Celebrate Volunteers Week: The Impact of Giving Your Time

Volunteering can be incredibly beneficial both to a person’s physical and mental health, at ExtraCare volunteering is at the heart of what we do. With almost 2000 volunteers across our Charity, half of these being resident volunteers our locations and shops are run with the kindness and time of our volunteers.

2025 has proven a special year for the Charity as ExtraCare received the Investing in Volunteers (IiV) standard. The award highlighted how much the Charity values volunteers and demonstrates a commitment to volunteering within the organisation.

We sat down this Volunteers Week with Charity Volunteering Lead Lou Jeavons and Managing Director of Retail Cherry Whiteside to discuss volunteering for ExtraCare and the importance of the IiV standard.

Why do you think volunteering is so important especially in relation to mental or physical health?

Lou: Volunteering improves mental health by reducing isolation and giving a sense of purpose. It also promotes physical activity, keeping volunteers engaged and benefiting their overall well-being.

What would your advice be to people considering volunteering with ExtraCare?

Lou: Volunteering with ExtraCare is a fantastic opportunity to make a real impact in the community, whether you’re looking to give back, learn new skills, or connect with others. Even if you’re new to volunteering, you’ll quickly feel like part of a welcoming team, with plenty of meaningful opportunities to get involved!

Since I’ve been in post, we’ve had great success at Head Office, with volunteers securing permanent positions in HR and Income Management.

Cherry Whiteside & Lou Jeavons

Do you have a message for our volunteers this Volunteers Week?

Lou: Thank you for your dedication! Your time and compassion make a huge difference in our community. We appreciate everything you do—happy Volunteers Week!

What is the Investing In Volunteers standard and why is it so important for us as a Charity to have IIV?

Lou: The award is a way to recognise organisations that do a great job involving and supporting volunteers. It shows that they have the right practices in place to make sure volunteers feel valued and supported. Having the accreditation is important for us as a charity because it shows our commitment to treating volunteers with respect and providing them with the support they need to thrive. It helps us attract and retain volunteers by creating a positive and well-structured experience, while also boosting our credibility and trust with donors, partners, and the community. Ultimately, it ensures that our volunteer program is sustainable, effective, and able to grow as we continue making a difference.

Cherry: We hope that this shows existing and potential volunteers that volunteering with us at ExtraCare is an enjoyable and worthwhile experience for all. It’s an opportunity to develop new skills, meet new friends and become part of a community, all whilst volunteering in one of our ExtraCare retail shops.

Resident Volunteers at Lark Hill Village

What work has been involved to get this?

Lou: To achieve the accreditation, we undertook a thorough and structured approach, conducting a comprehensive self-assessment allowing us to identify areas for improvement and ensure that we were meeting the necessary criteria.

We gathered and submitted evidence to address each of the six standards. We took proactive steps to enhance our processes, which included reviewing and updating current documents and creating new processes to further strengthen our volunteer management framework.

The revised processes and updated documentation were then submitted for review. One of the key requirements was volunteer interviews. Although the standard was to interview 70 volunteers, we went above and beyond by interviewing 91 volunteers. These interviews covered a wide range of our roles, with the assessor interviewing volunteers from 39 out of our 50+ roles.

Interviews were also conducted with several key individuals across the organisation to provide a well-rounded perspective. These individuals included:

The CEO
A Trustee member
The Wellbeing Research and Innovation Lead Manager
The Charity Volunteer Lead
Staff members who supervise volunteers, as well as those who do not

We were then able to demonstrate our dedication to creating a positive, supportive, and structured environment for our volunteers.

Cherry: Our shop teams have really supported this process and fed into interviews and open discussions about their experiences volunteering in Retail ExtraCare.

As a team, we’re really proud to have earned the IiV accreditation! This achievement is a true reflection of our commitment to building a positive and supportive environment for our volunteers. It’s not just about the hard work we’ve put in—it’s about recognising and empowering the incredible volunteers who make everything we do possible. We couldn’t have done it without them!

Who has been a part of the process?

Lou: Volunteers, The CEO, A Trustee member, The Wellbeing Research and Innovation Lead Manager, The Charity Volunteer Lead, Volunteer Administrator, Retail Support Officer, Volunteer Organisers, Lifestyle Managers, Activity Coordinator (Schemes) Staff members.

Cherry: This has been a team effort, our Retail Operations, Regional Managers, Shop Managers and Volunteers have all helped us work towards this accreditation. A huge thank you to all of our Retail Volunteers for engaging in this process. It has been a pleasure to read the report and hear such lovely feedback.

Retail Volunteers were involved with interviews

Celebrate Volunteers Week: The Impact of Giving Your Time

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