Ayr United Football Academy has received the prestigious Investing in Volunteers accreditation.

This accolade recognises the management support and professionalism of the systems and structure that support the fantastic volunteers who are the backbone of the organisation.

Investing in Volunteers is the UK Quality Standard for all organisations involving volunteers, which aims to improve the quality of the volunteering experience and for organisations to acknowledge the enormous contribution made by the volunteers. 

A spokesperson for AUFA said “Throughout the Investing in Volunteers journey, Ayr United Football Academy have learned that this accreditation isn't just about meeting standards - it's about achieving volunteer excellence.

"Working through the process for the Investing in Volunteers Award gave us a fantastic opportunity to review our volunteer processes, to communicate with our volunteers from a different perspective, whilst actively listening to their different experiences and noting their feedback and, also, to get everyone within the academy working together towards the same goal.

"Despite the challenges of staff changes and the pressures of everyday work, having achieved this award confirms that volunteering with us is an extremely rewarding experience for everyone involved and that together we can provide a welcoming and safe environment for volunteers and activity participants alike.

"It also reiterates the value we place on our volunteers as without them, we simply could not function to provide the services and activities that we do.

"We were able to celebrate this achievement following being invited to attend the South Ayrshire Volunteer Awards recently to receive a certificate of recognition for achieving the Investing in Volunteers Award on stage at Ayr Town Hall.

"The Academy hope to further celebrate with our volunteers in the near future to recognise and applaud their dedication, passion, enthusiasm and commitment in making this possible."