Press Release
21 April 2009
The world of volunteering has today reported a dramatic increase in the number of people looking for opportunities to volunteer. Leaders of national volunteering organisations attribute this to a rise in unemployment across the UK.
With 2 million people currently unemployed, and with an increase in unemployment figures expected tomorrow, leading voluntary sector organisations can reveal the direct impact the recession is having on the volunteering movement.
Research published today by the Institute of Volunteering Research, shows 87% of local Volunteer Centres have seen an increase in enquiries about volunteering opportunities over the last 6 months1 Furthermore, 76% of Volunteer Centres reported volunteers to a have high level of interest in using their experience of volunteering to find employment2.
This rise in interest in volunteering is supported by figures from volunteer involving organisations YouthNet and Community Service Volunteers. YouthNet, home of the UK’s volunteering website do-it.org.uk, has recorded a staggering rise of 115% in the number of people applying for volunteering opportunities, from 2007 to 2008, with the numbers of applications made in 2008 topping 60,000. The latest statistics show a continuation of this trend with 38,592 and 40,143 applications made in January and February 2009 respectively - double the number of applications made for the same period last year.3
A recent survey by CSV (Community Service Volunteers) the UK's largest volunteering and training organization, of former CSV Volunteers has shown nine out of ten volunteers said “volunteering increases job prospects”, with 84% saying the experience “increases employability”.
Justin Davis Smith, Chief Executive of Volunteering England, the national development agency for volunteering today commented: “The recession is having a major impact on the world of volunteering. We know volunteering is an excellent way to develop ‘soft skills’ for employment including teamwork, communication and other social and interpersonal skills and to increase an individual’s employability. Many thousands of people are now looking for volunteering opportunities as a way of making good use of their time and as a route back into employment. The increase in the number of people wanting to volunteer is good news for our local community services, which will benefit from the skills and time from new and existing volunteers. People will develop capabilities which will help our society recover from the recession.”
Fiona Dawe, Chief Executive of YouthNet, said: “More and more people are recognising volunteering as a valuable way to build on skills and improve chances in a turbulent job market, which is also good news for charities and organisations that will depend further upon volunteers during the recession.
“Volunteering is becoming more accessible and attitudes towards it are changing, so although this is a difficult and challenging time, we hope that the interest it generates in volunteering continues, as more people realise the benefits it can have on them, and the community.”
Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, Executive Director of CSV, said “Full time volunteers offering 4-12 months to CSV are up 55%. Former volunteers tell us how much their volunteer record has helped them get a job. Employers value practical experience, their reference from volunteering and their capacity to hit the ground running. These days especially employers look out for the candidate who stands out from the crowd. Practical experience and positive volunteer attitude are critical success factors. Our nation needs all the volunteer help it can get.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact Suzi Darsa on 0207520 8928 or 07887523522 or email suzi.darsa@volunteeringengland.org
Notes to Editors
1. The Institute of Volunteering Research (IVR) commissioned BMG Research to interview Volunteer Centres in England about their relationships with other local organisations, funding and activities around volunteering and employability. 220 Volunteer Centres (out of a possible 377) were interviewed and the research took place between 2nd and 8th March 2009. IVR is the research wing of Volunteering England.
- Read a summary of the research
2. Responses to this question are from the 138 Volunteer Centres sampled who currently do not have a specific remit to run projects on volunteering and employability.
3. The number of applications to volunteer received by do-it.org.uk in January and February 2008 was 19,621 and 20,559 respectively. In 2007 do-it.org.uk received 28,185 applications in total, rising to 60,621 in 2008.
4. The CSV survey was carried out between 02 March 2009 and 20 March 2009. The survey interviewed 276 ‘former’ volunteers, who have volunteered with CSV between 2000 & 2009.
Volunteering currently adds huge value to our economy with an estimated contribution annually of £22.5billion, with a total contribution was 1.9 billion volunteer hours
Volunteering England is a membership organisation and the leading development agency for volunteering in England. We are the authoritative voice on volunteering issues, advising organisations, government departments and volunteers on policy and good practice. For more information please visit www.volunteering.org.uk
YouthNet is the UK’s first exclusively online charity and was founded by Martyn Lewis CBE in 1995. It aims to create a socially inclusive environment where all young adults are engaged, informed and inspired to achieve their ambitions and dreams, and does this through two award winning websites, do-it.org.uk and the online guide to life for 16 to 24-year-olds, TheSite.org. do-it.org.uk is designed to make finding roles as easy as possible and hosts over a million volunteering opportunities, searchable by postcode, plus articles and advice on finding the perfect role.
CSV (Community Service Volunteers) creates opportunities for people to take an active part in the life of their communities through volunteering, training and community action. In 2007/08 more than 200,000 people gave time as volunteers through CSV. CSV trained over 12,000 people of all ages and linked 29,000 people to learning through BBC Local Radio. www.csv.org.uk
