Perfect Partners: Volunteering and Social Enterprise
By: Sassy Hicks
It’s 1pm, and in a high tech and bustling radio studio just north of Pontypool, a hugely popular music show is about to go live across the airwaves. A production assistant dashes in, clutching a playlist of tracks, whilst the presenter counts the seconds ticking past on the illuminated studio clock. Sitting to one side, the producer makes a last minute check over scripts…and then its airtime. This scene is played out at radio stations across the world, but the difference in this case is that all the production staff are volunteers and the radio station - Able Radio - is a well-respected and hugely successful Social Enterprise.
Ask the public to define what ‘volunteering’ actually is, and the majority would answer in a way we have all come to expect: that it’s the selfless giving of personal time, energy and effort to assist a multitude of charitable causes. But things are changing in the volunteering landscape and increasingly, volunteers themselves now need to gain more than just a sense of altruism for all their hard work. In this tough economic era, no one can afford to simply give up large swathes of their time to lend a hand; many volunteers now need to be able to gain worthwhile skills and experience that can strengthen their CV’s for future employment and due to decreased funding and increased costs, social enterprises are even more reliant on the goodwill of volunteers.
In a perfect world, this is a mutually beneficial situation where both sides gain, as Rob Symons, General Manager of Able Radio explains. ‘A Social Enterprise is, at its heart, a company,’ he says, checking his volunteer list for the day. ‘So whilst still working towards social aims, those who work there are aware of the need to behave in a professional, business-like fashion. A good Social Enterprise will value its volunteer as a crucial resource in achieving its goals. As such, they are likely to be well used, are likely to have suitable and fulfilling work and be treated with great respect. In addition, for any volunteer using volunteering as a way of gaining experience to improve their employability, time in a Social Enterprise may have a great impact.’
The added value that is derived from volunteering for a Social Enterprise can’t be denied; because they have sustainability at their core, most Social Enterprises are unique and innovative places to spend your time. They can push the boundaries of what is achievable due to the flexibility of their business model (unlike many privately owned companies), they tend to be super responsive to the training needs of their staff and volunteers, creating strong partnership working relationships across all sectors is the norm - and because they usually are placed frontline within communities - you can guarantee a good Social Enterprise will be the first to know of any opportunities locally: all great reasons for a volunteer looking to gain worthwhile skills and networks to join one!
As someone who has run award winning Social Enterprises in the past, I have seen first-hand how volunteers and Social Enterprises can form a very special and symbiotic partnership. Of course, like any good relationship, it’s about communication, mutual appreciation and understanding respective needs. Ultimately, a Social Enterprise needs competent and committed volunteers who understand that even though it has charitable aims; as a business, it still needs to turn a profit to survive, and equally, the organisation must recognise that volunteers need to gain more than just time spent doing good. Rob Symons agrees ‘Our current and past volunteers have gained a purpose, learned new skills, improved their social lives and in some cases gained employment, both within Able Radio and outside. Currently all of Able Radio’s staff are former volunteers; not because Able restrict their recruitment, but because the experience they gain as volunteers makes them the best suited for new jobs.’
Partly because of the jobs market and economic situation, volunteer centres and County Voluntary Councils are reporting a surge in requests for volunteering placements, whilst Social Enterprises need all the support they can get to help become sustainable and in turn, boost the economy: seems like a win/win situation. But what can we say to encourage potential volunteers to take up roles in a Social Enterprise setting? ‘Start by looking carefully at what you want to achieve, and then go for it!’ smiles Rob Symons. ‘I’d encourage anyone to give Social Enterprise a go, especially if your long term aim is to seek paid work, but like anything else, what you get out depends on what you put in.’ Volunteering and Social Enterprise? There’s a lot to love.
Special thanks to Able Radio and its volunteers.