Corporate Volunteering.

During May 2026, Voluntary Norfolk will be taking part in the national campaign A Million Acts of Hope . The campaign celebrates the millions of people across Britain who support their neighbours and communities every day, helping to create more welcoming and connected places. We would love to showcase the incredible work happening across Norfolk by sharing real stories, examples, and moments of kindness that reflect this spirit of community. We invite you to get involved by sharing with us your own examples of support, volunteering, or community action . These can be big or small – every act of hope helps build a fuller picture of the positive impact taking place across our county. If you would like to contribute, please send us a short description (up to 100 or so words), photos (if available), or any relevant details by Wednesday 6 May to communities@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk You might like to tell us about: A moment when your community came together A simple action that had a positive impact A recent act of kindness you’ve seen or been part of A volunteer who supports their community with compassion For example: “I helped organise a neighbourhood clean-up day at our local park, bringing together residents of all ages. Dozens of people joined in, collecting litter, planting flowers, and chatting with neighbours they hadn’t met before. It created a real sense of pride and connection in our community, and we’re now planning to make it a regular event. It was great to see how a simple idea could bring people together and make a lasting difference.” Selected stories will be shared across Voluntary Norfolk’s social media channels between 13-20 May . Thank you for the vital role you play in supporting our communities. We look forward to celebrating your work as part of this campaign. You can find out more about A Million Acts of Hope here .

In this episode we hear how Opening Doors created practical tools and training supporting more inclusive, confident and supported volunteering across Norfolk and Waveney. The Open Doors Get Volunteering project, funded through the Get InVOLved Innovation Fund, shows how co-produced, easy-read resources can remove barriers and improve access to volunteering for people with learning disabilities. To find out more about the Get Involved Innovation Fund part of the Volunteering for Health programme in Norfolk and Waveney click here Volunteering Discovery is produced by Hospital Radio Norwich for Norfolk and Suffolk ICB. To see the full episode list follow this link here

Corporate volunteering is when businesses support their employees to volunteer their time or skills with voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. This can include team volunteering days, specific support (such as IT, marketing or finance), mentoring, or longer-term partnerships. For VCSEs, corporate volunteering can offer extra capacity, practical help, and access to professional skills that may otherwise be difficult to resource. It can also help build relationships with local employers and raise the organisation’s profile. However, corporate volunteering takes time and coordination. One-off volunteering days or poorly matched offers can create additional work if they don’t align with organisational needs. Clear communication, realistic expectations and well-planned opportunities are key to ensuring volunteering delivers genuine benefit rather than added pressure. When done well, corporate volunteering can be a positive and mutually beneficial partnership that supports organisational goals and community impact. Is This Corporate Volunteering Opportunity Right for Us? Before saying yes, consider: Organisational Fit ☐ Does this activity meet a real organisational need or priority? ☐ Does it align with our mission, values and current capacity? ☐ Is this the right time for us to host volunteers? ☐ Would we need to create specific roles? Capacity and Resources ☐ Do we have time to plan, supervise and support the volunteers? ☐ Can we provide a meaningful activity within the time offered? ☐ Are staff or volunteers available on the proposed date? Practicalities and Risk ☐ Have we considered health and safety, safeguarding and insurance? ☐ Is the activity accessible and appropriate for the group size? ☐ Are tools, materials and space available? ☐ Do all your roles involve checks? Maybe look at creating something new like help with marketing, flyers or fundraising. Managing Expectations ☐ Are roles and outcomes clearly defined and agreed in advance? ☐ Have we been clear about boundaries and what we cannot offer? ☐ Is there an opportunity to build a longer-term relationship? If you decide that offering corporate opportunities is a good fit for your organisation, getting it seen is where we can help. Get InVOLved Norfolk has specific tags to ensure your roles get in front of the corporates that are looking for them. Add opportunities that are tagged as suitable for corporate volunteers, these can be shared to their accounts as well as sent to them directly in targeting mailings. If you need any extra support engaging with corporate volunteers or with using the Get InVOLved Norfolk platform, do reach out to us via the button below.