Peabody has been recognised with the Investing in Volunteers award for their commitment to providing volunteering opportunities for its customers and colleagues.
Investing in Volunteers is the UK quality standard which aims to improve the quality of the volunteering experience for all volunteers and demonstrates that organisations value the enormous contribution made by their volunteers.
The Peabody Community Foundation provides a range of volunteering roles for people living in their communities and for Peabody colleagues. At the time of the award’s assessment, 284 volunteers were taking part in 20 different roles with the most popular roles including sitting on Peabody’s management committees, befriending customers, and acting as community leaders.
The award also commended Peabody’s response during the pandemic, creating virtual/remote roles such as the befriending scheme which became a vital lifeline for those isolated during lockdown.
Staff volunteering was also recognised as part of the award, with colleagues being encouraged and supported by the organisation, with Peabody Promise Days which can be used to give back to the communities that the housing association operates in.
Charlton Premier Skills is led by Peabody Community Leader Dennis, who engages young people aged between 16-29 who are out of education or entry level employment. Whilst taking part in their community football club, they are given access to the resources they need to develop their employability and enterprise skills.
“Making a positive contribution to my community is at the centre of my heart and gives me satisfaction when my actions put a smile on young people’s faces. Volunteering also gives me the skills and opportunities to support my career ambitions.”
Dennis, who is also a Peabody resident
Peabody was assessed against six quality areas and proved to excel in all aspects of working with its volunteers.
“UKVF is delighted to announce Peabody‘s successful achievement of this Award, they have demonstrated a real commitment to volunteering, proven that their volunteer management policies and procedures meet nationally recognised standards.”
Denise Hayward, Chair of UKVF (the Awarding Body)
“Volunteering is a significant and vital part of what we do here at Peabody. It doesn’t just help us keep closely connected to our communities but also ensures that our customers are at the heart of everything that we do. We are grateful to our customers who sit on our management committees and give their views on how we should be improving our services. Our colleagues also give back to our communities using our Peabody Promise Days, working with our customers to improve our community spaces and services.”
Sarah Feleppa, Peabody’s Volunteer Services Manager
The Peabody Community Foundation provides pioneering programmes which change lives and transform communities across London. In 2021, the foundation invested £8m to support Peabody customers, working with local partners to identify and respond to local priorities. Volunteers were also a central part of Peabody’s work during the pandemic, distributing hot food and food parcels within our communities, championing local programmes and providing virtual services to support customers with their mental health.
