Volunteering England (VE) is today launching a comprehensive series of resources to help the voluntary and community sector and small businesses maximise their impact in their communities.
Volunteering England will tackle the sector’s most controversial issues at its biggest ever National Convention in Newcastle this April. Experts from the voluntary, public and private sectors will debate hot topics, from whether the 2012 Olympics volunteering legacy is really just a clever PR story, to whether the new vetting system for people working with children and vulnerable adults risks alienating potential volunteers. Plus, the Institute for Volunteering Research will launch the first ever study into volunteer management capacity – and reveal whether there is actually room within the sector for all the new volunteers Government would like to recruit.
The Convention will play host to a Question Time-style panel debate with ministers responsible for volunteering from all three main political parties in the hot seat. Delegates, including policy makers, volunteer managers and corporate CSR managers, will be able to grill Phil Hope, Greg Clark and Susan Kramer on the issues that affect their work with volunteers and members of the Commission on the Future of Volunteering will be on hand to discuss the findings and next steps resulting from the Manifesto for Change.
The programme also includes a variety of practical sessions, from how to find a celebrity volunteer patron to furthering your career through volunteering and developing an effective business plan. Household name charities including Stonewall, VSO and Scope will share their expertise on campaigning and good practice, while companies such as Barclays, Yorkshire Water and Deloitte will be discussing the increasing trend for charities and corporates to work together to improve their communities and give advice on how to broker and manage the relationship.
Justin Davis Smith, Chief Executive of Volunteering England, said:
“We are very excited to be holding our biggest ever Convention in Newcastle this year and giving our members and others with a passion for volunteering the chance to network, share ideas and learn from each other.
“Volunteering is enjoying an unprecedented opportunity to influence public policy, but that also means that we must face up to the challenges that brings, such as maintaining our independence and ensuring the critical work of volunteering infrastructure is properly funded. I’m really looking forward to debating the issues with our members and other delegates - and hopefully turn consensus into action that will help embed volunteering more fully within the fabric of our society.”
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Notes to editors
- For more information or interviews please contact Cat Dean on 020 7520 8932 or email cat.dean@volunteeringengland.org. For out of hours enquiries call 07903 731 141
- 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. For regular updates: www.volunteering.org.uk/convention
- The Volunteering England National Convention is supported by Barclays, Eatsleepthink, Third Sector, NAVCA and Volunteering Magazine
