Volunteering Strategy 2023-2028

Our vision for volunteering in Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside.


Volunteering Strategy by Action Together

We're proud to launch our new Volunteering Strategy 2023-2028 which outlines our plans and promises for the next five years. Here’s our 'Vision for Volunteering'. Find out what will 2028 look like.

Our Vision

  • A connected, resilient and diverse VCFSE sector that supports people and communities to do the things they love and change the things they don’t.
  • Collectively we have the power to make things better, addressing the impacts and root causes of poverty and inequalities.

Our Values

  • Believe it’s possible – Vision and ideas matter. We have confidence in the power of people and communities and strive to release their potential to create the widest possible benefits whilst promoting social justice.
  • Strengthen others – we work in ways that strengthen people, places and partnerships. We achieve this by working collaboratively, sharing skills and developing relationships between people and groups.
  • Be true – we are brave enough to share constructive insight in order to make progress. Our unique insight comes from our connections with, and amplification of, the diverse range of voices of people and groups that we work with.

Our charitable purpose

  • To strengthen the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sector.
  • To enable positive social change and promote social justice.

Our Volunteering Strategy 2023-2028 in more detail

We believe that Volunteering is at the heart of creating, supporting and maintaining social infrastructure. Our organisational strategy will ensure that we develop and champion volunteering to empower more local people to share their skills, capacity and social capital.

By 2028 the Boroughs of Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside will be great places to volunteer – places where volunteering is understood and appreciated, appropriately resourced and volunteers are supported and recognised for their valuable contribution to the social infrastructure of Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside.

A compact version of our Volunteering Strategy is published at the top of this page but you can read our full version in PDF format below:

Action Together Volunteering Strategy 2023-2028

Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA)

In July 2023, following months of hard work from our Volunteering Team, and colleague support from the wider Action Together team we were delighted to achieve Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA).

This was a re-accreditation of the award for us in Oldham and Tameside, but this is the first time we have been recognised for our work in Rochdale, too. We are now the recognised Volunteer Centre for Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside.

About the VCQA

The Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA) is the quality mark for organisations who are proven in delivering the five local Volunteer Centre functions:

  • Strategic development of volunteering
  • Good practice and development
  • Brokerage
  • Developing volunteering opportunities
  • Voice of volunteering

It provides assurance to members of the public seeking volunteering opportunities, volunteer involving organisations, partner, commissioner and funding organisations, that the holder provides a high quality and effective local service. Accreditation takes place via a peer assessment, and is this recognition is valid for three years.

Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA) logo