{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"","standfirst":"Taking the time to say thank you to volunteers is so important. Doing so recognises all of the hard work that they do, and lets them know how valued they are. Here are eight meaningful ways to say \u2018thank you\u2019 to your fellow volunteers this term on behalf of yourself, on behalf of your young people, and on behalf of the movement.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"mediaBlock","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/4566/thank_you_twitter-1.png","width":800,"height":467,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null}]}],"config":null},{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E1. Give your volunteers a puntastic pot of fresh herbs.\u003C/strong\u003E Thank them for their thyme, for sharing their sage wisdom, and for be-leafing in Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2. Give your volunteer a lantern, a candle and a match.\u003C/strong\u003E Attach a note to thank them for \u2018lighting up\u2019 the lives of young people.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E3. Say it with S\u2019mores.\u003C/strong\u003E Put some marshmallows, chocolate and biscuits in a bag, tie with a bow, and attach a note that says \u2018We need more S\u2019more volunteers like you!\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E4. Ask young people to trace outlines of their hands on a piece of paper, thanking the \u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Evolunteer for \u2018lending a hand\u2019. \u003C/strong\u003EThe finished result can be hung in your meeting place as a visual reminder of why Scouts matters.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E5. Gather a lollipop, jelly bean or chocolate button for every hour a volunteer has given to \u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EScouts,\u003C/strong\u003E and present it to them in a pretty thank you jar or bag. For a healthier option, gather a piece of fruit for every hour and present them in a basket.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E6. Make a video with young people, allowing them to say thank you in their own words. \u003C/strong\u003ESend it to volunteers in an email, or upload it to YouTube (consult our safeguarding guidelines first, and make sure you have the permission of each participant). If you\u0027re feeling especially creative, recreate a flash-mob dance!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E7. If a volunteer has done something extraordinary, shout about it.\u003C/strong\u003E Think about how you can demonstrate the impact they have, and contact local journalists to see if they\u2019d be interested in running a story.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E8. Tell them how much you appreciate their work, and really mean it.\u003C/strong\u003E Make sure you tell volunteers that you appreciate all they do, and tell them regularly. Whether you say so in person, or give them a quick phone call, some simple words of encouragement can go a long way.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"05 November 2019","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":48473,"nodeName":"8 meaningful ways to thank your volunteers","title":"8 meaningful ways to thank your volunteers","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/4566/thank_you_twitter-1.png?cc=0,0.036402569593147749,0,0\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd28f3a6d0","caption":"Thank You Twitter (1)","type":"png","size":21588,"width":800,"height":467,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"8 meaningful ways to thank your volunteers","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Taking the time to say thank you to volunteers is so important. Doing so recognises all of the hard work that they do.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80ODQ3MyJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2019/november/8-meaningful-ways-to-thank-your-volunteers/"}