Give & Gain Day - We did it!!

Give & Gain Day is the UK's only national day of action for employee volunteers. Managed by Business in the Community, and sponsored by Eversheds LLP, Give & Gain Day 2010 mobilised employees to volunteer their expertise and time during work hours.

Key successes of 2010 were:

• 6,803 employees volunteers from 221 companies made a difference to over 55,440 people on one day, through 202 community and schools based projects
• Over £1m of man hours were injected into communities of greatest need
• Media coverage worth £46,952.89, with a readership of around 9 million
• TV coverage in 8 regions
• 20 senior business leaders volunteered with 26 young people from Walworth Academy in Southwark at the Give & Gain Day VIP Breakfast. Before the event only 15% of students felt confident about the world of work, compared to 92% who felt the experience had increased their confidence after the event

Give & Gain Day 2011 will take place on 24 June. Register your interest today!

What did the employees think that took part?

Give & Gain Day enables new companies, and new employees to try volunteering in work time. This year 62% of employees that volunteered were new to volunteering during work time, 42% of which were new to volunteering altogether. Almost all of the volunteers would be interested in volunteering through their company again, with 99% reporting a desire to take part in Give & Gain Day 2011.

Employee volunteers said that their top three motivations for taking part were:
The desire to help others (85%)
Sense of achievement (57%)
Team building (57%)

99% of employee volunteers felt the day met or exceeded (40%) their expectations.

Volunteering can be an effective tool in developing skills:

70% of employee volunteers reported developing their Time Management, Communication, Influencing, Decision Making and Leadership skills in particular, and 68% confirmed their employer acknowledged volunteering as a source of skills development.

99% felt it was important that their employer supports volunteering and as a result of their employer’s involvement in Give & Gain Day this year:

• 87% had an improved perception of their employer
• 87% felt more pride in their employer
• 82% felt more committed to their employer

How did it make a difference?

76% of activity on the day completed tasks that otherwise would not have been done due to time or financial constraints, 68% provided inspirational learning environments and 59% were perceived as motivational.

When community partners were asked about the personal impact of the business partnership, our main point of contact felt that the experience had:

• Enhanced their confidence (30%)
• Enhanced their communications skills (34%)
• Challenged them to adapt to an unfamiliar situation (40%)
• Provided an alternative perspective (50%)

Of which 78% felt they would be able to use these skills back in their workplace.

81% of community partners had an improved perception of the employer they worked with and 99% would recommend the company to others.