Celebrating Community Champions as part of Volunteers’ Week

Next week marks the beginning of Volunteers’ Week 2017, an annual event from 1-7 June which celebrates the difference volunteers make to communities across the country.

NALC will be playing its part through our Community Champions Week aimed at promoting the amazing 80,000 people who give up time and hold public office as local parish and town councillors. We’ll also be shining a spotlight on the wider work of local councils and the volunteers they work with. During the week we’ll be running various social media campaigns and telling stories which will celebrate the difference local councillors are making in their areas. So why not put it in your diary and help us big up the community champions at the heart of local democracy?

How can I get involved?

• Through social media using the hashtag #volunteersweek and tagging us in your posts using @NALC.

• Join the Twitter parties on 1 June 2017 at 12.30–13.30 and 5 June, 14.30–15.30 - during this time organisations across the country will be tweeting to say thank you to their volunteers using #volunteersweek.

• Celebrate your own volunteering and inspire others by taking photos of yourself using the banner and #ivolunteer to tell everyone why you get involved in your community.

• Hold an event for prospective local councillors.

• Organise an event such as a litter pick or park party to encourage your community to volunteer and get involved with your council.

• Create a Community Hero  Award to recognise volunteers’ contributions to the community

• Keep a look out for our Community Champion case studies which we will be launching during the week

• Tune into our Facebook Live interview with NALC chair, Sue Baxter who will be answering your questions

Where can I find out more information?

• Check out the Volunteers’ Week webpage which includes a resource pack to help you plan Volunteers’ Week events, this includes a handy hints guide to inspire your plans and a banner which allows you to tell everyone why you volunteer.

• NCVO are also making available free resources for the whole week including a free video training on finding and managing volunteers, unlimited access to their volunteering information sheets and quick guides on volunteering.

80,000 local councillors are doing amazing work serving and delivering for residents and communities on a daily basis. Here are interviews and features on some of them.