Concern over possible ‘compulsory volunteering’
12th December 2007, 7:50 pm
Umbrella body Volunteering England has expressed its concern that the Education and Skills Bill “leaves open the possibility that volunteering could be introduced as one of the compulsory options open to young people. This risks undermining the fundamental nature of volunteering - that it is freely entered into and unpaid, a definition that even the government has signed up to.”
December 17th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
In order for volunteering to work it must be be a mutual exchange of giving and receiving. Volunteers choose to engage with volunteer involving organisations and equally organisations have to choose to engage the volunteer. Volunteers have to be selected to a role which suits the time they are prepared to give, their talent and their technical skills in order for them to gain new skills,make friends, be useful and volunteer effectively and efficiently. The costs of running a volunteering programme are considerable. Vetting and checking of volunteers to ensure they do no harm and also come to no harm are essential parts of managing volunteering programmes. Risk assessements have to be conducted and health and safety legislation observed. The days of mucking in and giving a helping hand, if they ever existed, are over and for volunteering to be a worthwhile endeavour proper investment in the training and support of volunteers must be budgeted and accounted for. Compulsory volunteering is not a workable prospect anymore than a conscript army in a highly techically and complex modern army is possible. So next time that hackneyed term “an army of volunteers” is bandied about consider if this means a well trained and managed, supervised and supported group of useful fulfilled and socially engaged people or a rag tag of brigands - and think what would you like to be part of?
Local Volunteer Centres support volunteers to volunteer effectively and sustainably and advise volunteering involving organisations on how to manage their volunteering programmes. They work to high professional standards supported by local authorities, charitable trusts and foundations, government funding and the national body for volunteering Volunteering England which sets the standards they work to. Volunteering is a powerful transforming force which young people can benefit hugely from and give their energy youthful exuberance and commitment to - they should be encouraged to do so safely and sustainably.