Ian won the prize after completing a survey looking at the skills needs and aspirations of volunteers in the environmental and land-based sector.
Ian says: “I have enjoyed contributing to the work of the Ulster Wildlife Trust, particularly at my local nature reserve, Slievenacloy, bringing back into use some skills on vegetation surveys which I last used more than thirty years ago.I look forward to continuing my involvement and to widening my skills to help improve our local environment for the future.”
The cheque was presented at Slievenacloy to Ian Cardwell, Volunteering Officer with the Ulster Wildlife Trust: “We are delighted to receive such a generous donation from one of our volunteers. As a local nature conservation charity, we rely on support from our members and volunteers to continue working for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone. So, a big thanks to Ian for helping us to do just that!”
Organisations who benefit from the work of volunteers also participated in the survey to help Lantra understand their requirements, the roles that volunteers take and how they support their skills needs.
Results from this UK wide survey will feed into Lantra’s ongoing work to ensure volunteers can access the training and support they need and get recognition for the skills they develop.
Dr Gordon McGlone OBE, Lantra’s Chairman and Chief Executive at the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust acknowledges the significant contribution that volunteers make to the workforce: “At Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust we get about £1/4 million worth of value in volunteer hours per year.The ratio is nearly 4 to 1, so for every £1 we spend looking after our volunteers we get £4 back in terms of their contribution.The added value volunteers provide is incredibly useful.”
Gordon added: “The volunteer of the future is going to be a different kind of individual.We’re seeing an increasing demand for skills development and people want to learn about the environment.People want to do volunteering, but they don’t want to be tied and want freedom and flexibility.You have to invest a lot of time in a volunteer to bring the best out of them, but the rewards are enormous.”
For many individuals, volunteering can be the start of a career in the sector; for some it is a vital way to get industry experience to progress into employment, and for others it can provide the inspiration to change their career.
For further information about Lantra visit www.lantra.co.uk. To find out more about volunteering for the Ulster Wildlife Trust, email volunteering@ulsterwildlifetrust.org
