Last week, the VONNE team took a break from our usual work to focus on something that can all too easily slip down the priority list: our wellbeing. This blog runs through what we did and why looking after our people matters.
As a growing team who work remotely, making time to come together in person is something we really value. Every few months, we bring the full team together to connect, talk about our strategy and organisational priorities, and think about how we can work better together to support our members and the VCSE sector. This time, we decided to put wellbeing firmly at the centre of the agenda.
We were delighted to welcome Anne and Anna from Burnout Beaters to ReCoCo for a morning of wellbeing percussion. The session combined learning, movement, music and plenty of laughter. We explored some of the mental and physical health benefits of drumming, learned about the history of the Cajón drum, and then got stuck in to learning a song together.
It was a great opportunity to do something completely different, laugh with colleagues and create space to connect.
The people behind the work matter
Across the VCSE sector, people are doing extraordinary work to support their communities. They are responding to rising demand, tackling inequality, supporting people through difficult circumstances and finding new ways to create positive change.
It is work that matters enormously – but it can also be demanding.
When resources are tight and pressures are high, wellbeing can easily become something we promise to prioritise when things calm down. The problem is that, for many organisations, including VONNE, things never seem to calm down!
That's why we think it's important to keep wellbeing on the agenda.
Investing in people's wellbeing and creating a culture where people have permission to pause, connect and look after themselves isn't separate from delivering good work. It is part of creating an organisation that is healthy, resilient and sustainable.
Taking time to connect
Our wellbeing day was about recognising that our people matter and making time to invest in our team. We want everyone at VONNE to feel valued, build stronger relationships and support people to continue doing the work we do.
A huge thank you to Burnout Beaters for bringing so much energy and fun to the session – we came away feeling energised, more connected and with a new appreciation for the power of a good beat!