Volunteering action plan
Scotland’s volunteering action plan aims to create a Scotland where everyone can volunteer, more often, and throughout their lives. Designed to provide actions over a 10‐year period as a living plan. It seeks to raise the profile of volunteering and its impact on society.
Appendix 3: Lessons learned
The Creation of the Plan was challenging, involving over 60 organisations for more than a year with a strong emphasis on co-production. Volunteer Scotland evaluated this process in March 2022. High level findings and implications for roll-out, are shown below.
Issue: Engagement of partners is critical
Description:
Identifying and engaging the appropriate partners was challenging during the initial mobilisation period.
Implications for rollout:
- Targeting the appropriate organisations/individuals
- Honesty in the time commitment required
- 'Less is more' – a smaller no. of active members is better
Issue: Co-production works!
Description:
Task-focused groups co-producing the Action Plan worked – as measured by attendance, active participation and time commitment.
Implications for rollout:
- A continuation of themed task-focused groups in the Action Plan is an appropriate delivery model.
Issue: Structure – keep it simple
Description:
In hindsight, the VAP structure was overly complex, especially the inclusion of a Governance Group
Implications for rollout:
- Adopt a model based on a single Management Team and task-focused groups.
- The role of Chairs for task-focused groups is critical
Issue: Systems – keep it simple
Description:
Human Learning Systems was appealing to many at the outset, however it proved too complex for time-poor members of the VAP process.
Implications for rollout:
- Retain the spirit of system enquiry, but in a 'light touch' format.
Issue: Management support is key
Description:
Co-production is resource and time intensive. The inputs from Scottish Government and Volunteer Scotland were critical to the delivery of the Plan
Implications for rollout:
- Support for the implementation of a 10-year Action Plan needs proper planning and resourcing.
- Which organisations should be involved? The requirement for a Programme Manager?
Issue: Communications – the lifeblood of such initiatives
Description:
Communications within working groups, between groups and with the management team were considered effective.
Implications for rollout:
- Build upon the communications success in the launch and rollout phase.
- Communications remit will be much wider regarding target audiences.
Issue: 'Voice' was missing in some key areas
Description:
There were gaps in key stakeholder groups: e.g. local authorities and volunteers
Implications for rollout:
- Give greater focus to the engagement process at the beginning of the rollout.
Contact
Email: C19-volunteering@gov.scot
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