Hello and welcome to TeamKinetic’s TeamTalk August newsletter in blog form! We hope you find value in this TeamTalk, as always, we really appreciate feedback, so feel free to leave a comment, shoot over an email, or message via social media.
This roundup is designed to keep you up-to-date with what’s going on at TeamKinetic, our partners, and across the third sector in general.
If you’d like to subscribe to the TeamTalk newsletter, please send an email over to me at alex@teamkinetic.co.uk and we’ll get you on the list!
To read our roundup of stories we think you need to know about, click to go to the next page below, or choose a story from the list:
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE HERITAGE VOLUNTEERING GROUP
The Heritage Volunteering Group exists to enable the heritage sector to realise the potential of volunteering to transform organisations, lives, and communities.
Our Volunteer Leader of the Year Award, sponsored by TeamKinetic, celebrates the achievements of those who have made a difference and recognises innovative and outstanding examples of volunteering leadership and management within our sector.
Last year’s winner, Kate Powell, said on receiving the award:
“Receiving an award which recognises achievements in a role which I just love and for work that I am incredibly passionate about, is very exciting. I am so lucky to work with a team of talented colleagues both at the Science and Industry Museum and across SMG, who over the last six years have been integral in helping me to build a volunteer and placement programme with our local communities right at the centre of our ambitions.”
Kate Powell, Volunteer Manager at the Science & Industry Museum
Whether a paid or unpaid, Volunteer Coordinator, Supervisor or Manager, if you know someone who has made a real difference to their organisations or their volunteers, then we want to know about it. This year, the winner will receive a £100 gift card, including an hour’s consultation with Rob Jackson Consulting Ltd, and the runner-up will receive a £25 gift card.
The winner will be announced at our annual conference, Heritage Volunteering 2025, which is taking place online on 25-26 November. Heritage Volunteering ‘25 will focus on the role volunteering can play in transforming communities. It will feature a range of keynote speakers, workshops, and panel discussions. Tickets are on sale now at an early bird price of £30.
Applications are welcome from all areas of the heritage sector. The nomination form can be downloaded from the home page at heritagevolunteeringgroup.org.uk and should be returned to heritagevolunteeringgroup@gmail.com by 31st August 2025.
Other News: Tickets Now Available for Heritage Volunteering’25
We’re pleased to announce that tickets for the heritage sector’s flagship volunteering conference, sponsored by Investing in Volunteers, Heritage Volunteering’25, are now on sale via Eventbrite.
Taking place via Zoom on 25 November and 26 November, 9:30 to 13:15, the conference will explore the role that volunteering can play in transforming lives and communities. Our packed itinerary includes insightful keynotes, thought-provoking plenaries and engaging workshops designed to help leaders of volunteers develop and transform the work they do.
This year’s Keynote Speaker, Lisa Ollerhead, Director of the Association of Independent Museums, will explore the impact of the cutting edge Connected Communities project; whilst, Professor Martin Webber and Dr. Beth Casey, from the University of York, will discuss their research and the practical tools they have developed to help organisations build more inclusive volunteering programmes. If that wasn’t enough, attendees will have the chance to pick from 12 workshops ranging from creating communities of volunteering to creating a sense of belonging.
For more information about the Heritage Volunteering Group and the work we do to enable the heritage sector to realise the potential of volunteering to transform organisations, lives, and communities, visit www.heritagevolunteeringgroup.org.uk
Tickets
Early bird: £30 (available until Friday 24 October)
Standard £40 (available from Saturday 25 October till Monday)
Volunteer management is at the heart of many organisations, from charities to community groups, and effective leadership is crucial to ensuring both the individual and the organisation feel the full benefits. The Association of Volunteer Managers (AVM) connects, develops and empowers you to lead, support and manage volunteers effectively by offering a wealth of resources, learning and development and networking opportunities.
Here’s a closer look at the membership benefits that make AVM an invaluable asset for volunteer managers across the UK.
