At RCOT, our members are at the heart of everything we do, and we wouldn’t be able to deliver on our mission to step up for occupational therapy if it wasn’t for the support, energy and impact of our members who choose to volunteer their time with us.
The incredible contribution volunteers make to RCOT
We’re celebrating Volunteers’ Week, which takes place between Monday 3–Sunday 9 June 2024, by recognising and celebrating the amazing contributions volunteers make to RCOT, our communities and wider membership and the profession.
Over the last year, over 400 members volunteered with RCOT.
These engaged and active members choose to share their energy, commitment and experience in a multitude of ways. They work in close partnership with us to deliver activities and provide support to fellow members. They might be leading or hosting groups such as our Specialist Sections and regional groups and delivering a range of activities for their community members.
Some members volunteer to deliver focused tasks such as reviewing conference submissions or award applications, whilst others may represent RCOT and the broader profession at regional and national events.
Volunteers also contribute their knowledge, expertise and insight by engaging in consultations and through a range of expert advisory groups that help shape and inform our work. And of course, there are the volunteers who sit on Council, providing leadership and governance and ensuring RCOT delivers on its strategy and objectives.
Volunteers are at the heart of our work, and I’m delighted to celebrate their fantastic contribution this Volunteers' Week. Our members choose to volunteer with RCOT in different ways, helping us deliver activities that benefit our communities, the wider membership and the public. We want to develop opportunities for volunteers, creating more flexibility so more people can get involved and represent our membership across all areas of practice, career levels and backgrounds.
– Steve Ford, CEO, RCOT
Thank you to all our volunteers
We’re extremely grateful to all our volunteers and want to thank them for their time, dedication and ongoing support.
On behalf of everyone at RCOT, and all our members, we want to thank everyone who chooses to volunteer with us. You make a huge difference in developing our organisation and our profession. OTs are busy people, with hectic professional lives, and we’re grateful that so many of you find the time to share your experiences, expertise and insight with us so more people can value the life-changing power of occupational therapy.
– Odeth Richardson, Chair of Council, RCOT
Developing our community model and volunteer strategy
Given the critical role volunteers play, we’re working with them to shape our new community model. They’ve helped us understand how we can reimagine and expand our communities. With their help we’re creating a more diverse offer that’s also more accessible and inclusive. You can read about our Reimagining RCOT communities project in our news article, Transforming our communities to lift up our members.
We know we must be able to respond to the needs of our members so every occupational therapist can feel part of a community that supports them to be the best they can be throughout their entire career. Our volunteers are absolutely critical to this. They provide invaluable support and use their experiences to help us shape and deliver activities for the benefit of our communities, members and the wider public.
– Nikki Daniels, Head of Communities and Connections, RCOT
To support this new community model, we’re also working with our volunteers and other stakeholders to draft our first RCOT volunteer strategy.
The strategy will evolve our volunteer offer so there are more flexible and proportionate opportunities for members to take. We want our volunteer opportunities to be accessible and feasible alongside members’ personal and professional commitments.
The strategy will also ensure that our volunteer opportunities are relevant to both our activities and members’ expertise, areas of interests and development needs. And it will ensure that our volunteer community is diverse, representing our membership across all areas of practice, career levels and backgrounds.
With our volunteer strategy we’ll clearly define the roles of volunteers at RCOT. It’ll bring together the policies, processes, guidance and resources to ensure that volunteers are empowered to contribute and can be supported by our staff. This will help us show how volunteers improve RCOT’s work and our member offer, while also contributing to their own professional development.’
– Lorinda Sharkey, Engagement Officer (Volunteers), RCOT
The benefits of volunteering
As well as supporting the profession, RCOT, our members and communities – volunteering can bring important benefits to members themselves.
Through volunteering you can be exposed to new experiences and settings, network with other members and boost your confidence. Regardless of your career stage, taking on a volunteering role within your professional body is a great way to develop your leadership skills and can provide you with opportunities to develop skills and knowledge you can transfer into your professional life.
I volunteer for RCOT because I want to advocate for our profession. I want to raise the profile of our profession in any way I can. Representing our Welsh membership is very important to me, and I have gained invaluable leadership skills during my time on the RCOT Wales region committee.
– Rachel Rowlands, RCOT Wales Region committee
Want to get involved?
As we continue to develop our community model, there will be more opportunities for volunteers to contribute. Whatever your availability, skills or areas of interest, there is a volunteering opportunity for you. If you’re interested in volunteering with RCOT, please contact communities@rcot.co.uk.