The Open University, in partnership with Third Sector Support Wales, has developed a free training programme to allow volunteers to develop their skills.
The course, entitled Get Ahead With Volunteering, is a nine-week programme that assists people with furthering their volunteering skills and development. Volunteers may find it useful in order to deepen their experience of current volunteering or to prepare for new roles. It will help them to reflect on and to build up their portfolio of experience and learning, perhaps with a view to future career pathways. It will provide information and access to learning opportunities with the Open University in Wales (which range from short, free courses to full degree level qualifications).
The programme comprises a suite of interactive workshops to help volunteers and their organisations get the most from volunteering. It will support participants to engage in reflective practice and action planning.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
Topics will include:
- An introduction to The Open University; different types of volunteering
- Getting set up on OpenLearn – the Open University portal for free learning resources
- Identifying existing skills, experience and future ambitions
- Transferable skills and career goals
- Developing a learning portfolio; practical support for further learning
- Building resilience, confidence and maintaining wellbeing
- Developing leadership
- Reflection on the course and what next?
Participants will be given a certificate of course completion and supported to take whatever next steps they identify for their own development journey.
The programme starts with an introductory online workshop on 23 May and then runs for eight more weeks: 30 May, 6, 20 and 27 June, 4,11 and finally 18 July. Sessions are held online on Microsoft Teams, from 10 – 11.30 am. The fourth week (week commencing 12 June) is for self directed learning, in which participants can explore various resources and online course, or pursue conversations about areas of particular interest.