Investing in Volunteers

Even decades after the growing shift towards supported living and people with learning disabilities living within communities, people can still be left isolated and disconnected. At Mirus, we are committed to bringing volunteers alongside us in our journey to build a better future for the people we support, and their families, friends and communities. 

This Volunteers’ Week, we’re saying a big thank you to our amazing volunteers. We’re also celebrating something special: we’ve achieved the Investing in Volunteers award for the second time! 

How our volunteers make a difference  

Our volunteers support people to live good lives by opening new opportunities, relationships, and ways of being part of the communities that we work in. They also play a huge part in making the Cardiff Stronger Communities group a real success. Whether it’s gardening, joining a walking group, picking litter, bowling, or sharing a drink and chat at a café – these activities help people to feel part of something.

We see the impact this makes firsthand, with communities growing out of these activities, regular friendships, connections and changes as a result. A pub with an accessible ramp added, with regulars visiting at the same time to connect with their newfound friends, word of mouth bringing more people together, and more… and that’s just one change from one community group. 

How the assessment worked 

We’ve always known that volunteers make a difference, but over the past year we’ve taken a closer look at how we involve and support them. To achieve the award, we were assessed against six areas – and we met them all! The assessment looked at all our policies and processes, but most importantly, it focused on what our volunteers experience and how they are supported.  

Many of our volunteers tell us that giving their time to Mirus is rewarding and enjoyable. Volunteer Jonathan told us:  “When I volunteer, it’s a great opportunity to meet new people and make friends. I enjoy being part of the community.” Annaliese, who also volunteers, said: “I like volunteering because I like being out and about in the community and helping people.” 

What we did and what we learned  

Working with our HR, Recruitment, Communications and Learning and Development teams, we reviewed and refreshed everything – from our volunteer handbook and application process, to policies, training, and induction. It’s now simpler, clearer and easier to get involved. The way we recruit, train and support volunteers now mirrors the process we use for staff – welcoming volunteers into the organisation from the start and making sure they have the best possible experience from the moment they get in touch.  

Jade, our Volunteer Coordinator led the work and said: “It’s been a real learning curve. I’ve learned a lot about myself and how we work as an organisation. Going through this process showed us how much people from across the organisation really do appreciate our volunteers, and how ready they are to support them.”  

The award recognises how we’ve embedded volunteering into Mirus – volunteers are included in everything that we do – from induction and training to Better Together events and feedback opportunities. Most of our volunteers are people supported by Mirus or other organisations, and the assessor praised our inclusive approach. 

Our next steps and thank you 

Trustee Roz Waterhouse said: “Volunteering as a trustee with Mirus since 2019 has been a real joy. I’ve loved getting to know the people we support and the team members by joining in with Better Together events, Mirus Stars Awards, the Cardiff Women’s Group, and visiting people in their homes. Mirus really values and encourages this kind of involvement, and it means so much to feel part of what’s happening. It’s what makes volunteering here so worthwhile.”  

Jade said:

“We’ve come a long way – and we’re not stopping here. We want volunteering to be for everyone. That means continuing to listen and build on what we’ve learned. We already offer Tempo Time Credits as a reward for our volunteers, and we’re looking to expand that to offer free hotel stays through Room to Reward too.”  

This Volunteers’ Week, we want to say a huge thank you to our volunteers for their time, their energy and their kindness – they are an extremely important part of Mirus. 

Volunteer with us 

 If you’re interested in volunteering at Mirus, we have varied, flexible and fun opportunities and we welcome volunteers from all backgrounds, abilities and experiences. To find out more, visit our website: www.mirus-wales.org.uk/volunteer