1. Volunteer Network for Racing Charities
A possible solution

2. Background
A workshop session was conducted to assess the use of volunteers by racing charities and to explore whether there is any scope for collaborative initiatives to promote and enhance the use of volunteers.
The key findings from the workshop were that racing charities could benefit from a central resource to aid the recruitment of volunteers and provide specialist advice and support on the management of volunteers.
The Racing Foundation agreed to investigate possible solutions.

3. Requirement
A centrally managed volunteer network open to all charities. 
A database of volunteering opportunities and volunteers.
A website with interactive ‘jobs board’.
Specialist resource to recruit and match volunteers.
Central support to provide advice and guidance to racing charities on the management of volunteers (document templates, FAQs etc).

4. Aims
To attract volunteers to the racing industry.
To improve recruitment of volunteers for racing charities.
To raise awareness of racing charities.
To raise awareness of recruitment opportunities within the racing industry.
To extend the geographical reach of charities using volunteers, especially in remote areas.
To provide downloadable guides and information as well as provide advice and guidance for specific issues.

5. ‘Do-it For Horseracing’ site.
Possible solution: A comprehensive package set-up and managed by a specialist provider
Do-it Trust
A national volunteering service that has just launched a be-spoke service called Do-it Local to create, host and manage microsites that are linked to its main site, which is used by more than 175,000 volunteers.
‘Do-it For Horseracing’ site.

6. “Do-it for Horseracing”

7. About Do-it Established in 2001 Website re-launch January 2015
Winning Webby Award and Lovie Award
Completely free to register as an organisation and volunteer

8. Do-it Together 1.4 million live volunteering opportunities
174,000 people have registered with Do-it since Feb 15
48,000 organisations represented
10,000 new volunteer sign ups per month
18.5k Twitter followers and 15k Facebook likes

9. What is Do-it Local?
Do-it Local “for horseracing” would be a digital volunteering platform for racing charities aimed at the recruitment of volunteers.
Do-it Local uses our existing technology,
and allows you to create your own
volunteering hub with a unique identity.
See for an
example of a local site and how it could look.
The horseracing site would be custom designed.

10. What are the benefits?

11. Powerful personalisation
Personalise our existing platform with a unique racing charities general home page
Design and manage your own charity page within the site – build your own content and
volunteering community

12. Extended reach & opportunity
Single sign-in means you can extend your reach to our national platform & its users
Your opportunities would come under the ‘horseracing’ category on Do-it’s main website

13. Data, insight & intelligence
Reports show the site manager -
How many organisations are looking for volunteers
How many people are applying
How much time they give
And more...

14. Regular updates & enhancements
Your site will benefit from our continuous updates and enhancements, for example:

15. Support & hosting Online helpdesk and technical support
Site moderation, ensuring quality control
Bespoke workshop on launch of your new site
Regular workshops hosted at Do-it

16. Further online support

17. Further online support

18. Further online support
Volunteer Manager
Community with an online forum

19. “Our local version of the Do-it volunteering website will really help to get more people into volunteering than ever before…We want to help people to take pride in the place they live or work and make a difference to their local area.”
Westminster City Council

20. How to make the most of your Local platform

21. Reach out to volunteers

23. Create an appealing charity profile

24. Tools for recruiting & retaining volunteers

27. React quickly and efficiently

28. Encourage volunteer engagement
Functionality to record hours
and volunteering activity
Verified volunteer hours

29. A useful tool for volunteers
Creating a volunteer CV

30. Key factors for success of the local Do-it site
Commitment from charities to design and maintain their own pages.
Commitment from charities to ensure pages are kept up-to-date and volunteering opportunities are advertised.
Ability of charities to follow-up volunteer enquiries and oversee their management.
Dependent on marketing to raise awareness of the local site and drive traffic from the main Do-it site.

31. What does this option not cover?
Central support on management of volunteers beyond providing PDF guides and access to group discussion boards and forums.
General advice and guidance for charities.
Possible solution to work alongside the Do-it site:
Group membership for racing charities with the NCVO
(National Council for Voluntary Organisations)

32.
Provides a large variety of resources and support for charities.
Includes a specialist team that deals with volunteer management.
Other services include governance, strategy, Trustee training, charity law, funding, giving and philanthropy and welfare reform.
Has a diverse community of over 12,000 member organisations – a third of the voluntary sector workforce in England.
“NCVO champions the voluntary sector and volunteering because they’re essential for a better society. We do this by connecting, representing and supporting voluntary organisations”.

33. Advice, support and training…
Campaigning
Outcomes and impact
Cross sector working
Public services
Financial management
Publications
Funding
Quality standards
Governance and trusteeship
Strategy IT
Volunteering
Infrastructure
Workforce
Marketing & Communications
Legal advice
Mentoring and befriending

34. Group membership for racing charities
Annual membership is usually per charity and is based on size with a sliding scale dependent on gross annual income.
Individual membership ranges from £156 to £771 per year.
Group membership would secure significant discount and the following has been negotiated:
Overall cost of £5,000 per year for 3 years, based on 22 racing charities of varying size.
Average cost per charity: £227 per year.
40% discount offered to charities who continue their membership after year 3.

35. The online learning resources are invaluable.
Racing charities who are already members of the NCVO would be included in the group membership package. They have provided the following feedback:
Excellent courses and in-house training.
The online learning resources are invaluable.
Moving forward I don’t see how we can develop a robust Volunteer strategy without NCVO membership and guidance.
The NCVO is a good source of information which keeps us up to date on legislation and advice on fundraising.
I would recommend the NCVO as a valuable asset to small charities - they have a wealth of knowledge to pass on that is valuable and relevant to us all.

36. ‘Do-it for Horseracing’ local site Group membership of the NCVO
We need your feedback…
‘Do-it for Horseracing’ local site
Do you think it is a good idea?
Would you use it?
Would you help market it?
Group membership of the NCVO
Are you interested in the benefits?