In this article we will explain more about Benenden Health's Communities:
Get involved at a time and place that suits you
What is a Benenden Health Community?
As a Benenden Health member, you're part of a community of members in your area; this is your Local Community. We have 19 Local Communities across the UK. Each one is managed by a group of volunteers called Community Representatives, their role is to engage with members, ensuring they're kept informed and can share their views.
What is the role of a Benenden Health Community?
Benenden Health Communities support our engagement with all our members by:
Inviting you to attend Member Meetups so that you can find out more about the Society’s strategy, products and services, and information on current healthcare topics.
Representing your views and helping you submit ideas for consideration by the Member Council and the Board of Directors.
Keeping you up-to-date and engaging via our Online Community.
One community. Two ways to get together
Member Meetups
These are in-person events led by your Benenden Health Community Representatives where members discuss health and wellbeing issues and get updates from the Society. Your Benenden Health Community will run at least one a year.
At your Member Meetup, you can find out more about how to make the most of your membership and much more.
Our Online Community
Our Online Community is a great way to keep up to date with membership news and announcements, and provide your feedback. You can also:
- Post in forums.
- Vote in polls.
- Watch videos from Member Meetups and guest speakers.
How to put your ideas forward
Do you think there’s a product or service that would make your Benenden Health membership even more valuable? Here's a guide on how to put forward your ideas:
1. Share your idea
- Come up with an idea, perhaps a service that supports a specific medical condition.
- Choose to share it via the Online Community.
2. Community feedback
- Let's see if other members of the community like your idea by engaging in discussions.
- If there's significant interest, your Community Representative will convey this to the Member Council.
3. Member Council review
- The Member Council will review your idea and collaborate with Benenden Health to explore it's possibilities.
- They'll then submit their recommendation to the Board.
4. Board assessment
- The Board assess the idea, ensuring it aligns with the best interests of members.
- If approved, the idea moves forward for implementation.
5. Success announcement
- The Member Council will report back to you and the Online Community, confirming the successful implementation of the idea.
Sharing your feedback and ideas in the Benenden Health Online Community is key to shaping and enhancing the services we provide. We value your input.
Did you know that our Neurodiversity and Disability Advice Service was once just an idea shared at our Annual Conference and now, we're proud to offer this valuable service to members.
Here are the Benenden Health Local Communities
You'll find below the postcodes included in each Local Community. You've been allocated to your community based on the postcode where you live.
Local Community Locations
If you would like more information on your Community, please email our friendly member engagement team at thesecretary@benenden.co.uk.
Get involved
Interested in getting involved? Take a look at the details below if you are. It would be great to hear from you.
Why volunteer with Benenden Health?
We have a proud history of volunteering at Benenden Health and this important role has ensured that our members’ voices are always heard. We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help support our Local Communities, and it'd be great if you could get involved. You can:
Share your knowledge and skills, and perhaps pick up a few new skills as well.
Enjoy new opportunities and experiences.
Build connections with fellow members.
Represent your Community at engagement events and our Annual Conference.
How it works - we’ll support you every step of the way
To demonstrate our commitment to supporting our volunteers, we will:
Deliver the necessary training, support programmes and handbooks to enable volunteers to confidently understand their role, and support their Local Community.
Provide the appropriate equipment to enable volunteers to carry out their role efficiently and effectively.
Provide dedicated support, which includes our Finance, IT and Member Engagement Team.
Volunteer Roles
There are several different roles in each Local Community and our volunteers bring a mixture of skills, expertise, knowledge and views. They work in partnership with each other, colleagues from other Local Communities, and Benenden Health staff for the benefit of all our members.
Community Representative
The majority of volunteers hold this position in their Community. Representatives get involved in all of the activities of their Community, and perhaps specialise in some! They may also attend Engagement Events and keep a good working knowledge of our products, services and business plan. Most importantly they share their views, and ensure the views of their members are also represented.
Community Leader
Each Community can elect up to two Leaders and two Deputies. They fulfil the role of a Representative with the additional responsibility of running their Community. This involves a planning Community meetings and member meet-ups, building relationships with other Leaders, representing their Community at events and acting as a key liaison between the Society and Community Representatives.
Key Contact
Many Communities also have ‘key contact’ roles for finance and/or online engagement. The finance contact is responsible for high-level oversight of financial spend in the Community and the online engagement contact works with their Representatives and Benenden Health staff to maximise the Community’s engagement with its members online.
Apply now
For more information about the roles that might be available in your Community, or to register your interest in becoming a volunteer, please email thesecretary@benenden.co.uk with your name, membership number and contact details and we’ll be in touch.