As Volunteering England co-ordinated the redrafting of the Consultation Document Compact Code of Good Practice on Volunteering comments on the consultation draft are limited to strengthening some of the definitions, commitments and undertakings expressed in the Compact Code.
Understanding Volunteering.
For the purposes of the Compact Code Volunteering England believes that there should be a clear unequivocal definition of volunteering. If as the, consultation draft claims, “…the principle of non-payment of volunteers is central to the compact volunteering code…” then it should appear in the preamble to understanding volunteering.
If the principle of non-payment is central it undermines the case to offer a definition of voluntary workers who can receive payment – they are by statute not volunteers and are far better defined within the National Minimum Wage Act. Volunteering England believes that there should be no reference to voluntary workers within the Compact Code of Good Practice on Volunteering.
The Importance and Scope of Volunteering.
This section includes three undertakings that are not explicit and are not referenced in other parts of the draft. Volunteering England believes that they should be expressed in the same way that the Government and the voluntary and community sector undertakings are expressed elsewhere in the consultation draft:
The Government and voluntary and community sector will work together to ensure that:
• There should be a greater understanding about the scope of volunteering
• There is increased publicity for the achievements of volunteers
• Expand the public perception of volunteering by improving the profile, status and range of volunteer activity.
Barriers to Volunteering
Given that the primary function of the Code is to establish “…a framework for the relationship between government and the…sector…” the undertaking to Encourage clarity, consensus and consistency about appropriate roles for volunteers is central to the spirit of the code. This undertaking could be made more robust to acknowledge the increasing engagement of government in volunteering. As an undertaking or commitment it should require the need for joined-up thinking between Government and the sector when developing new initiatives, programmes and funding streams for volunteering.
The Volunteering Experience
The preamble would benefit from introducing the notion that whilst volunteering is given freely it is not cost free – that making suitable financial provision for volunteers in funding programmes and applications is essential.
The Volunteering Infrastructure
This section includes an undertaking that is not explicit and is not referenced in other parts of the draft. Volunteering England believes that they should be expressed more robustly and in the same way that the Government and the voluntary and community sector undertakings are expressed elsewhere in the consultation draft. It should read:
Both the Government and the voluntary and community sector will work together to ensure that public funding is invested in creating and maintaining a modern, dynamic volunteering infrastructure.
There is no reference to Volunteering England's role as the Volunteering Hub as identified in ChangeUp.
Other issues
Monitoring and Compliance
Given that a function of the Code is to “…establish a framework for the relationship between government and the …sector…” Volunteering England believes that the most effective way to introduce compliance and monitoring would be to identify one joint undertaking for each of the four sections.
Volunteering England could coordinate this through the work of the England Volunteer Development Council.
Diversity
Whilst Volunteering England welcome the draft there are a number of issues that require a change of emphasis or detail. The inconsistent use of diversity, and equal opportunities needs addressing and reference needs to be made to disability.
