Published date: 05 December 2021
International Volunteering Day
Sunday 5th December was the UN’s International Volunteering Day (IVD) – a day to recognise and promote the efforts of volunteers across the world.
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This year, we set ourselves the challenge of having 5% of our colleagues dedicate some of their working hours to improve the health and wellbeing of communities across England. This IVD, we’re proud to announce that we have surpassed our scorecard target with over 300 colleague taking part to date.
But volunteering isn’t about corporate targets; it’s so much more. It’s giving your time, energy, and skills to support community organisations, it’s learning more about the needs of our communities and it’s helping to improve the health and wellbeing of people. Each and every one of my colleagues has done this by volunteering, helping people become healthier and happier, and supporting the NHS.
With over 50 activities taking place since April, colleagues from NHSPS have been making a tangible impact. We’ve seen teams big and small develop our greenspaces giving patients and colleagues access to outdoor wellbeing areas, they've written letters and befriended people who are lonely and isolated, distributed food packages and hot meals to the hungry at foodbanks, maintained adventure playgrounds for children with no access to safe outdoor spaces, made puzzles to support people with memory disorders, helped members of a mental health rehabilitation centre master digital skills, shared career stories to inspire young people in unemployment – the list goes on!
Having seen the enthusiasm from our colleagues, and hearing how much they’ve all got from volunteering, we’re now aiming to enable 7% of colleagues to take part in some activity by end of the financial year.
As December is a bit cold to be out in a garden and with the festive period upon us, we’re currently looking for as many colleagues as possible to take part in our Festive Letter Writing for vulnerable people on December 10th. This is a one-hour, online workshop for colleagues to dial in together with their team in the office or take part from home to write to vulnerable people. The cards and letters will allow those receiving them to use your eyes as a window and have a personal story to read at Christmas.
I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone at NHSPS for the time they have given and the difference they are making. We’re excited to see what more is to come!