1. Development and Learning Opportunities
AVM places a strong emphasis on continuous learning and development. Members gain access to a variety of events designed to enhance skills and knowledge:
Discounted Access to Events and Conference: Members receive discounts on public peer learning events and the annual conference, ensuring they can engage with leading experts and stay updated on best practices in volunteer management.
Member-Only Events: Exclusive events such as member forums and free think-ins, these sessions provide a platform for in-depth discussions and learning among peers.
2. Mentoring and Networking
Building connections and learning from others’ experiences is vital in volunteer management:
Mentoring Programme: AVM’s mentoring initiative pairs experienced professionals with those seeking guidance, fostering personal and professional growth. This programme is exclusive to AVM members and opens twice a year.
AVM Connect: A facilitated networking scheme that matches members with peers to share experiences, challenges, and solutions, helping to build a supportive community. This is also exclusive to AVM members and runs 5-6 times a year.
Face-to-face meetings: AVM has established regional networking groups across the UK to facilitate in-person peer support.
3. Exclusive Resources and Content
Members have access to a treasure trove of resources to support their work:
AVM Replay: Members can access a series of short webcasts and recordings from past events, offering insights into innovative practices and thought leadership in the sector.
4. Advocacy and Representation
AVM serves as a collective voice for volunteer managers, advocating for the recognition and development of the profession:
Representation: Through its activities, AVM works to raise the profile of volunteer management and influence policy and practice in the sector.
Membership Options
Recognising the diverse nature of volunteer management, AVM offers flexible membership fees:
Individual Membership: Annual fees are based on salary, with reduced rates for those managing volunteers in a voluntary capacity.
Organisational Membership: Organisations can choose the Learning & Development package that best fits their size, ensuring all staff and volunteers benefit from AVM’s offerings.
Joining the Association of Volunteer Managers provides a comprehensive support system for those dedicated to leading and developing volunteer programmes. From professional development and networking to exclusive resources and advocacy, AVM equips its members with the tools and community needed to excel in volunteer management. Whether you’re an individual professional or part of an organisation, AVM offers a pathway to enhance your impact and contribute to the growth of volunteering across the UK.
Join AVM today to feel the full benefit of connecting with fellow leaders of volunteering to make change happen together.
You can find TeamKinetic on social media and listen to our podcast:
Hello and welcome to TeamKinetic’s TeamTalk July newsletter in blog form! We hope you find value in this TeamTalk, as always, we really appreciate feedback, so feel free to leave a comment, shoot over an email, or message via social media.
This roundup is designed to keep you up-to-date with what’s going on at TeamKinetic, our partners, and across the third sector in general.
If you’d like to subscribe to the TeamTalk newsletter, please send an email over to me at alex@teamkinetic.co.uk and we’ll get you on the list!
To read our roundup of stories we think you need to know about, click to go to the next page below, or choose a story from the list:
Hello and welcome to TeamKinetic’s TeamTalk June newsletter in blog form! We hope you find value in this TeamTalk, as always, we really appreciate feedback, so feel free to leave a comment, shoot over an email, or message via social media.
This roundup is designed to keep you up-to-date with what’s going on at TeamKinetic, our partners, and across the third sector in general.
If you’d like to subscribe to the TeamTalk newsletter, please send an email over to me at alex@teamkinetic.co.uk and we’ll get you on the list!
To read our roundup of stories we think you need to know about, click to go to the next page below, or choose a story from the list:
Hello and welcome to TeamKinetic’s TeamTalk May newsletter in blog form! We hope you find value in this TeamTalk, as always, we really appreciate feedback so feel free to leave a comment, shoot over an email, or message via social media.
This roundup is designed to keep you up-to-date with what’s going on at TeamKinetic, our partners, and across the third sector in general.
If you’d like to subscribe to the TeamTalk newsletter, please send an email over to me at alex@teamkinetic.co.uk and we’ll get you on the list!
