Equitable Volunteering Forum
About the Forum
Established in 2023, the Equitable Volunteering Forum aims to connect volunteer managers to build capacity and champion diversity and inclusion within the voluntary sector.
The Equitable Volunteering Forum (formerly the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Volunteer Managers Forum) brings together professionals within the voluntary sector who are making volunteering more inclusive and equitable for all volunteers. Through peer-to-peer learning, workshop sessions and talks, we aim to deliver practical opportunities for volunteer managers to support their organisation in addressing EDI challenges.
Join the Forum
Applications to become a member of the Equitable Volunteering Forum for the year 2025–26 are now open. Join our community of practice to help make volunteering more inclusive and diverse.
What to expect
If selected, you will be invited to four free, full day, in-person sessions with other forum members. These sessions will run between October 2025 and June 2026 in a central London location.
Throughout the year, you will also have the opportunity to:
- collaborate with peers in the volunteering space
- explore challenges related to EDI in volunteering
- help shape strategies to make volunteering accessible and welcoming to all Londoners.
Apply now
The deadline to apply is Monday 29 September at 11:59pm.
Connect with others
Connect with other volunteer managers and EDI professionals within the voluntary sector by signing up for our Slack channel.
What we've done so far
Meeting four times a year for a full-day in-person discussion, we provide a space where those in the voluntary sector can explore ideas, experiences, and best practices. We support each other in advancing inclusion in our organisations through a community of practice with colleagues who share a responsibility or remit for EDI.
The partnership is supported by the London School of Economics (LSE), Literacy Pirates, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and English Heritage
Eight sessions have taken place so far between June 2023 and June 2025 to share learning, research, and best practices with peer-to-peer support. The forums included talks and panels by guest speakers in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector; practical workshop learning; and networking opportunities.
Hear from forum member Christy Brunel on their experience in the 2024–25 cycle.
Read Christy's blogEDI Volunteering Toolkit
In 2023, the Great London Authority published its good practice toolkit for improving the volunteer experience through inclusion.
Developed with the support of the Team London EDI Volunteer Advisory Group and Inclusive Village, the toolkit is a flexible resource that provides practical steps to help create a better volunteering experience by implementing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion practices in volunteering contexts. It provides guidance on how to leverage volunteers' voices and insights to co-produce solutions to progress EDI work.
Improving The Volunteer Experience Through Inclusion - A Good Practice Toolkit
Applications to join the Equitable Volunteering Forum are now open!
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