Today we hosted a volunteering Lunch & Learn training session led by our Volunteer Training Lead, Clara Jones, bringing together 13 of our fantastic volunteers for an engaging and insightful afternoon in our new learning space in Woodley. The space has been renovated thanks to funding from Stockport Council and UKSPF.

The session created a relaxed and welcoming space to connect, learn, and share experiences over some lovely food. It was also a great opportunity for volunteers to meet others in similar roles, strengthening our growing community of Digital Champions.

We host digital champion drop in support every Monday morning and a lunch and learn each month.

Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Volunteers shared that the session helped them better understand the bigger picture of their work, with one participant noting:

“I’ve got a better idea of how what we do connects to reports and what the rest of Starting Point do.”

Others appreciated the chance to connect, with comments like:

“Great to see other Digital Champions, lovely food.”

Huge thank you to Clare Redfern from Stockport Council for sharing how the impact we report is used to influence their decision making.

The Lunch & Learn format proves to be a valuable way to combine learning with informal discussion, encouraging reflection and deeper understanding. We’ll be incorporating the feedback and reflections from this session into future training opportunities, ensuring we continue to support and develop our volunteers in meaningful ways.

A big thank you to Clara for leading such a thoughtful session, and to everyone who attended and contributed to the conversation.