To read our roundup of stories we think you need to know about, click to go to the next page below, or choose a story from the list:
Evaluating What Matters: Exploring how to capture and showcase social value beyond the pound
As the people, charities and organisations from the third and public sectors in the UK fighting for equality and social inclusion, we are increasingly feeling the pressure to speak the language of funders and government: return on investment, value for money and percentage contributions to GDP. That’s because we depend on getting the funding we need to be able to do what we do best: help people.
However, even if we are putting the emphasis on economic capital and measuring our success in GBP, who will be left to tell the human stories? This is important as when we humans talk about money, it makes us less pro-social. This means that the policy-makers who decide how and where to spend money are less likely to be focusing on social needs when discussing how much it’s going to cost. What if we could see past the pound and stop measuring what is easy and start better understanding and valuing our well-being and all the amazing work that goes into supporting it?
This session will explore how participatory design and leaning into values like joy, connection, and confidence can help evaluate and capture a richer and more holistic social value of projects and services that promote well-being and social inclusion. It will do so using learning from research carried out by Joanne Irvine on the social impact of a Glasgow Life volunteer programme. The session will be participatory and invite participants to reflect on the role of the third and public sectors in promoting more qualitative approaches to measuring social impact.
We are very pleased to extend our Midweek Masterclass programme by welcoming some great guests on to give you some of their insight and expertise. This time around, we have Joanne Irvine, a social designer, facilitator, evaluator, migration and sustainable development expert, and, to top it all off, chair of Volunteer Glasgow!
Wednesday, May 7th 2025, Online
Evaluating What Matters: Exploring how to capture and showcase social value beyond the pound
As the people, charities and organisations from the third and public sectors in the UK fighting for equality and social inclusion, we are increasingly feeling the pressure to speak the language of funders and government: return on investment, value for money and percentage contributions to GDP. That’s because we depend on getting the funding we need to be able to do what we do best: help people.
However, even if we are putting the emphasis on economic capital and measuring our success in GBP, who will be left to tell the human stories? This is important as when we humans talk about money, it makes us less pro-social. This means that the policy-makers who decide how and where to spend money are less likely to be focusing on social needs when discussing how much it’s going to cost. What if we could see past the pound and stop measuring what is easy and start better understanding and valuing our well-being and all the amazing work that goes into supporting it?
This session will explore how participatory design and leaning into values like joy, connection, and confidence can help evaluate and capture a richer and more holistic social value of projects and services that promote well-being and social inclusion. It will do so using learning from research carried out by Joanne Irvine on the social impact of a Glasgow Life volunteer programme. The session will be participatory and invite participants to reflect on the role of the third and public sectors in promoting more qualitative approaches to measuring social impact.
Evaluating what matters: exploring how to capture and showcase social value beyond the pound
Last year, I was researching volunteers and volunteering in Scotland. My research uncovered some really interesting insights. One was that the promotion and communication around volunteering tends to be more focused on the opportunities, challenges and benefits for the volunteer individually and much less on the benefit or impact on communities. The latter is harder to measure yet understood as crucial for volunteer satisfaction and recruitment because volunteers sign up to make a difference and they want to be able to see that difference. It is also necessary to attract funding and support. This led me to start thinking about creative ways to better capture the social value and impact of volunteering on communities and I embarked on a partnership with Glasgow Life to carry out a social impact evaluation on their volunteering programmes.
From my initial desk research, it became clear that our market society demands that we evaluate everything in exact quantities. Most of the social impact reports and efforts I was seeing were measuring people in numbers, volunteering in hours given and results in activities. Even measuring social value tends to be captured by very quantitative elements such as the number of volunteer hours, per cent of profit donated and number of people supported. This is useful at a macro level and has been a great way to get public procurement and private sector to think about how to contribute to social good but it doesn’t tell us much about what is working and the impact it’s having.
What is our role as the third and public sectors?
