Embrace Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) to gain skilled volunteers, create lasting partnerships and collaborate to strengthen your community.
Why use ESV?
ESV gives your organisation access to skilled, employer-supported volunteers who can share their time, expertise and fresh perspectives. While they may not be your regular volunteers, they can provide valuable, hands-on support where it’s needed most.
Durham Community Action facilitates the County Durham ESV network, ensuring VCSE and community needs remain central to ESV and social value conversations. When done well, collaboration between the private and voluntary sectors can deliver meaningful, community-led impact.
Utilising the ESV Offer
Plan ahead
Be clear about what support you need and when. Planning helps organisations match the right volunteers, manage workloads, and provide realistic support. ESV can also ease pressure on staff or existing volunteers and help deliver specific projects or events.
Be flexible
By welcoming ESV volunteers and offering a range of ways for people to get involved, you can build lasting relationships that could lead to future opportunities.
DCA can help facilitate hosting larger groups of volunteers to alleviate some of the organisational pressure. Offering ESV volunteers a range of accessible opportunities, including drop-in or low-commitment sessions (for example: extra help at a coffee morning), makes it easier for more employees to get involved. Getting them through the door and aware of what you do and why you do it can lead to future support.
You can find more information about the types of ESV volunteering here
Be clear about expectations
Clearly outline what support you need to ensure volunteers can meet your expectations and know what they are signing up for.
Be proactive
Promote the work you do and the difference it makes. Volunteers who understand their impact are more likely to share their experience and strengthen relationships with their employers. Thank volunteers and share impact stories to build long-term partnerships and open doors to further support.
How can DCA help you with ESV?
- We can help facilitate ESV to alleviate the organisational pressure on your staff/organisation.
- We can promote your offer to the ESV network and other local businesses looking to get involved in volunteering.
If you have a specific opportunity or project that you require ESV support with, you can complete this form.
If you have multiple ways ESV can get involved with your organisation, or aren’t fully sure on what ESV support you could get, email us at volunteering@durhamcommunityaction.org.uk.
For ideas on how you could benefit from ESV, read our case studies here
