Volunteer Recruitment, engagement and capacity building

What will you be doing?

Most of us in this group are busy with 'the day job' - some freelance, some employees - and don't have either the time or the business experience (or both) for the task of transitioning to company status, and then securing the philanthropic investment we need - though we do  believe there are many funders only too keen to support such work, if only we had the formal NFP company structure as a vehicle for investment; and the time to engage them. We need help with establishing as an incorporated body; and that may mean recruitment of a Board, and/or discussions with a range of organisations ('fellow travellers') who might be able to offer 'incubation', sponsorship, secondment and/or 'services in kind' whilst we get established. (This plan is outlined on the community of practice website, which I and another colleague in the group manage)  This may well then involve providing assistance with applications for funds - especially philanthropic investment - so that the 'incubator' is not necessarily expected to find all the resources themselves. The immediate key deliverable are then: 1: establishing NFP company status 2: engaging other like-minded organisations in a range of supportive roles 3: submitting well crafted applications for funding or other support.   NB: This 'opportunity title' therefore rolls three roles into one - three overlapping areas of work that could actually be undertaken by one or more volunteers - to help us to start up as a company (not for profit) and scale up our activities to meet the needs that we have identified in the many many conversations we have had with services' staff and users in the social exclusion world.    Within the Futures group there is a smaller sub-group who will be able to provide more targeted advice and direction in this work, with two in particular (myself included) to provide the main channel.   PS: DO check out the website, though (search for 'The PIElink') - that's the best introduction to this innovative way of working. 

What are we looking for?

It may be helpful - but it's not entirely necessary - to have some knowledge or feel for the issues that arise in work with people with complex needs, in health, social care and homelessness or comparable fields. Ana ability to seek, develop and craft partnerships with like-minded agencies would be very valuable I am not sure what the skills and qualities of a professional recruiter are; but they will know. Perhaps the most important skill or quality would be the ability to work in an unclear and fast evolving environment - both the Futures Group itself, and the current project of establishing the PIElink community of practice on a sustainable basis for the future - and even the nature and scope of PIEs (for which read more on the website) . 

What difference will you make?

Your assistance with time and skills at this point in time will hugely speed up the process of transitioning to a new status, and a new scale of our work, to help the transformation of services for some of the most excluded in contemporary society that we have been developing.