As the people, charities and organisations from the third and public sectors in the UK fighting for equality and social inclusion, we are increasingly feeling the pressure to speak the language of funders and government: return on investment, value for money and percentage contributions to GDP. That’s because we depend on getting the funding we need to be able to do what we do best: help people and close the inequalities gap. For example, Volunteer Scotland has just released the results of a study it has commission on the social value of volunteering in Scotland which has calculated a whopping contribution of £2.3 billion in terms of economic and social value (not including the costs of volunteering).
When I tried to find the total value of Scotland’s economy, the earliest estimate I could find was for 2023 and it was £218 billion. Comparatively, this means the volunteering sector in Scotland contributes about 1% to Scotland’s GDP. When government officials are looking at sectors and deciding where to make cuts or invest, I am not entirely sure that 1% will sound very important to them unless they know what the impact of that 1% is actually achieving for society. I am sure that the support and care provided to the millions that need it go way beyond quantitative measures.
Moreover, when I asked some volunteers how framing this as a contribution to GDP made them feel, it was a mixed bag. Some thought it was great and couldn’t believe it was so much, some were offended at how their work could be quantified in this way and some felt that their work was being commodified. In fact some volunteers were suffering from a cognitive dissonance between the sense of purpose, feeling part of a community and other benefits they get from volunteering and the feeling of being taken advantage of, trapped in a consumer society they disagree with and feeling pressured into volunteering to help right the wrongs of capitalism gone awry.
Are we perpetuating the ‘economy’ bias?
So even if we are putting the emphasis on economic capital and measuring our success in GBP, who will be left to tell the human stories? This is important as when we humans talk about money, it makes us less pro-social (read David Dylan Thomas’ book ‘Design for Cognitive Bias’ for more).
Let me say this in another way: the policy-makers who decide how and where to spend money are less likely to be focusing on social needs when discussing how much it’s going to cost. Moreover, some studies have also shown that increased wealth inequality can decrease empathy and make individuals more self-focused, potentially reducing pro-social actions.
This is crucial in the context of a difficult fiscal environment in the UK where funding is increasingly limited and public and third sector actors are struggling to maintain their services, show the importance of their work, raise funds and attract and retain staff and volunteers. Yet this work is more urgent than ever: we find ourselves facing unprecedented inequalities whereby the gap between the rich and the poor is only getting bigger at home and globally. We are suffering from a mental health crisis. Loneliness and isolation are on the rise and hyper-individualism and mistrust of government institutions and charities means people are disengaging from civic life and we are seeing a worrying decline in volunteering.
So my question is, should we be speaking their language or should we be fighting for the non-economic value and impact of our work to be duly recognised and measured differently? Perhaps we need a combination.
Some interesting research by Sue Carter Kahl at the University of San Diego for the Initiative for Strategic Volunteer Engagement is also showing that at least some funders want more than just the numbers. I certainly don’t have the perfect solution here (sorry!), but I have a point of view and an example to share and I would welcome people’s views and feedback.
Looking past the pound: a values-based approach
In the research I carried out, I asked how participatory design might help qualitatively evaluate and show the social impact of Glasgow Life’s volunteering programmes. I used a combination of participatory design and design ethnography methodologies to measure the social impact and design a new values-based evaluation framework and a social impact report.
I achieved this by rolling out a collaborative process that got the people benefiting from the programme and the volunteers to define the social impact and value of the programme according to their own lived experience. The data I collected was qualitative and based on semi-structured and unstructured interviews, workshops using engagement tools, a survey with open-ended questions and observation. I analysed the data and experimented by coding it against relevant human values, and then reviewed the results to understand what values were coming out strongest. I then tested and validated the results with the volunteers, staff and participants of the target volunteer programme, which was a weekly Health Walk.
The results?
