The impacts of the pandemic, soaring costs and ongoing recruitment and retention challenges, alongside the recent political unrest have left our sector in crisis. In our mission to support everyone involved in childcare and early years, now more than ever it is vital that we understand the experiences and what it is like on the ground for managers, practitioners and professionals working in our sector. That’s why we have launched our Volunteer Insight Panel (VIP).
The main purpose of the VIP is to support PACEY and our work. Working together helps us to understand, advocate for and provide high quality resources to the sector.
Through our insight panel we have put forward practitioners to participate in research calls, interviews, case studies and surveys to inform Government’s policy plans and proposals for early years and childcare to ensure that practitioners' lived experiences and voices are central to these.
The current cost of living crisis is having a huge impact on practitioners’ mental health. The VIP helped us develop our new Mental Health and Wellbeing Spotlight – providing on-the-ground feedback to help us support other practitioners through new resources and signposting to services.
Individuals on the VIP have been guest speakers at our PACEY Live webinars, helping to translate theories into relatable everyday best practice, as well as given their time to share their knowledge and experience by contributing to articles in our Childcare Professional magazine and our blog.
Practitioners across the country look to PACEY’s online groups for peer support. In these group members of the VIP have been able to offer their support. Feeding back to PACEY any common issues they come across to help us to knowwhat is happening ‘on the ground’ to ensure we are up to date and can provide the appropriate support.
We continually develop the ways in which we deliver our content and welcome ideas and suggestions from the VIP as to what would be helpful for childcare and early year’s professionals as well as testing products and resources, ensuring their quality and are fit for purpose.
About the role
An opportunity to be involved with and influence PACEY, a sector leading organisation, individuals on the VIP can get involved in a variety of ways depending on their experience, expertise, available time, and interests.
It is very much a two-way relationship; we ask a commitment of some time to get involved with PACEY when invited but also to reach out to us and share information, ideas or insights. Being part of the VIP provides the opportunity to be part of the bigger picture, to give back to the sector, be heard, provide new skills while expanding CV and provides a new sense of achievement.
Who can join
We have representation on the VIP across the sector, from both England and Wales, including but not limited to: childminders, childminder assistants, nannies, nursery workers and managers, preschool practitioners and managers, and other early years specialists and experts.
Individuals new to the sector or with decades of experience or anything in between are welcome on the VIP.
Here’s what members of the VIP say
‘I’ve joined PACEY VIP to help others. It promotes personal growth and self-esteem for me too.’ Georgina, childminder
‘I joined VIP so that I could help others and share ideas and views with others that want better outcomes for all those involved in the childcare industry.” Debbie, childminder.
‘I’m glad to be a part of VIP to play a small part in supporting others in the early years sector – especially other nannies.’ Pauline, Nanny.
‘I joined the PACEY VIP as for such an underrepresented workforce such as the early years, I felt excited about an opportunity to share my practice, views and opinions and feel that I had a voice and was giving something back to our sector in some way, in addition to meeting a range of like-minded professionals and colleagues.’ Chloe. Childminder
‘I have been involved with the VIP for a number of years now. Before opening my own nursery, I was a childminder and I have a huge respect for the sector. I feel that I can offer support and guidance now as a nursery owner that brings a depth of experience. Being a part of that network is a great privilege.’ Lucy, Nursery owner
‘Being a member of PACEY's Volunteer Insight Panel (VIP), I help promote PACEY’s services including CPD and any news updates as they are a reliable source to cascade to others who also need to know. By being a VIP, it also provides me with an individual point of contact during communication about specific topics. I know as an organisation they have closer links with government departments and parliamentary meetings than I can have as an individual, so we can all work together raising outcomes for both children and the workforce who care for and educate.” Annette, Childminder
‘I joined VIP because I am passionate about working with children and want to get our views heard, in order to make positive changes in the world of childcare.’ Priya, childminder
‘I am delighted to be part of the VIP to share experience, knowledge and ideas with PACEY staff and others on the VIP to help inform future PACEY content, contribute to the Childcare Professional magazine and feedback for the wider childcare sector on policy issues.’ Sue, early childhood consultant.
Find out more
Does being on the Volunteer Insight Panel interest you? Find out more, download the role description, and express your interest to join the VIP here.