As Volunteers’ Week 2023 begins, CHS is celebrating the phenomenal work done by more than 2,500 volunteers for more than 10,000 children each year.

Volunteers’ Week is the annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering in their communities. CHS is marking the week with a range of communications and social media posts highlighting the important work of our volunteer community.

There are around 2,500 CHS volunteers across Scotland. They held 21,909 hearings in 2021/22 (the latest year for which official data is available) and each year they observe hundreds more, and attend many hours of training. 

'Mind-blowing' contribution

In a message to the CHS Community of volunteers, CHS National Convener Elliot Jackson said: “It’s impossible to say the exact number of hours that you all put in, but even a cautious estimate would put this at around 500,000 hours of voluntary time – that’s mind-blowing.”

In April 2023 more than 300 new Panel Members were appointed, following the annual recruitment campaign and having completed pre-service training. The influx included a diverse range of people aged between 18 and 72, each bringing a unique sense of understanding, insight and empathy to the role.

Important public role

Mr Jackson added: “This is one of the most important roles in public life. It can be demanding, sometimes time consuming and challenging, so why do you do it? You do it knowing that we are helping to support infants, children and young people across Scotland by listening to what they really need.

“You know that your compassion is what can make the difference and I want to thank every single one of you for the part that you play.”

Learn more and express your interest in becoming a Panel Member