The difference our Volunteering Strategy Group makes 13 September 2022 At Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, we are committed to making sure volunteers are involved in decision making at the charity, and that the voice of volunteers is heard across the organisation. One of the ways we do this is through our Volunteering Strategy Group (VSG). Douglas, the Chair of the VSG, shares why the group is so important for volunteers. — You and thousands of other volunteers enable Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland to support thousands of service users and help raise our funds across Scotland. Keeping you safe and ensuring that you receive appropriate, high quality training and support is the responsibility of the volunteering team and the Volunteering Strategy Group. A team of volunteers and staff, we work collectively to anticipate and plan for your volunteering needs and establish how best to ensure that you get the most out of your time volunteering with the charity. Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland is currently strengthening its volunteering voice and is embedding volunteering within every aspect of its functions. The charity is proud to be people driven and is continually developing the idea of being volunteer-led. Through your volunteer representatives on the VSG you have a voice in influencing our volunteering programme and strategy how support for volunteers will develop and an opportunity to challenge and hold the charity to account in how it delivers No Life Half Lived. At the moment, VSG membership includes two Retail volunteers, two Peer Support volunteers, one Community Support Services volunteer and a volunteer who is both a Community Support Services volunteer and Fundraising volunteer. We hope to attract more Community Support Services and Fundraising volunteers on to the VSG to further strengthen the volunteer voice. The charity has six values that it seeks to uphold, one of which is to be collective. With the involvement of volunteer members from each area of the charity the VSG can lead the way in promoting collectivity. If you are a CSS or Fundraising volunteer and you think you’d like to become a volunteer member of the VSG please contact your Volunteer Line Manager or Ruth at ruth.zokas@chss.org.uk.