News

As the support offered by palliative care volunteers is increasingly in demand so the role of Volunteer Managers is increasingly of interest to health services.

The Kings Fund (UK) recently explored the development of managers through their Cascading Leadership programme.

While particularly focussed on not for profit 'voluntary charitable sector' (VCS) organisations the program was based on 2 premises:

• that thoughtful and reflective leadership increases the effectiveness of organsations; and
• that the voluntary sector itself has the skills and assets needed to develop strong leaders.

The Kings Fund adds that in the UK VCS organisations 'are currently facing a complex range of pressures: increased demand coupled with decreased funding and trust in charities…In addition, the public sector is seeking greater and different partnerships with the VCS, understanding that it needs to tap into its distinctive knowledge of communities and high-quality cost-effective services' but that leaders often 'feel isolated and unsupported' so this initative is aimed at acknowledging 'the distinctive nature of VCS leadership…and build the sector’s capacity and …its support mechanisms".

Read the 'Cascading Leadership: a new model to support leadership in the voluntary and community sector' report (May 2017) or watch this short video (below).