Organisations including the Scouts, Girlguiding UK, England and Wales Cricket Board and the Rugby Football Union have today backed Volunteering England’s calls for more adult volunteers to help run children’s and young people’s activities.
Over 25 leading charities and voluntary organisations annually join forces with Volunteering England to mark Volunteers’ Week which runs from the 1-7 June.
This year the campaign is not only celebrating the millions of volunteers across the UK but is also calling for more volunteers to get involved.
Across the UK hundreds of thousands of children and young people want to take part in organised activities but are currently unable to due to a lack of adult volunteers.
Without the help of adult volunteers many organisations such as the Scouts and Girlguiding UK simply could not function. Nor could grassroots football, rugby and cricket, which are almost entirely supported by volunteers.
The figures below show just how big a problem this is across the UK.
- Scouts needs 6000 volunteers and Girlguiding UK needs 7000 volunteers to involve the girls and boys waiting to join on their waiting lists
- England and Wales Cricket Board needs 10000 more volunteers across 1379 clubs
- The Rugby Football Union need 2000 more volunteers to reach its target of one extra adult team in every one of its 1622
- Football Association needs 8000 more referees by 2012
Justin Davis Smith, Chief Executive of Volunteering England, the volunteer development charity, said:
“The contribution volunteers make to our society is hard to overstate. From the most local neighbourhood project to our essential public services, volunteers play a critical role making things work better and enriching the lives of individuals and communities. Organised activities for young people can help give them a sense of purpose and turn them away from negative support systems such as gangs.
Liz Burnley, Chief Guide said:
“As the UK’s largest voluntary youth organisation for girls and young women Girlguiding UK relies on the passion, dedication and commitment of all the volunteers who make guiding possible. Whether they are leading a group of girls, running a campsite, handling the accounts or making the lunches at an event our volunteers make life-changing opportunities a reality for hundreds of thousands of girls and young women. During our Centenary year, our volunteers have gone the extra mile to give the girls and young women experiences they’ll never forget from Rainbows taking over zoos across the country to leading international adventures to parts of the world like Morocco, Costa Rica and Lapland.”
Bear Grylls, Chief Scout, added:
“I hope I can use this post to encourage masses of adults in the UK to volunteer as leaders. The young people in this country need them like never before, and we have more people wanting to join than there are places available."
Stephen Ince, Sports Volunteering Development Manager at Volunteering England, said:
“Children are being encouraged to be more active spend less time in front of TV and computers. England are riding high in the sports headlines after winning the 20:20 World Cricket and with build up to the Football World Cup. There is certain to be a surge in the numbers of children wanting to play team sports and we should capitalise on their enthusiasm. This is why we are asking more adults to volunteer to help run these activities: without them our next generation of sporting talent will remain undiscovered and unsupported”
Mike Gatting, Managing Director-Cricket Partnerships, England and Wales Cricket Board, said:
"Cricket clubs up and down the country are always in need of volunteers, without whom the game we all love would not thrive. There are countless opportunities to be an active volunteer in cricket and really make a difference to the game. I would encourage anyone who wants to get involved to get in touch with their local club or visit the ECB website to learn more about the pivotal role that volunteers play as we look to grow the sport."
RFU President John Owen said:
" Rugby brings endless enjoyment into the lives of people of all ages through its Core Values of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sporstmanship.
“Providing for a growing number of players of all abilities depends on having a strong, skilful and dedicated volunteer workforce. These are the people who devote many hours free of charge so that others might enjoy the sport. In a society where time is limited, volunteers and the hours they give are all the more important, especially as standards rise and demands increase.”
An FA spokesman added:
“The FA is committed to supporting the volunteers in club football that make up the backbone of grassroots football. A well-run club should feature the backroom staff of a Fixtures Secretary, fundraisers, a welfare/child protection officer and a Chairperson to oversee the club’s constitution, as well as the frontline first aiders to act as physios and team coaches. The FA recognises the value of volunteers and provides guidance to clubs on how to recruit, retain and reward volunteers. More information is on our website www.thefa.com and we’d strongly recommend volunteering as a worthwhile and rewarding pursuit.”
Children and young people benefit immensely from being able to take part in fun, yet constructive activities. Research by Cadet150 shows:
- 85% of parents feel they have made their child a better-rounded person by involving them in out-of-school organised activities.
- half of parents think having a hobby, exercising and being a member of a team would keep youngsters focused and out of trouble
- 83% of army cadets believe their skills have improved since they joined
- 72% say being in the Army cadets makes them want to do well in life
To find out more about adult volunteering opportunities and other types of volunteering opportunities please visit www.volunteersweek.org.uk
Notes to editors:
CASE STUDIES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE
- For all press and publicity related enquiries, interview requests and photography requests, please contact:
Kimberley Rowley, Senior Press & PR Officer
Tel: 020 7520 8932
Email: kimberley.rowley@volunteeringengland.org - Volunteers' Week is an initiative of the volunteer development agencies working across the UK: Volunteering England, Wales Council for Voluntary Action, Volunteer Now and Volunteer Development Scotland.
- For more information visit www.volunteersweek.org.uk
- Volunteering England is an independent charity and membership organisation, committed to supporting, enabling and celebrating volunteering in all its diversity.
- Our work links research, policy, innovation, good practice and grant-making in the involvement of volunteers. Our members are drawn from the public, private and volunteering sectors including national charities, NHS Trusts, arts and sports organisations, and local community projects. On behalf of our members and the wider voluntary sector, we work with local and central Government, research agencies, think-tanks and other organisations
- For more information please visit www.volunteering.org.uk
