

between the 1st and 7th of June.

The week highlights the positive impact volunteers make

to organisations and communities across the UK.

This year’s theme, ‘Time to celebrate’ is shining a

spotlight on the diverse range of people who give their

time to volunteer and make a difference.

We plan to participate in Volunteers’ Week by promoting

our volunteering opportunities to the public and celebrate you – our amazing Horton volunteers!

How we do this will depend on the Coronavirus situation. We may need to be creative so watch

this space, we will be in touch with details soon. In the meantime, if you have any ideas of how

we can celebrate or if you would like to participate in Volunteers’ Week, please contact Esther.

For more information about Volunteers’ Week, visit: https://volunteersweek.org/

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Latest News Promoting volunteering at Horton Training Centre Receptionist Kristina Batty and Volunteer

Michael promoted Horton’s volunteering opportunities at

the Bradford College Volunteer Fair in February.

Michael said: “We were able to promote Horton Housing to

lots of young people who had not previously been aware of

the work we do supporting vulnerable people in their

communities. It was also a good opportunity to explain to

younger adults the benefits that volunteers gain from their

volunteering work such as training, real work experience,

working as part of a team and a great addition to their

CV’s. I had some interesting conversations that gave me

ideas for future activities/opportunities and I also made

some links with both the College staff and other community groups.”

Hair today… gone tomorrow Student Placement Terri arranged for a

hairdresser to visit a client involvement

session at STAY in Millhaven in Bradford

in March.

Scheme manager Katie Molineux said:

“A big thank you to Terri for coming in

and arranging this in her personal time,

all for our scheme and pampering the

residents and staff!”

One resident went all out and had a complete new look

and had her long locks cut into a very tasteful bob cut (photos before and after).

Heads of Service transform outdoor space A group of our Heads of Service took part

in a ‘Participate’ project team

volunteering day at Oakworth Primary

School, Keighley in February.

They did a great job transforming a

disused outdoor space into a sensory

play area for students. Tasks involved

building flowerbeds and making musical

boards out of everyday/household items.

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Volunteering Opportunities

For the latest volunteering opportunities, visit the volunteering section of our website. Roles are updated on a regular basis. Please note: We have made the difficult decision to stop recruiting volunteers during this period but if you want to register your interest for future volunteering, please do not hesitate to get in contact.

https://hortonhousing.co.uk/volunteering/current-opportunities/

I would love to know what you think about your Volunteer

Newsletter!

Please get in touch with me via the details below to give any feedback, or if you

have any news stories or suggestions for future editions.

Get in Touch

Esther Douglas

Volunteer Service Manager

Email:

volunteer.applications@hortonhousing.co.uk

Write:

Volunteer Service Manager

Horton Housing Training Services

Bewick House

16 Eldon Place

Bradford

BD1 3AZ

Phone: 07525 667895 or 01274 753348