Sharing skills
Sharing skills is a particularly effective way of working with voluntary organisations: not only does the voluntary organisation gain new expertise and knowledge, but those providing support can benefit:
- Community organisations are subject to the same legal requirements as businesses and required to employ a similar approach to running a business in terms of planning, structure and organisation in order to survive. Sharing business skills can bridge any sector or field differences and offer staff an opportunity to test their knowledge in a different environment.
- Working directly with charity organisation's clients, CV workshops or Enterprise Days within the community or local school can support your future workforce and improve access to your customer base.
- Sharing skills can be a low cost and effective way of contributing to the voluntary sector. Could your IT staff create a website? How about offering spaces on in-hourse courses?
- Offering training in your area of expertise can provide your staff to develop new skills, in terms of communication, teaching and leadership.
Benefits
Business benefits include:
- Demonstrates concern for the local community to employees, customers and other stakeholders.
- Develops skills and a sense of accomplishment which, in turn, can lead to heightened motivation, commitment and retention.
- Improving adaptability of staff and ability to perform in different contexts.
Employee benefits include:
- Skills development.
- An opportunity for real personal development through working in a very different environment.
- A greater insight into both the community and other issues.
Process
There is no set pattern for sharing skills - and this means that businesses can decide on an approach that also fits with their needs and objectives.
Some examples include:
- Secondment of a member of staff;
- One off piece of pro bono work (for example, a solicitor giving legal advice or an accountant drawing up a business plan);
- Training of staff and training of voluntary organisation clients;
- Running events centred on your area of expertise.
Key Steps are:
- Decide which skills and how much time you have to offer. Consider any cost implications of this (in terms of staff time, equipment needed or preparation) and how these will be met.
- Identify a community partner with whom to work. Take into account their needs and seek to match these with your business priorities.
- Check insurance cover and draw up a Risk Assessment of the task.
- Feedback to stakeholders to include impact of all that you have achieved.
Sharing Skills Toolkit
