A Strategy Shaped with People, Not for Them

Jen Paton
11 minutes ago
2 min read

Why the Kickstart Event is an important next step in building a shared vision for volunteering across Wirral

Volunteering is woven through life in Wirral. It happens in community centres and places of worship, sports clubs and schools, hospitals and neighbourhood groups. It can be highly visible or quietly carried out by someone checking on a neighbour, sharing a skill or giving a few hours to a cause they care about.

Yet volunteering is changing. Organisations are responding to new expectations, rising costs and growing pressure on services. Volunteers may want more flexible opportunities, clearer routes to develop their skills, or support to overcome practical barriers. Volunteer Managers are balancing the need to create a positive experience with the realities of limited time and resources.

That is why the Wirral needs a Volunteering Strategy shaped by the people who understand these realities.

What we have heard so far

Over recent months, Wirral CVS has been listening to volunteers, Volunteer Managers, community organisations and partners. We have heard enthusiasm, pride and a strong desire to contribute. We have also heard about barriers involving time, transport, cost, confidence, accessibility, awareness and the support available to both volunteers and the organisations that involve them.

Our research gives us a starting point, not a finished strategy. The next step is to bring people together, check that we have understood the picture and agree which issues matter most.

Why the Kickstart Event matters

On 18th September, we will bring together volunteers and residents with VCFSE organisations, education providers, businesses, public services and other partners. The purpose is not to present a strategy that has already been decided, but to begin co-producing it with the Sector.

We want the event to help us answer practical questions: What should good volunteering feel like? What stops people taking part? What do organisations need to offer inclusive, meaningful opportunities? Where can different sectors work together? How will we know that the strategy is making a difference?

A place for every perspective

A strategy for the whole of Wirral cannot be built by one part of the system. Volunteers bring lived experience, Volunteer Managers understand delivery, Community organisations know the assets and inequalities in their neighbourhoods.

Additionally, Educators can open routes for young people and adult learners, Businesses can contribute time, skills and employer-supported volunteering, while Public services can help connect volunteering with wider priorities while respecting its distinct value.

Not everyone will agree on every point, and that is useful. A strong strategy will emerge from honest discussion about the opportunities, tensions and trade-offs involved.

Join the conversation!

If you care about the future of volunteering in Wirral, we value your voice in discussing the strategy. Join us to test what we have heard, help identify priorities and begin building a strategy that is ambitious, inclusive and rooted in real experience.