What emerged was evidence that the health walk is so much more than just a one-hour walk a week with three walk leaders and over 20 community members achieving an average of around 6,000 steps per walk. Multiply that by 22 walks across Glasgow every week with 76 volunteers, which means a total average of 86,944 volunteer hours. Multiply these hours by the minimum wage, and that’s over £1 million value per year to our economy… (See what I did there?)
Rather, it became clear that much more social impact could be measured and showcased than what was being captured. The evaluation showed just how much their Health Walk programme enhances social connection, social inclusion, physical health, mental health, confidence and joy. I combined this with the quantitative data usually collected every year through an annual survey. I was then able to connect this to broader strategies such as Scotland’s National Performance Framework and Scotland’s Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027.
From these results, I developed a simple evaluation framework based on the top five values that emerged from the data and connected these to clear outcomes and results based on the evidence. The idea was to ensure that this could serve as a new way to capture and showcase the social value and impact of the Health Walks every year.
Celebrating volunteers and all the benefits of volunteering
When it comes to evaluation and capturing data, it’s always a good idea to know why you want it, what you need and who it is for. In this case, Glasgow Life wanted to focus on showing volunteers their impact. As I mentioned above, one of the difficulties volunteer-involving organisations have is attracting and retaining volunteers. This is recognised in Scotland’s Volunteering Framework as a key outcome: “There is an environment and culture which celebrates volunteers and volunteering and all of its benefits”. So I used the new evaluation framework and data I had collected to design a simple, lively social impact report that served as a thank you to the walk leader volunteers.
The report turned into what I can only describe as a cross between a photo book and a zine with quotes, case studies and data points to help get the message across. You can find it here.
It’s not fancy or complicated, it’s just different and focuses on showing the qualitative aspects. When I shared the report out over a lovely thank you lunch, the effect it had was palpable. The walk leaders couldn’t quite believe it and even the walkers were reminded how much the volunteers did for them. It was a beautiful moment of shared meaning for everyone and I was very glad I was able to help create it.
Quotes
“It’s great fun being a walk leader and heartwarming to know that it means so much to the walkers – very special indeed!”
Volunteer
“I have to say, I filled up when I read the report. It’s very uplifting to read about the impact that the role we do has on people”
Volunteer
“It just goes to show you that we don’t thank them enough for what they do for us”
Walker
Some reflections
Unlike calculating social value in GBP, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all all solution to capturing and showcasing social impact qualitatively. This makes it hard then for the third and public sectors to be able to collectively show value.
However, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. Barriers to this include the time and effort needed of course as well as a general preference for ‘exact’ data, ‘certainty’ and clearly measurable data that makes qualitative data not as trusted or valued. I think we have a duty to change that. The thing is, we are talking about measuring the social impact of efforts to deal with complex social issues and there is nothing certain or easy about that.
One thing we can be certain of is that social issues are messy, interconnected and difficult to solve. Social issues need social solutions first, then both the human and financial resources to resolve it. So why can’t we frame our work and the impact it has in a social way? It’s just too important not to.
More about Joanne
As a social designer with a background in international development cooperation, Joanne advocates for the social inclusion, human rights and the empowerment of marginalised people and communities to achieve equality for all. She is passionate about participatory design and putting people at the centre of strategy, social design, learning, innovation and evaluation. She has longstanding experience with the United Nations Development Programme and the UN Migration Agency providing technical assistance, capacity development, strategic planning and policy advice to help governments embrace diversity, reduce inequalities and support communities become more inclusive and prosperous.
She has been fortunate to have lived in Spain, Tunisia, Egypt, Belgium and Switzerland and has travelled and worked extensively with many countries’ local and national authorities, charities and UN partners worldwide. After returning to Scotland in 2023 and pursuing further education with the Glasgow School of Art, she is enjoying combining her experience in the third and public sectors with her passion for participatory design and innovation. She is now Chair of the Board of Trustees of Volunteer Glasgow and a consultant leveraging design-led research and participatory design to enhance strategic planning, fundraising, evaluation and research for charities and the UN.
