1. VOLUNTEERING GEELONG
Recognition and Rewards
Finding and retaining suitable volunteers for your organization can be a constant challenge. This
consideration makes looking after your existing volunteers a very important part of your volunteer
program.Volunteers are more likely to stay if they are satisfied with their role, feel connected with the
organisation and if their performance and input is valued.
Recognition may be as simple as saying ‘thanks’ or acknowledgment in a newsletter. Other ideas
include keeping a birthday calendar of volunteers and celebrating birthdays, making sure they get a
break, showing a genuine interest in volunteers, making sure they are invited to functions and
presentation events and offering training and professional development opportunities.
Designing a volunteer recognition and rewards program requires acknowledgement of these
motivational factors and planning accordingly.
Motivation
Volunteering is a two-way relationship, volunteers may not be paid, but there is always something
that they are seeking from the experience.
Being aware of what motivates your individual volunteers can also provide some ideas as to how they
can be recognized. Such motivations can include:
To learn new skills
To use old skills
To address a specific problem in the community
To have fun
Work experience
Feeling useful
To make friends
For instance, if a volunteer’s motivation is to get work experience in a certain area and learn new skills
an appropriate reward factor can be training. Another volunteer may volunteer because they like ‘to
make friends’ – being invited to social functions can be a suitable form of recognition.
For more information refer to Recognising Volunteers - an information sheet for managers of volunteers
and not for profit organisations about the importance of recognition and the many ways in which you
can appropriately recognise your volunteers.

2. University of kent
Reward and recognition
Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy provides external professional recognition for teachers in
Higher Education through the UK Professional Standards Framework. Colleagues who obtain the PGCHE
are automatically entitled to claim Fellowship of the HEA, whilst those who complete the 30-credit ATAP
course can claim Associate Fellowship.
Experienced colleagues can also apply for Fellowship, Senior Fellowship or Principal Fellowship of the
HEA through the Individual Recognition Route, on the basis of their experience in teaching and learning.
The Academic Practice Team offers advice and support to colleagues taking this route; please get in
touch with your Faculty contact for more information.
The Higher Education Academy (HEA) is also the main source of external funding for the development of
teaching. It offers development grants for teaching projects and research on teaching, as well
as disciplinary resources. Several colleagues in Kent have been successful in obtaining HEA grants. If
you are interested in making a bid to the HEA, the Academic Practice team can advise on applications.
National Teaching Fellowship Scheme
Each year the University nominates up to 3 candidates each year for the £10,000 National Teaching
Fellowship Scheme, and to date five Kent colleagues have received the awards. Professor Sally
Fincher of the School of Computing was the first Kent academic to win a further £200,000 project award,
open only to National Teaching Fellows.
The University issues a call for potential nominees (normally in January when the NTFS awards open).
Interested colleagues should discuss the possibility of nomination with their Head of School or Dean well
in advance.
Contact Dr. Janice Malcolm for further information and advice on building a case for nomination.