Today (Wednesday 5 November) marks听International听Volunteer Managers鈥� Day 2025,听补苍诲听飞别鈥檙别听肠别濒别产谤补迟颈苍驳 the work of Volunteer听Supervisors here at 蜜桃视频鈥檚!
Although IVM Day was developed internationally, for us at 蜜桃视频鈥檚 it is here to highlight our volunteer supervisors, their skills, knowledge and impact on volunteers. This year’s theme is听,听and to听reflect听this theme,听we鈥檙e听focussing on听the听hard听work听of听our volunteer听supervisors.
Joanna Cieslak,听Outreach Coordinator,听has been working听for 蜜桃视频鈥檚听in Brent听for听over 10听years.听On听top of听her听current role,听Joanna听has been听superb听in how听she听recruits,听manages听and听develops听volunteers. She says:
鈥淚鈥檝e had the privilege of working with an incredible range of volunteers who bring so much passion and energy to what we do. The best part of managing volunteers is seeing their commitment and willingness to help rough sleepers, as well as the genuine support they bring to our service.
Many of our volunteers have full-time jobs, yet they still find time to give back to the community and learn more about the homelessness sector. Their dedication and compassion never fail to inspire me.
To me, being bold means giving people opportunities to grow, even when they may not yet see their own potential.听It鈥檚听about thinking creatively in how we engage with volunteers, challenging assumptions, and creating spaces where people feel empowered to make a difference.
Being bold is also about advocating for our volunteers 鈥� recognising their value and helping them to realise the impact they can have in supporting others on their recovery journey.鈥�
All these years, Joanna has been听adding听social听value to听the borough of Brent by听recruiting听volunteers听living听locally听and听upskilling them through their听roles.听Joanna has interviewed over 35听volunteers听over the years,听onboarded听and supported about听10听of them,听directly or indirectly.
鈥�I鈥檝e听learned to spot potential in people 鈥� especially those who show a genuine interest in homelessness and helping others.听I鈥檝e听seen many volunteers grow in confidence, develop new skills, and even go on to secure employment with 蜜桃视频鈥檚 or other homelessness charities. Watching that transformation is incredibly rewarding.鈥�
We see Joanna as a BOLD volunteer supervisor because she听validates听people鈥檚听skills, lived听experience听and听backgrounds听in practice.
She听will听always听find听time to check in听with them and get their听feedback听on shifts,听after听incidents and听on their听overall听volunteering experience.听Herself and her team听keep听us听in the loop听with all developments听and听volunteer records up to date听so we can,听too,听witness听the听great impact听Brent volunteers are making听locally.
鈥淢ost of our volunteers 鈥� if not all 鈥� have made a significant impact.听We鈥檝e听been听very fortunate听to have volunteers from a wide range of听backgrounds听and听languages such as Polish, Italian, Romanian, Somali, and now Portuguese. Language skills have been invaluable, helping us to build immediate connections with rough sleepers from those communities and improving trust and engagement.听
We also had a volunteer with lived听experience.听Her openness and encouragement inspired several individuals to engage with services听who believed听that positive change was possible for them too.鈥�
We鈥檝e听been听very proud听to see that听five听volunteers听from听Joanna鈥檚 team have now听moved听into paid employment听with St. Mungo鈥檚听and听externally.
鈥淭飞辞听of the people I recruited as volunteers in the past are now听permanent staff on my team,听one听with听the听Westminster听Outreach Team and听another听with听the听Roma Outreach Team.鈥�
We asked听Joanna for some reflections听and听advice for anyone听thinking听of recruiting volunteers for their team:
鈥淔or anyone听struggling to find the ‘perfect’听volunteer,听I鈥檇听say that听there鈥檚听rarely such a thing as the听鈥榩erfect鈥櫶齰olunteer 鈥� everyone brings something unique and valuable to the team. Sometimes the volunteers you least expect end up making the biggest impact听– focus on potential听rather than a perfect skill match.鈥�
We听didn鈥檛听stop听there,听however. We听asked听people who were supported by听Joanna听to tell us听what they think:
鈥淛oanna has been such an important part of my journey. From the very beginning, she saw my potential and gave me the confidence to grow into my role. Her kindness, patience, and trust helped me to build my confidence and grow into my role as a staff member. Joanna truly embodies the spirit of being bold and making change听because she leads by example and inspires others to do the same.听She鈥檚听been a real inspiration!鈥� 鈥� Mihaela Turcu
鈥淚 first met Joanna during my social work placement in 2017. While working with another service in the area, I began going out on joint shifts with the Brent outreach team and quickly realized this was the area I wanted to work in. I was eager to volunteer with the team, and Joanna fiercely advocated for me. At the time, I was young and inexperienced, but I was never made to feel that way.
All learning happened at my own pace, and听I鈥檓听deeply grateful that my early days in the sector were spent with such knowledgeable and compassionate staff like Joanna. I want to thank Joanna for giving me a chance and believing in me 鈥� that belief gave me the confidence to continue in this sector. I know I听wouldn鈥檛听be where I am today if I听hadn鈥檛听met her!鈥澨�– Willow Hilton
“When I first started volunteering, I felt quite unsure of myself and doubted whether I had the skills or knowledge.听Joanna was incredibly supportive from the very beginning.听Even though she was often busy, she always took the time to explain things clearly and patiently, which helped me build confidence.
Her encouragement and guidance have played a key role in my development, and I’m genuinely grateful for her continued support.” – Francesca听Pintori
To find听out more about volunteering at 蜜桃视频鈥檚,听click here.
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