In September we conducted a volunteer survey to find out what our volunteers thought about working at Hextol and how we could improve.
We were delighted with the results and would like to share them so everyone can get a feel for what it’s like working at Hextol.
Here are some of the results:
- Response rate of 75% (41 of 55 questionnaires were returned)
- 97% of volunteers said they either love working at Hextol or enjoy it most of the time
- 90% said they felt valued most or all of the time
- 97% would recommend volunteering at Hextol to family and friends
- 90% thought the job and core skills programme (our training scheme which focusses on individual progression and workplace skills) was important and helpful
- 75% of those who attend our social events said they really enjoy them. We are very grateful to Newcastle Building Society for funding our social events programme this year – it is an important component in our work to tackle the social isolation experienced by those with learning disabilities and mental health needs.
We also asked our volunteers to tell us what they liked and disliked most about their time at Hextol. There were many answers but some of the recurring themes were:
- Socialising – with friends, colleagues and customers
- Being busy
- Feeling part of a team
- Learning new skills
- Staff support
The least favourite aspect was mainly “doing the dishes” and we have taken this and the other comments, good and bad, on board, to improve the experience we offer all those who access our services.
We are proud to say the results show we are achieving our aims of
- providing supported and enjoyable work
- making our volunteers feel valued
- improving skill levels with our job and core skills programmes
- reducing social isolation
We will not be resting on our laurels and will be working hard in the New Year to improve and further expand our offering.In the meantime we would like to wish all our volunteers, staff, benefactors, customers, and friends an excellent Christmas and 2020
