16 July 2007
Justin Davis-Smith, Acting Chief Executive of Volunteering England, said:
“Volunteering England is very disappointed that Capacitybuilders appears to have ignored the voice of the volunteering sector by not reinstating volunteering as a national strategic lead.
“Many organisations and individuals came together to lobby for recognition of the unique nature of volunteering at the heart of the third sector, and we maintain that volunteering will be marginalised and undervalued through the absence of a strategic voice.
“The timing of this decision to downplay the importance of volunteering is ironic with Baroness Julia Neuberger having just been appointed as special advisor to the PM on volunteering and the Conservative’s Breakthrough Britain report highlighting the unique and cross-cutting role of volunteering to the health of the sector.
“However, we do acknowledge that volunteering will still have a presence under the new structure and welcome the commitment that Capacitybuilders has pledged to the modernisation of the volunteering movement under the new “People and Skills” strategic lead.
“We will respond in further detail to these proposals following consultation with our Board.”
Baroness Hanham of Kensington CBE, chair of the England Volunteering Development Council, said:
“One of the great assets in our society is the number of people who are prepared and wish to give some of their time to help and support others. It is vital, therefore that there is an appropriately resourced specialist volunteering infrastructure to foster and lead this community engagement. Only in this way will it flourish, enabling more people to get involved.”
- end -
Notes to Editors
