Volunteer Cornwall Strategy 2025-30
Volunteer Cornwall is a values-based organisation committed to the health and wellbeing for all in Cornwall.
Over the past 40 years, Volunteer Cornwall has supported voluntary sector organisations, community groups and local people to create sustainable neighbourhood health and community resilience, building social capital. This is the essential infrastructure that underpins national and local priorities as described in the NHS 10 Year Plan and Cornwall’s Integrated Care Strategy.
The purpose of this strategy is to focus our collective energy on activities and initiatives that support the delivery of our vision, holding true to our core purpose.
You can download a copy of our current Strategic Objectives and Values document below:
Mission
Volunteer Cornwall is a charity dedicated to building social capital and developing the wellbeing of individuals and communities in Cornwall.
Objectives
Volunteer Cornwall has declared a Climate Change Emergency in recognition of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report findings and the need to reduce global emissions by 2030. This will be considered in all our objectives and the outcomes we deliver.
Climate Emergency
Delivering the required reduction in our carbon footprint to meet the IPCC targets by 2025. Encouraging and supporting other organisations in the sector to declare a climate emergency and meet the climate change targets.
Connecting
Working with people and communities as part of a connected system to make links and cultivate strong ties between individuals, organisations, sectors and places. Making connections between organisations to increase collaboration to maximise use of resources and to improve outcomes and impacts.
Supporting
Inspiring and assisting people to access and participate in their communities. Encouraging organisations to engage more local people in voluntary action, to support the design and delivery of services and to increase activities in communities to meet local needs.
Strengthening
Enhancing the ability of organisations to maintain and optimise the delivery of services and activities. Work to increase the resilience of people and the sustainability of communities.
Improving
Support the development of volunteer experiences for individuals and the opportunities provided by organisations and community groups. Inspire people to achieve their potential through volunteering and strengthening their emotional and physical wellbeing.
It is recognised that Volunteer Cornwall is part of a dynamic changing system and flexibility to deal with emerging circumstances is crucial. The objectives are underpinned by operational practices and behaviours that engage people proactively and on an equal footing. To achieve this distributed and collaborative leadership is crucial, within and across organisations as well as with local people in their communities. The values of the organisation set out below have a vital role play in delivering the stated objectives.
Values
Our values below describe the way we behave towards each other, our partners, our communities and within the environment. The focus of these values directly relates to achieving lasting outcomes for people and having a positive impact on communities.
Creative
Being creative and always exploring the ‘art of the possible’ to find solutions to the challenges Cornwall faces. Thinking ahead about potential issues that could impact on the resilience and wellbeing of people and the sustainability of communities. We want to be ‘doing’ not just ‘talking’.
Caring
Being kind and having compassion for people we work with, both inside and outside our organisation. Seek to understand the issues that may cause people to worry. Having respect and empathy for all people, living creatures and the world in which we live.
Collaborative
Look for every opportunity to improve outcomes and impacts by cooperating with people and organisations. Understand the connections within the system and the positive impact collaboration can have on people and communities. Act with honesty and integrity when working with local people and partner organisations. Build trusted relationships with people and organisations.
Challenging
Be passionate and bold about the work that we undertake and open to new possibilities. Challenge ourselves and others to do better and work positively with the people and partners to identify ways to improve services. Focus on the mission of the organisation challenging established practices in order to achieve sustained outcomes.
Context
The overarching objectives and values above will be utilised in the development and delivery of projects and activities. These are set in an interrelating systems context. A number of issues from this perspective have been broken down on the next page that highlight key concerns identified by staff and trustees, this is for background information.
.