Joanne holds a BA and MA in Hispanic Studies and French from Glasgow University, an MA in International Development Cooperation and European Policy from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, a Diploma in Forced Migration and Human Rights from the UN University of Peace and an MDes Design Innovation and Citizenship from the Glasgow School of Art. As a life-long learner, she is also working towards a BA in Visual Communications with the Open University.
Now, we’re going to do something we don’t usually do, and that thing is opening this Masterclass to everyone – not just TeamKinetic users! So please do join us (for free!) to hear Joanne speak about her research and the complex topic of social value.
We are pleased to announce that the next major update of our native TeamKinetic mobile apps is ready for launch. We’ve brought the parity between the desktop and mobile versions closer and fixed bugs and made usability improvements.
HourTrades
You can now view and process HourTrades on the mobile app, all the same functionality that is available on the desktop app is now here as well.
Resource Area
Volunteers can now access the same resources as when using the desktop app right from their dashboard in the mobile app.
Supports all the various types of resource options; links, text, downloads etc.
Opportunity Badges
We now display the opportunity badges as tags in the search results page. When viewing the opportunity, you can see the icons and names of the badges associated with the opportunity.
HTML Opportunity Descriptions and Event Description
The mobile app will now correctly display the new HTML content that we have added to your opportunity description text. You can now add links and styling to your descriptions and see them all on the mobile app.
Additionally, we have added support for HTML in the event page, which has been available in the desktop version for a while now.
Session Descriptions
The new session info descriptions that you can add to individual sessions are also supported in this new mobile release. You can add unique text and links to each individual session.
Paged Search Results
When you perform an opportunity search, you’ll get the first 25 results immediately, and then as you scroll down, we’ll present the next set to you.
This greatly improves the speed at which we can return the first set of results and provides a super easy way to get to the next set; just pull down on the screen to reveal the next 25 results.
Opportunity Chat Room Visibility
When the opportunity chat room functionality was switched off, the icon for the chat room was still shown, although the chat room was not functional. This obviously caused confusion and has now been fixed.
There are over 35 smaller updates and changes, from fixing typos to making the ordering of sessions make more sense. Update and give it a whirl.
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A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending my very first HVMN Conference in Leeds. If you’re from the hospice sector, chances are we may have crossed paths over the past year. Finally getting to meet so many incredible people in person, hear their stories, and share experiences was truly a highlight.
This year’s conference took place at the beautiful Horizon Hotel in Leeds. The venue was spacious, which was a blessing given the number of sponsors and exhibition stands – no risk of feeling cramped! Our stand had a prime location right next to a coffee machine, which, if you ask me, is a small but significant win.
I spent two days immersed in conversations, listening to stories from hospices across the country – their challenges, their worries, but also their wins and hopes for the future. There’s something incredibly inspiring about being in a room full of people so dedicated to making the world a better place. Yes, my social battery was running low by the end of each day, but I left with a renewed sense of hope and excitement for what’s ahead.
Lessons learned
Leaving the event after two days was bittersweet – I only wish it happened more than once a year! But more than anything, I felt grateful to be part of such a passionate and resilient community.
Each day was packed with insightful speakers who weren’t afraid to tackle big, sometimes controversial, topics. And that’s what made these talks so impactful. They reminded everyone in the room that they’re not alone in their struggles. It’s easy to forget how isolating this kind of work can be until you’re in a space where others openly share the same feelings. The camaraderie in the room was undeniable. It’s no wonder so many people left with big smiles on their faces.
From TeamKinetic’s perspective, it was fantastic to see our clients in person and catch up over a coffee. I had the chance to chat with many people, including those who didn’t end up using our system – it was still lovely to check in and see how things were going.
Having attended a few conferences during my time at TeamKinetic, I can say that each one has its own unique character. What makes the HVMN Conference stand out is that everyone there is in the same boat. There’s an unspoken understanding, a shared mission, and even the formation of friendships.
