Organisation Support e-bulletin – April 2026
Welcome to our Monthly eBulletin for April – keeping you informed with the latest news, updates and information from Volunteer Glasgow’s Organisation Support team. If you have something relevant to Volunteer Managers that you would like us to include in the next eBulletin, please get in touch.
Upcoming Events
A Smarter Way to Manage Volunteers
“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the SVM to other organisations. It has given me the tools to improve our existing volunteer programme. The focus on the full volunteer journey, from initial contact to completion, has given me the confidence to handle any situation, and the skills to grow in my role.” (Participant, August 2025)
Volunteer Glasgow’s Smarter Volunteer Manager programme gives you the tools, based on our Dynamic Model of Volunteering, to create meaningful volunteer experiences that benefit your organisation, your volunteers, and the communities they support—key to successful recruitment and retention.
We have programmes running throughout the year. Places are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to six per programme. We have one space remaining for our upcoming programme which begins on Wednesday 15th April.
2026 Dates:
- April – May 2026:Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00pm
(Session Dates: 15th, 22nd, 29th April & 6th, 13th, 27th May) - May – July 2026:Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00pm
(Session Dates: 26th May, 2nd, 9th, 16th & 23rd June, 7th July) - July – August 2026:Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00pm
(Session Dates: 15th, 22nd, 29th July & 5th, 12th, 26th August) - September – November 2026: Tuesdays 10:00 am – 1:00pm
(Session Dates: 22nd, 29th September & 6th, 13th, 20th October and 3rd November) - October – November 2026: Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00pm
(Session Dates: 14th, 21st, 28th October & 4th, 11th, 25th November)
2027 Dates:
- February-March 2027: Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.
(Session dates: 10th, 17th, 24th Feb & 3rd, 10th, 24th March)
Please note: a two-week gap is provided before the last session of each programme to prepare for participants’ ‘Present Your Vision’ session.
You can find out more and book your space now via our dedicated SVM webpage here.
Are you recruiting volunteers?
We are kicking off the new financial year with our first quarterly online Volunteer Advertising Workshop.
This free online training session will help you to make best use of our digital advertising service, and provides valuable hints and tips on how to create more effective, inclusive and accessible volunteering opportunity adverts. It is ideal if you are new to volunteer recruitment – but also great if you are making updates to your volunteer programme or if recruitment isn’t going as well as you would like, and just want a refresher!
The workshop takes place via Teams on:
Tuesday 21st April, 1 – 3pm
In-Person Networking for Volunteer Managers
Join fellow Volunteer Managers and Coordinators from across Glasgow at our popular in-person networking events.
About this event
Volunteer Glasgow is hosting an in-person networking event on Tuesday 12th May at Roystonhill Community Hub.
The facilitated session will run from 10:30–12:30 and offers a valuable opportunity to connect with others working in volunteer management—both locally and nationally. Share ideas, exchange updates, and discuss common challenges in a supportive, peer-led environment. It’s a great way to stay informed and explore practical solutions with experienced colleagues.
If you’d prefer to attend online, keep an eye on the Volunteer Glasgow Eventbrite page for upcoming online networking sessions.
This event is free to attend. To ensure fair access, we ask that each organisation nominates one member of staff.
Supporting More People to Benefit from Volunteering
We know some of you wear multiple hats and may also be working with individuals who could benefit from volunteering.
If so, you may wish to sign up for our upcoming online networking and peer support session which provides a valuable space for organisations to connect, share knowledge, and exchange ideas, experiences, and resources.
By working in partnership, we can help ensure that people who often face barriers to volunteering are better supported to access opportunities—and to gain the full benefits volunteering can offer, both for themselves and for the communities they support.
About this event
Volunteer Glasgow will be hosting an online networking event on Thursday 14 May 2026, from 11:00 to 12:00.
The session will take place on Microsoft Teams. You’ll receive a joining link by email in advance—no Teams account is required to take part.
This event is free to attend. To ensure fair access, we ask that each organisation nominates one member of staff.
All our events are now available to book via our dedicated Eventbrite page
Events schedule for 2026-27
You can now view our new events schedule at-a-glance. There are some changes to our services, with our individual events taking place on a quarterly basis. This means that every month we will have a different service for you to take advantage of – including online and in-person networking events, and our free online Volunteer Advertising Workshop.
Attending our events
As a small team, we invest significant time and energy into preparing and delivering our events. Our aim is always to create a valuable space for you to connect with peers from other volunteer-involving organisations and to get the most from engaging with Volunteer Glasgow.
We understand that plans can change, and that last-minute cancellations are sometimes unavoidable. However, we kindly ask that if you are no longer able to attend, you let us know in advance or cancel your place via Eventbrite. This helps us to manage our sessions more effectively and offer spaces to others where possible.
We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you at future events.
Latest Service Developments
Introducing Our New Volunteering Information Sessions
From Wednesday 6 May, our Volunteering Drop-in will be replaced by weekly Volunteering Information Sessions, held every Wednesday at 11:00am at Skills Development Scotland, George Square.
These one-hour, group-based sessions will provide a clear introduction to volunteering, including its benefits and how to find suitable opportunities. There will also be time for questions, with follow-up support available where needed.
This new approach allows us to offer more structured, supportive guidance while helping attendees connect with others interested in volunteering.
You can read more about this upcoming change by clicking this link to our dedicated blog post.
Latest news
Disclosure Act update – Five-year PVG scheme
As of 1 April 2026, Disclosure Scotland has introduced a new five-year membership period for the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme. This change ensures scheme membership remains current and supports safeguarding by keeping information up to date.
As update has been published on the Disclosure Scotland website alongside a statement from its Chief Executive.
Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020: A statement from our Chief Executive – Disclosure Scotland
Five-year PVG scheme membership now in place – Disclosure Scotland
Please follow Disclosure Scotland on social media to receive weekly updates, and, if relevant to your audience, you are welcome to share or repost content on your channels. You can also visit the website for more information.
If you have any questions or suggestions for future updates, feel free to email at dswebteam@disclosurescotland.gov.scot.
Involving Refugees & Asylum Seekers
The next Volunteering Information Afternoon at Scottish Refugee Council will take place on Friday 24th April, 2:00–4:00pm.
This session is designed for refugees and people in the asylum process who are interested in exploring volunteering opportunities, and for Volunteer-involving organisations who like to meet with them and present their opportunities in a sociable setting.
📍 Location
Scottish Refugee Council Office
17 Renfield Street
Glasgow, G2 5AH
If you are a volunteer-involving organisation interested in engaging refugees in your volunteering programme and would like to attend, and you are available to come along, please contact Scottish Refugee Council directly.
Click here to download the event poster.
Fact check flyer from Scottish Refugee Council
Scottish Refugee Council has produced this print-ready leaflet containing independently verified information about the experience of people seeking asylum in Scotland. It has been designed to respond to the mis/disinformation we hear about refugees and asylum seekers.
You are welcome to print off copies to use and share with colleagues, service users and volunteers.
Thank you for reading and if you have any questions about the Organisation Support offered at Volunteer Glasgow, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at emma.mclean@volunteerglasgow.org
