Over the last 6 months, Volunteer Scotland has been working with organizations to create a space for sharing ideas and learning within a human learning systems setting. They have discussed key topics around human learning systems such as variety, empathy, strengths-based perspectives, and trust. Volunteer Scotland wants to embrace a systems approach to volunteering rather than a traditional project-based approach, focusing on impact, understanding systems, capacity building, and continuous learning. They described the volunteer system in Scotland as complex with many interconnecting factors. Volunteer Scotland is providing an opportunity to become a systems steward to help create healthy systems by supporting ongoing learning, building relationships, and enabling co-design processes.

1. Supporting The Human
Learning System:
System Stewards
Adrian
Volunteer Scotland
October 2021
VS AGM
Click to add text

2. Over the last 6
months we have
been working with
organisations within a
Human Learning
Systems setting
We have created a space for these groups to:
• listen, reflect and share thoughts ideas
and questions
• step into this space with the understanding
that no one knows everything
• reach a shared understanding of key topics
and individual and collective learning points 2
2

3. Human Learning Systems
3
HUMAN LEARNING SYSTEMS
variety, empathy,
strengths-based
perspective, trust
“focus on the
capabilities and
contexts which help
enable good human
relationships”
what ‘good’ looks
like, changes we
need to keep up
“what works is a
continuous process
of learning and
adaption; use data,
formal and informal
spaces ”
we’re in a system,
we bring strength
and resource
“shared vision,
voice and power,
mutual ownership
and devolved
decision-making”
Key note
 Systems cannot be controlled, only influenced
 No-one is in charge of a system and no one person holds the whole truth

4. Working within a set of agreed
principles
• Strong endorsement from
launch event Feb 2021
• Great feedback from Toby
Lowe’s lecture at ‘The
Gathering’ Feb 2020
Recap from slide deck Feb 2021…
• Systems can only be influenced
• No one person holds the whole truth
We need people to:
• build bridges between the different
silos and sectors of society
• facilitate meaningful connections;
help them co-create agendas
• create shared learning spaces and
sharing the learning more widely
• involve more diverse
collaborators, growing trust and
sharing vision
• Support systemic ways of working
New way
Creative
Challenge
Exciting
Shared
learning
Constructive
Flexibility
Co-production
4

5. Why are we doing this?
We want to move from a traditional approach to
volunteering
To embrace a systems approach to volunteering
Development of
outputs
To achieve
agreed outcomes
• Project goals rather than system
goals
• Time bounded – specific
start and end dates
• Monitoring and evaluation to
determine project 'success'
5
• Impact of learning
Understanding the system
Capacity building
• Working together
Multi-disciplinary, multi-sector
Community engagement and
development
• Continuous process

6. The Volunteer System
within Scotland
is Complex

7. 7
+
level of
education
attainment
level of
income
level of
health
high
+
R
good
high
R
​cease
volunteering rate
Volunteering
rate
+
-
VOLUNTEERS
number of people ENTERING​ number of people LEAVING​
-
+
quality of
volunteering
experience
perceived
time
good
high
gender
age
disability volunteering
awareness &
knowledge
yes
male
>18
low
Associational
life
poor
PROGRAMMES
& POLICIES
RULES
ENVIRONMENT
All we see is our part of the Volunteer System

8. What if we had more people
working this way…?
Unpacking Human Learning Systems
8

9. Opportunity to become
a Systems Steward
System Steward create healthy
systems by:
• Supporting on-going learning
development and
experimentation
• Helping people understand
the system
• Building relationships and
trust
• Encouraging and enabling co-
design processes
System Stewardship is a
leadership role

10. Opportunity to become
a Systems Steward
System Stewards are people who:
• Want to learn
• Are curious inspire curiosity in
others
• Want to find what really makes a
difference
• Open-mindset and can see beyond
their agenda
• Put volunteers at the center of
learning, hear their voice and
understand their story
• Really listen and even encourage
(positive) conflict
System Stewardship is a
leadership role

11. Next steps
If this sounds interesting, please
contact:
Adrian Murtagh
Head of Volunteer Practice

12. Thanks