Janice Blair

Girlguiding Scotland is powered by volunteers. Without the dedication of all our volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to give girls a space to have fun, adventures and grow their confidence. Making sure that our volunteers have great experiences is a huge part of our mission. We have a volunteer experience team made up of volunteers and 1 member of staff. Our lead volunteer for volunteer experience, Janice, has been in her role for 3 years planning networking events like One Team, creating resources and training and driving a sense of community among our volunteers across Scotland.

Introducing myself

Hello everyone! I’m excited to introduce myself as the lead volunteer for volunteer experience. I love my role, not only because I am passionate about supporting our incredible volunteers but also because I believe strongly in the power of a positive volunteer experience to drive engagement, growth, and satisfaction for everyone involved.

Why I chose to lead volunteer experience

Volunteering has been a meaningful part of my life, and I’ve seen first-hand the transformative power of volunteering - not only for our girls but also for us as volunteers. When the opportunity to lead volunteer experience came up, I felt it was the perfect way for me to contribute. I want to ensure that every volunteer, regardless of their role, feels valued, supported, and empowered to grow within our organisation.

Being the lead volunteer for volunteer experience means advocating for each of you, listening to your feedback, and continually exploring ways to make volunteering for us fulfilling and enriching. My goal is to help create an environment where every volunteer feels part of a community and inspired to bring their best selves to each task, project, or event they take on.

My role and day-to-day work

As lead volunteer, my days are wonderfully varied and always focused on enhancing the volunteer experience. Day-to-day, I work closely with different teams to ensure that volunteers are provided with the resources, training, networking opportunities and the support they need. This includes working with team leaders to understand how best to support volunteers in different roles.

Another key part of my role is staying connected with volunteers. I regularly hold check-in meetings, listen to ideas, and gather feedback to understand what’s working well and where we can improve. I work to create opportunities for volunteers to connect with one another, fostering a sense of community and collaboration that helps everyone feel more connected.

Looking forward

One of the projects I’m most looking forward to in this role is exploring leadership development opportunities. I believe that empowering volunteers with leadership skills not only enhances our organisation but also contributes to personal growth and confidence. My goal is to give our volunteers the tools they need to lead with confidence and to feel prepared for any future role they might take on within or outside of our organisation.