Volunteers’ Week: Behind Every Great Volunteer is a Strong Foundation

Volunteers’ Week: Behind Every Great Volunteer is a Strong Foundation

As we mark Volunteers’ Week, we can all remember stories of incredible people giving their time, energy, and love to causes that hold our communities together. From food banks to friendship clubs, park clean-ups to peer support, volunteers are the quiet force behind much of the good happening across London.

At Compost London, we don’t directly run volunteer programmes. But we know that great volunteering doesn’t happen by accident. It takes infrastructure. It takes training. And it takes trust.

That’s where we come in.

We support the organisations that support volunteers. The community groups, mutual aid collectives, and small charities that want to involve volunteers—but don’t always know where to start, what policies they need, or how to keep people safe, motivated and included.

We can help you:

• Develop robust volunteering policies
• Understand the legal distinctions between volunteers, workers, and trustees
• Build welcoming and accessible volunteer cultures
• Train their Trustees and leadership on the value and management of volunteers
• Strengthen their governance, so volunteers aren’t just ‘helpers’ but part of the organisational ecosystem

Volunteering done well is a mutual exchange—and when it’s underpinned by clear processes, safe systems, and inclusive values, everyone benefits.

A big Thank you goes to Melissa Nhau, a Media Trust volunteer who helped us explore different approaches to Social Medi and hope we hope will return to help us implement the ideas. Flee free to click on the link if you are interested.

We also want to take a moment to recognise the brilliant work of Newham Council’s “Volunteering in Newham” programme, which plays a key role in connecting residents with local opportunities and helping organisations recruit volunteers safely and effectively. Get in touch.

So this Volunteers’ Week, I want to give a quiet shoutout not only to the volunteers (who are amazing), but also to the organisations working behind the scenes to do it right—and to those, like Newham Council, helping coordinate efforts borough-wide.

If you're a Newham-based group needing support with your volunteering processes, governance, or Trustee development, please do get in touch. Through our Nourish Fund, we might be able to offer support at no cost.

📩 Find out more at: www.compostlondon.org.uk

Let’s keep supporting those who give—and make sure the foundations are strong enough to hold them.

Sandra White
CEO, Compost London CIC

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