The APM Volunteer Delivery Group: Behind the scenes

When I joined the APM’s Volunteer Delivery Group (VDG) in April this year, I was keen to get stuck in but not entirely sure what to expect. I knew that the VDG was a group that reviews volunteering proposals and advises the APM on how best to allocate limited funds in support of some of the volunteering activity – but I wasn’t sure what that ‘looked like’ in terms of how the group spends its time. Now that I’ve been in the group for 9 months, I can pull back the curtain and give you a peek behind the scenes.

How the VDG benefits the project profession

The VDG has a broad remit, providing guidance and strategic input across APM’s volunteering activity, and promoting consistency and efficiency. It doesn’t oversee or coordinate all volunteer roles directly, however it offers support and direction where needed. The fundamental purpose of the APM volunteering is to grow and enrich the project profession. So whether it be supporting outreach in schools, professional peer-to-peer mentoring or arranging events and conferences for project professionals to attend, APM volunteers multiply the impact of the Association on society. Together we work to build a profession which is better connected, better informed and better able to deliver excellent projects. The VDG exists to provide guidance, governance and assurance for elements of that volunteering. We support and enable the volunteers to help make sure that efforts are focused on the activities which will bring the greatest benefit.

VDG regular meetings

The regular formal meetings are my favourite VDG activity, as there is often lively debate. The decisions on how best to allocate resources to support volunteering activities are taken very seriously. These might include proposals from existing volunteer networks which would require additional investment, proposals for new interest networks, or proposed changes to the way in which APM volunteering is managed. The VDG is diverse in many ways, and having the opportunity to listen and understand other people’s points of view during those discussions has helped me to mature in my own thinking. The group usually reaches a consensus on how to proceed, but sometimes we need to go back to proposers for further details before reaching a decision.

Other VDG activities

As well as the formal meetings, VDG members support various other activities during the year. A big task for the VDG is supporting APM with the selection of new Volunteer Network Leads and Deputies. This support begins with assessment of the anonymised written applications, which VDG members do independently. Once APM staff have collated assessment scores and shortlisted the candidates, VDG members are called upon to be part of the various interview panels. Different VDG members will support interviews for different networks, with each of us potentially supporting between 2 and 6 interviews for each round of applications.

Other ad-hoc activities only need a few VDG members to get involved. For example, planning the annual summer volunteer forum, facilitating some of the forum sessions on the day, or holding one-to-one conversations with volunteers or networks. There is also an ongoing role for the VDG in raising awareness of the group’s existence and role, as well as participating in volunteer-related reviews or providing a view on behalf of the volunteer community, where requested by the APM.

Challenges

As with most volunteering, time management can be a challenge. All VDG members have other commitments, and many of us are employed in full time roles. However, the VDG is large enough that not all members are required for every activity, so there is flexibility if diaries change at short notice.

We also need to be realistic in terms of which activities we each can support as an individual VDG member. Most of us are have other volunteering roles as well as being VDG members, which means that putting our hands up for tasks comes naturally to us, and overcommitment can be a risk. That said, most VDG activities only require a relatively short-term effort, so fluctuations in individual availability over time can also be accommodated.

One surprising thing

What surprised me most about the VDG is how quickly time flies. Each VDG member serves a standard term of two years. I still feel very new to the VDG, yet I’m almost halfway through my term. The group is friendly but very focused – it’s just as well we are all from a project delivery background, as we certainly need to channel our natural talents for being organised!

How to get in touch

If you have any thoughts, suggestions or questions for the VDG, you can contact us by email on VDG@apm.org.uk. We would love to hear from you.

 

You may also be interested in:

• Volunteering with APM
• The APM Mentoring Programme
• Become an APM blog author: email publishing@apm.org.uk for more details