Reports Database:
Arfon Food Bank Forecast Social Return on Investment Report

“Executive Summary
This report details the forecast Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis conducted on the Volunteer Coordinator project at Arfon Food Bank and the social value created for both the volunteers and the visitors of the food bank as a result of the project between January 2024 – December 2025. The Volunteer Coordinator role is funded by the Shared Prosperity Funding distributed by Mantell Gwynedd’s Voluntary Sector Grant with match funding from Trussell. The results demonstrate that positive social value is created through the Volunteer Coordinator project for both volunteers and visitors, with a range of SROI from £0.64 – £2.50 and an actual SROI result of £1.85:1 – meaning that for each £1 invested, £1.85 of value is forecasted to be created.

The report analyses how the role of the Volunteer Coordinator impacts the group of volunteers already working at the foodbank, and how the coordinator can improve the recruitment and retention of volunteers. There are currently 30-45 volunteers giving their time to the food bank every week and the foodbank needs to recruit more volunteers to keep up with the increasing service demand from visitors. The report will primarily assess the impact created by the new Volunteer Coordinator and the impact this has had on the 43 active volunteers at the food bank, the core management team already at the food bank and will also discuss and analyse the impact the role of the Volunteer Coordinator has on the 878 visitors to the food bank.

For the group of volunteers, the role of the Volunteer Coordinator has had a great impact on their experience at the food bank. Since the Volunteer Coordinator has been in post, they have been able to set up the Assemble system, a system for volunteers to log and change the days they can work/be available. By implementing the system, the food bank can run more efficiently. The Volunteer Coordinator is also able to focus more on the volunteer’s retention and recruitment. An example of the Volunteer Coordinator’s impact is better matching the volunteers with their skill set, ensuring the volunteers are in roles that also meet their needs, and improving the retention of the volunteers. The Volunteer Coordinator has also held successful network events and recruitment days to try and recruit more volunteers. Since the Volunteer  Coordinator has been a part of the food bank team, they have been able to recruit more volunteers, taking pressure off the current group of volunteers. As a result of the Volunteer Coordinator role, the volunteers are experiencing positive outcomes including feeling more empowered and appreciated, an increased sense of belonging in a community and a sense of pride in being able to give back to the local community. All outcomes identified for the volunteers coincide with ‘A Wales of Cohesive Communities’ goal of the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2025.

Furthermore, having a dedicated Volunteer Coordinator has helped take pressure off the food bank management and gives them more time to work on the strategic work of the food bank, including grant applications and motoring & reporting systems. This is crucial at present as the increased demand for the food bank service is on a continuous upward trend with very little signs of slowing down. By having the Volunteer Coordinator at the food bank, the core management team has increased its capacity to keep up with the demand for the service and reduced stress as the Volunteer Coordinator takes pressure off the core management team through their volunteer recruitment and retention work.

It’s important to recognise the impact the role of the Volunteer Coordinator, management and the group of volunteers’ hard work at the food bank has on the visitors they support. The food bank offers holistic support to their visitors by providing 3 days’ worth of provisions in their food parcels to meet their nutrition needs, the food bank now offers financial advice and support too.

Since November 2022, the food bank has established a financial inclusion program in partnership with Citizen Advice Bureau Gwynedd with two elements: (1) an advice provision in partnership that would provide 1 full-time advisor for foodbank visitors and (2) a Signposting Coordinator (three days per week) within the foodbank that would lead volunteers and staff to refer clients to CAB and signpost clients to other  resources to address underlying problems that lead to foodbank use. The various support given to visitors by the food bank has created positive outcomes for the visitors, these include an increased feeling of financial independence and outlook, improved mental well-being and improved physical well-being. All outcomes identified for the visitors coincide with ‘A Healthier Wales’ goal of the Well-Being Of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2025.”