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Denise volunteers a new idea

22 Oct 2013

Investing in Success is a £1 million initiative to boost staff development that has resulted in a fascinating array of projects which show just how passionate our people are about their work here at the University.

Denise Fieldhouse

The Investing in Success fund came along at just the right time for Denise Fieldhouse – she had been looking for examples of staff volunteering at the University and  in her owns words: “I saw a gap.”

Staff Development Advisor Denise, who has been working at the University’s Directorate of Human Resources for 11 years, knew from personal experience as a governor at her children’s school, that volunteering could bring new skills and a sense of achievement to take your career path to a new level.

But while she could see that many academics had been able to take up development as part of their research, or identified an opportunity while doing their research, there were fewer Professional Support Services staff in that position.

“When the IIS funding came out, I saw it as an opportunity to look at volunteering being embedded in staff development for the PSS sector,” she recalls.

“It’s not only good for boosting staff morale and retention, giving people newfound skills, confidence and enthusiasm, it’s also good for the University’s strategic agenda in Goal 3 social responsibility.”
 
Denise is investigating volunteering opportunities for teams with a company that can source such events – and Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer Will Spinks’s team will be the first to take part.  She is also looking at volunteering opportunities for individuals, linked the PDR system to ensure it is strictly linked to their personal and professional development.
 
For herself, the project gives Denise the chance to work on something at a strategic level: “I am enjoying meeting different people both outside and within the University. I’ll be happier still when I can evaluate the first pilot activities.”

Share your story

 
Did you receive funding from the Investing in Success initiative?  If so, share your story with us by emailing uninews@manchester.ac.uk.