Volunteers from across London gathered at the weekend to share successes and challenges at the annual regional gathering. During the event they discussed plans for Woodcraft Folk’s centenary, which included an exhibition, carnival float and birthday parties with cake! Everyone was excited to hear from a Highgate & Holloway District Venturer who shared their plans for a ‘Streets of London’ exhibition and requested old photos, stories and documents to be share with them at hhwelfins@gmail.com
Volunteers were also supported to input into Woodcraft Folk’s new strategic plan 2025-2030 and discuss equality, diversity and inclusion. During the strategic plan discussions, volunteers heard that Trustees have confirmed future ambitions to be focused on:
- Increasing & widening participation of young people in Woodcraft Folk’s aims and principles
- Reducing barriers to volunteering and generally making it easier to volunteer with increased support
- Environmental and financial sustainability
Volunteers were given the opportunity to make some clear requests from Trustees and the staff team, which included:
- Marketing and recruitment campaigns for young members and volunteers
- Volunteer socials to build peer support networks
- More age specific events and activities at centres and on a regional level
- Exploring better ways of sharing equipment & resources across the network, including craft and equipment supplies at our centres
- Removing financial barriers
- Increased levels of face to face training
- Providing more training and information on grant funding, Gift Aid
- Guidance on how to co-ordinate an environmentally sustainable camp/residential
In the afternoon, the group of volunteers were joined by Louis Howell of 7PK, who is helping Woodcraft Folk’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Working Group to explore and reduce barriers to volunteering by disabled people and people of colour.
Louis led a discussion exploring equity in Woodcraft Folk, what support groups need and what approaches have worked in the past.
Volunteers discussed the need to move away from word of mouth recruitment and a greater focus on partnership and outreach work to attract a greater diversity of individuals to the Folk. This discussion was part of wider activity, which includes targeted focus groups, training and action planning for more information visit https://woodcraft.org.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/
