Everyone’s welcome
At HEY! Volunteering, we believe equity and inclusion unleashes the gift of diversity. We strive to foster a safe and welcoming space for all staff, volunteers and everyone we meet. We are committed to continuously learning and evolving as an organisation; shaping and tailoring our approaches to embrace and empower the impressive diversity our community offers. We will listen and learn from the experiences of people from marginalised and underrepresented communities and act accordingly, nurturing the spirit of HEY! Volunteering and our sense of belonging.
Equality, diversity and inclusion guides everything that happens within the Volunteer Programme. We are fully inclusive, and everyone is welcome.
- Respect and inclusion are embedded in our Volunteer Charter, which every volunteer signs during their training and commits to upholding.
- We ask all host organisations to provide access information when requesting volunteer support.
- We prioritise accessible venues, events and masterclasses to make sure as many people as possible can take part.
- We continually review our processes to ensure fairness, dignity and equal opportunity for every volunteer.
The Buddy System
Our Buddy System provides personalised, one‑to‑one support to help volunteers feel confident, informed and included. All volunteers (existing or new) can request a Buddy – a trained and experienced member of the volunteering family who will provide support to help you get the most out of being involved.
The purpose of the Buddy System is:
- To ensure every volunteer can participate fully, regardless of disability, background or personal circumstances.
- To help volunteers access more opportunities, especially those who may face barriers.
- To increase confidence, connection and sense of belonging.
Through the Buddy System, we strengthen equity across the programme – making volunteering more accessible for everyone.