Who are we?
VolunteerSkills was established by Neal Clements and Richard Dumbleton both business leaders with considerable experience in the not for profit sector with a desire to help make executives in this sector even more effective.
Established from a desire to help make life easier for not-for profit organisations through methods and best practice techniques from the business world. VolunteerSkills helps to make real change easier. We operate in a ‘bureaucracy-low’ way, for organisations who would like to benefit from the techniques used by successful businesses but don’t want the overhead of the classic “consultancy” method.
How we work
We offer solutions, training, coaching and mentoring sessions around a range of technical and soft skills, enabling not-for profit-organisations to take advantage of the best techniques the commercial sector has to offer.
Our aim is to enable your organisation to achieve the highest possible results, throughout the organisation. Our aim is to give your staff the knowledge and techniques to successfully implement projects; and deliver results across a number of disciplines.
We plug skills and knowledge gaps and teach internal teams how to use a range of industry certified project tools, techniques and solutions.
We are not for profit, meaning all of our consultancy work is offered to your organisation on a complementary basis, all we ask is for you to attend with an open mind, a willingness to approach things in a different way, and most importantly, keep us topped up on tea, coffee and the biscuits!
Profile: Neal Clements
Neal is passionate about making a difference and putting back into society, through sharing his professional knowledge and skills.He has worked at Director level for companies since 1990, specialising in IT. Neal has also built up a highly successful IT Business, as well as a Consultancy Company. Neal is fully skilled in the Ashridge Leadership Process – an industry respected programme addressing a broad range of leadership and management techniques. He is also a member of the British Computer Society and has a Master’s Degree in Computing, as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management.
His particular interest lies in project management and programme management (achieving a goal via coordinated tasks and projects) and how they allow organisations to achieve their objectives without heroic efforts or failure, invariably followed by plaintiff cries of “we will learn lessons from this debacle?”.
Neal has been a keen volunteer for decades, from flying instructor to Venture Scout Leader, he was the Princes Trust volunteer of the year in 2021. He has been the chair of finances and resources for a Multi Academy Trust and has taught IT for the Open University. Helping numerous charities and working with academia has given him a good insight into the strengths and weaknesses of organisations, and how commercial business practices could help them to achieve even more, by empowering and upskilling their fantastic and dedicated staff.
Profile: Richard Dumbleton
Richard Dumbleton is a senior programme/project and operations director/manager with over 35 years-experience in managing projects and programmes, many for Blue Chip Companies. He is highly experienced in project/programme management, business strategy and business operations. In addition, Richard has held several Senior Company Posts. On a personal level Richard has held a number of posts for None Profit Making Organisations and CASCs including Chairman and President.
We help: Education – schools to Further Education
With our proven experience of delivering tangible results within the education sector, we understand the challenges faced in an ever-shifting landscape, from primary schools through to the Further Education sector. We have trained executive members of a Multi Academy Trust in all of the techniques described in “the offer” to significant benefit. Increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the Trust’s non education side significantly.
We help: Not for profit - Charities and other not for profit organisations
Charities are facing pressures never experienced before. With the challenges the pandemic has presented, they are facing an increase in demand due to financial, emotional or health related concerns. Conversely, charitable giving has experienced a sharp decline, with almost a third (27%) of charities surveyed* stating their voluntary income had reduced during 2020, with the same proportion stating uncertainty of the survival of the impact of the pandemic upon their charity. They are being forced to look at new ways of working – including addressing current operating models, for instance, less office space required and more staff working remotely, in a more agile way. Change management and the adoption of new technologies and digital tools is critical in the successful shift, progression and sometimes survival for many. This is where we can help. With our proven knowledge of the charity sector, extensive experience in change management projects of varying sizes, and our technological foresight, we will work seamlessly alongside your teams to help your organisation adapt to challenges, whilst looking to the future and delivering the best possible solutions.