Government should focus on the quality not just the quantity of volunteering opportunities according to the first ever research into the capacity of the sector to manage volunteers. Launched today by the Institute for Volunteering Research at Volunteering England’s National Convention, Management matters: a national survey of volunteer management capacity found that although lack of resources was a major issue, over a quarter of managers of volunteers said they would not want more volunteers even if they were given additional funds.
Large organisations, including NHS trusts, were most likely to have budgets for volunteer involvement and dedicated staff time to support volunteers. Their volunteer managers were also more likely to be in a full-time post, be better trained and have fewer recruitment and retention issues than those in smaller organisations.
Other key findings included:
- Nearly half of respondents earn only £15 – 25,000 per year, despite over a third having over 10 years’ experience in the profession
- Recruitment and retention of volunteers was identified as a concern, with over half believing it would hold back their organisation over the next three years
- Only one half had received any formal training in managing volunteers but a third claimed not to need it
- In general, volunteer managers are positive about their work with 89% believing they are doing a good job
Justin Davis Smith, Chief Executive of Volunteering England, said:
“The results of this groundbreaking survey highlight the scandalously low level of funding devoted to supporting the volunteers without whom many of the country’s charities and services would simply not survive. Volunteering may be freely given but it is certainly not cost-free, and organisations need to invest financial and human resources properly in order to unleash the passion, goodwill and experience of those that manage volunteers and the volunteers themselves.
“When Government responded to the Commission on the Future of Volunteering, it pledged to support its call to place volunteering in the DNA of our society. We would urge policymakers to absorb the findings of this survey and focus on investing in quality not just the quantity as this will do far more in the long run to bring this vision to fruition.”
John Ramsey, Chair of the Association of Volunteer Managers, said:
“The shameful level of funding invested in managing our volunteers, shows how much we still take for granted the millions of volunteers who freely give their time, skills and knowledge each year.
“Good volunteer management ensures that volunteering remains a fulfilling experience for the volunteers themselves, whilst meeting the needs of the organisation they volunteer for. This survey provides a wake-up call to policymakers, funders and organisations - particularly those who fail to value volunteer management - that we need to invest in the quality, if we want to achieve the quantity.”
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Notes to editors
Other key facts from the research include:
- Over a quarter of organisations do not have funding for supporting volunteers
- The number of volunteers managers were responsible for ranged from one or two to several hundred
- Half of respondents had been on training courses for managing volunteers
- For nearly one in five, managing volunteers took more time than they expected
- 83% felt they received sufficient support in their roles
- 77% had a written policy for volunteers and 78% arranged training for volunteers
- More than half said they could involve less than 10 volunteers on their current resources
- For more information or interviews please contact Cat Dean on 020 7520 8932 or email cat.dean@volunteeringengland.org.
- The study was funded by the Volunteering Hub and conducted by the Institute for Volunteering Research. 1,382 volunteer managers were interviewed for the research
- Volunteering England aims to improve the quality, quantity, impact and accessibility of volunteering throughout England. For more information please visit www.volunteering.org.uk
- The Volunteering England Convention Transforming Passion into Power: Volunteering at the heart of social change is being held on 23-25 April 2008 in NewcastleFor more information, visit: www.volunteering.org.uk/convention
