- Recruiting, retaining and rewarding our volunteers united in Wakefield.

Our proximity connects volunteers with people with dementia. Whether it's a walk in the park, running errands, sporting events or just good conversation, our volunteers help seniors to continue doing what they love. Funding allows us to think differently about how we convey to people the value of volunteering side by side and the value it has for the people who use the service. For example, we seek to share the stories of our couples and record them on video/audio to make them more accessible to the general public.

 

Wonderful stories - like Bob and Michael's - were featured in the local Yorkshire Post. These stories can have an impact on a much wider audience if we use different media to enable them to share their experiences. This would enable us to reach out to new members of the community to identify potential new volunteers.

Michael Robinson with Side by Side volunteer Bob Bird

We are now looking for ways to reward and recognize volunteers on a regular basis (in conjunction with our current regional volunteer events). This will also be an invaluable opportunity to share positive practices.