29th March 2023
Volunteers’ Week 2023: Celebrate and Inspire
With just over two months to go until Volunteers’ Week 2023, taking place 1-7 June, the organisers have shared the theme for this year’s week-long celebration is ‘Celebrate and Inspire’.
Volunteers’ Week is an annual event, now entering its 39th year. The week sees charities, voluntary groups, social organisations, and volunteers themselves come together to recognise the incredible impact that volunteering has in communities around the UK.
The theme for this year – ‘Celebrate and Inspire’ – aims to highlight that our diversity is our strength, show that there is more than one way to volunteer and encourage people to be the change that we want to see. Volunteers are always active at the heart of every UK community so taking the time during Volunteers’ Week to celebrate and recognise their efforts and all they contribute to our local communities, the voluntary sector and society as a whole has never been more important.
Every year hundreds of events, both online and in-person, take place to celebrate Volunteers’ Week and the huge range of ways in which volunteers give their time. This year will be no different. A wide variety of activities will be happening across the country from volunteer recruitment events and open days to celebration and recognition events. There’s no one way to take part, celebrate volunteering and get involved in this year’s campaign.
You can find out more about how to get involved and get resources to plan your own participation on the Volunteers’ Week website in Scotland.
Alan Stevenson, CEO at Volunteer Scotland, which coordinates Volunteers’ Week in Scotland, said:
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of Scottish communities and what better time to celebrate their very many vital contributions than during Volunteers’ Week. In celebrating volunteers and sharing their stories, we highlight the enormous breadth of volunteering opportunities on offer and demonstrate the many benefits - especially for volunteers. It’s important that this Volunteers’ Week we celebrate AND inspire and in doing so help those new to volunteering to take their next steps. So, here’s to Scotland’s (inspirational) volunteers - thank you and have a great Volunteers’ Week.”
Sarah Vibert, CEO at NCVO (the National Council for Voluntary Organisations), which coordinates Volunteers’ Week in England, said:
“Volunteers Week gives us a moment to recognise the vital role that volunteering plays in communities across the country. Every day, thousands of unsung heroes share their time and skills to support organisations to make a difference to the lives of other people. This has never been more needed, and we really can’t thank volunteers enough. We also want to inspire those who have never volunteered before to consider making it part of their lives. Volunteers often tell us how much they get from the experience, from developing skills to making new friends. Volunteers are as diverse as the opportunities are - there is no typical type of volunteer, and no standard type of volunteering. We really hope Volunteers Week 2023 shows how grateful we are to volunteers and inspires the next generation to give it a go. Through volunteering, we can build stronger communities.”
Denise Hayward, chief executive at Volunteer Now, which coordinates Volunteers’ Week in Northern Ireland, commented:
“Volunteers have continued to give so much time, energy, commitment and skills to the communities and organisations that they have supported however it is now more important than ever that we encourage more people to give a little bit of time to the wonderful organisations that make such a positive difference to our Northern Ireland community. It is fitting that Volunteers Week 2023 will give everyone the opportunity to Celebrate the ongoing commitment but also to encourage more people to say that all important ‘yes’."
Ruth Marks, chief executive at Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), which coordinates Volunteers’ Week in Wales, commented:
“Volunteers of all ages across Wales make a world of difference by volunteering in many different ways, places and spaces. Volunteers’ Week is a key moment in the year to celebrate the contributions made through the amazing voluntary effort that takes place every day, in every part of our nation. This year we will also be using this national week to inspire more people to get involved in volunteering by taking a look at the opportunities available, finding out more and seeing if there is something that sparks their interest.”