Today (Wednesday 5 November) marks International Volunteer Managers’ Day 2025, and we’re celebrating the work of Volunteer Supervisors here at St Mungo’s!
Although IVM Day was developed internationally, for us at St Mungo’s it is here to highlight our volunteer supervisors, their skills, knowledge and impact on volunteers. This year’s theme is ‘Be BOLD. Make Change’, and to reflect this theme, we’re focussing on the hard work of our volunteer supervisors.
Joanna Cieslak, Outreach Coordinator, has been working for St Mungo’s in Brent for over 10 years. On top of her current role, Joanna has been superb in how she recruits, manages and develops volunteers. She says:
“I’ve had the privilege of working with an incredible range of volunteers who bring so much passion and energy to what we do. The best part of managing volunteers is seeing their commitment and willingness to help rough sleepers, as well as the genuine support they bring to our service.
Many of our volunteers have full-time jobs, yet they still find time to give back to the community and learn more about the homelessness sector. Their dedication and compassion never fail to inspire me.
To me, being bold means giving people opportunities to grow, even when they may not yet see their own potential. It’s about thinking creatively in how we engage with volunteers, challenging assumptions, and creating spaces where people feel empowered to make a difference.
Being bold is also about advocating for our volunteers — recognising their value and helping them to realise the impact they can have in supporting others on their recovery journey.”
All these years, Joanna has been adding social value to the borough of Brent by recruiting volunteers living locally and upskilling them through their roles. Joanna has interviewed over 35 volunteers over the years, onboarded and supported about 10 of them, directly or indirectly.
“I’ve learned to spot potential in people — especially those who show a genuine interest in homelessness and helping others. I’ve seen many volunteers grow in confidence, develop new skills, and even go on to secure employment with St Mungo’s or other homelessness charities. Watching that transformation is incredibly rewarding.”
We see Joanna as a BOLD volunteer supervisor because she validates people’s skills, lived experience and backgrounds in practice.
She will always find time to check in with them and get their feedback on shifts, after incidents and on their overall volunteering experience. Herself and her team keep us in the loop with all developments and volunteer records up to date so we can, too, witness the great impact Brent volunteers are making locally.
“Most of our volunteers — if not all — have made a significant impact. We’ve been very fortunate to have volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds and languages such as Polish, Italian, Romanian, Somali, and now Portuguese. Language skills have been invaluable, helping us to build immediate connections with rough sleepers from those communities and improving trust and engagement.
We also had a volunteer with lived experience. Her openness and encouragement inspired several individuals to engage with services who believed that positive change was possible for them too.”
We’ve been very proud to see that five volunteers from Joanna’s team have now moved into paid employment with St. Mungo’s and externally.
“Two of the people I recruited as volunteers in the past are now permanent staff on my team, one with the Westminster Outreach Team and another with the Roma Outreach Team.”
We asked Joanna for some reflections and advice for anyone thinking of recruiting volunteers for their team:
“For anyone struggling to find the ‘perfect’ volunteer, I’d say that there’s rarely such a thing as the ‘perfect’ volunteer — everyone brings something unique and valuable to the team. Sometimes the volunteers you least expect end up making the biggest impact – focus on potential rather than a perfect skill match.”
We didn’t stop there, however. We asked people who were supported by Joanna to tell us what they think:
“Joanna has been such an important part of my journey. From the very beginning, she saw my potential and gave me the confidence to grow into my role. Her kindness, patience, and trust helped me to build my confidence and grow into my role as a staff member. Joanna truly embodies the spirit of being bold and making change because she leads by example and inspires others to do the same. She’s been a real inspiration!” – Mihaela Turcu
“I first met Joanna during my social work placement in 2017. While working with another service in the area, I began going out on joint shifts with the Brent outreach team and quickly realized this was the area I wanted to work in. I was eager to volunteer with the team, and Joanna fiercely advocated for me. At the time, I was young and inexperienced, but I was never made to feel that way.
All learning happened at my own pace, and I’m deeply grateful that my early days in the sector were spent with such knowledgeable and compassionate staff like Joanna. I want to thank Joanna for giving me a chance and believing in me — that belief gave me the confidence to continue in this sector. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t met her!” – Willow Hilton
“When I first started volunteering, I felt quite unsure of myself and doubted whether I had the skills or knowledge. Joanna was incredibly supportive from the very beginning. Even though she was often busy, she always took the time to explain things clearly and patiently, which helped me build confidence.
Her encouragement and guidance have played a key role in my development, and I’m genuinely grateful for her continued support.” – Francesca Pintori
To find out more about volunteering at St Mungo’s, click here.
