About Modernising Volunteering
Modernising Volunteering is one of nine national workstreams funded by Capacitybuilders' National Support Services programme until March 2011.
Volunteering England, as lead partner of the Modernising Volunteering workstream, are delighted to be working with Capacitybuilders and our partners the Red Foundation, CSV and NNVIA (The Network of National Volunteer Involving Agencies), the Nationwide Foundation, and V to improve support in innovative ways in the following four key areas:
- Faith-based volunteering
- Skills-based employer supported volunteering
- Overcoming barriers to volunteering within large national organisations for socially excluded groups
- New forms of volunteer involvement and management
Modernising Volunteering Reports
Year one of Modernising Volunteering (up to March 2009) focused on research in the four key areas. Reports with findings and recommendations are available to download below:
A Gateway to Work is a guide that has been produced to meet the growing interest across the Volunteer Centre network in promoting and providing opportunities for volunteering as a means of improving people’s employability.
News from the Modernising Volunteering Workstream
Further to findings and recommendations identified in the reports above, year two work (April 2009 - March 2010) is progressing in exciting and innovative ways:
Faith-based Volunteering
Volunteering England selected six projects for grant funding to build partnerships and demonstrate community building through volunteering. Shifa Trust, Jewish Volunteering Network, UK Islamic Mission, Multi Faith Derby, The Volunteer Centre Network, Newham and Passion each have different and innovative objectives but all aim to improve young people's leadership and volunteering skills and experiences through volunteering. The faith based organisations will draw on support available through local infrastructure organisations and pilot a new model for cascading learning through the sector.
Project leaders will come together over the life of the projects in learning networks, facilitated by Dare to Change. The programme has been designed to support sustainability of their work once funding comes to an end. A unique and creative element to this grant programme is the requirement for each project to 'pay it forward' as they near the end of their project. This means they will share their experiences and learning with another organisation so that faith based volunteering is developed beyond the scope of their project - achieving even more value for money for funders. Skills-based employer supported volunteering
Three pilot projects at Volunteer Centres in Darlington, Exeter and Oxfordshire have been selected to set up skills-based employer supported volunteering partnerships between local employers and front line volunteer involving organisations. A Local Business Partnership Coordinator has been recruited at each pilot project to match the specialist/professional skills or the wider employment/life skills of employees to support the operation of voluntary and community organisations through helping with their infrastructure or service delivery. The projects are funded until September 2010 and will hold local launch events in October and November 2009.
Overcoming barriers to volunteering within large national organisations for socially excluded groups
Work is focused on developing policies and strategies that will inform the sector and beyond about best practice to make volunteering accessible. Six regional and two national PACTs (Policy Action Community Team) have recently been established, each led by a NNVIA (The Network of National Volunteering Involving Agencies) to lead work relating to the following target groups:
- Physical Disabilities – led by Vitalise, East Midlands
- Learning Disabilities – led by Mencap, Midlands
- Black and Minority Ethnic Groups – led by MS Society, South West
- Refugee and Asylum Seekers – led by Newcastle Volunteer Centre (CSV), North East
- Mental Health Services – led by Samaritans, London
- Ex offenders – no lead identified yet
- Learning Exchange – led by CSV, National PACT
- Governance – led by Family Action, National PACT
New forms of volunteering
Three Guidance Note documents have been produced by the Red Foundation.
The role of social network services in supporting volunteering provides a background on adoption of new technology within the voluntary and community sector, online guides to using social network services and information and advice on what volunteering support services and volunteer involving organisations should consider when using social network services.
Download Guidance note: The role of social network services in supporting volunteering (PDF)
Developing the role of Volunteering Champions provides a background on what a Volunteering Champion is and aims to do, review of strategic Volunteering Champions in action in Westminster and what to think about when setting up a Volunteering Champion scheme. Download Guidance note: Developing the role of Volunteering Champions (PDF)
Improving the support for volunteer led volunteering provides a background on the volume and understanding of volunteer led volunteering and what to think about when supporting volunteer led volunteering. Download Guidance note: Improving the support for volunteer led volunteering (PDF)
Supporting Employer Supported Volunteering - Red Foundation are delivering training workshops in each region for volunteering support services not seeking to set up employer supported volunteering schemes but looking to provide guidance and practical support to volunteer involving organisations to work with employer supported volunteers. This work will compliment the skills-based employer supported volunteering pilot work being carried out by Volunteering England.
Improving Support website
Improving Support brings together practical resources and information for all those providing support to third sector organisations. Funded by Capacitybuilders, the Improving Support website provides a gateway to the widest range of resources, information and support, creating an easily accessible community for the exchange of ideas, advice and learning.
An Improving Support magazine and regular e bulletins also help you to stay informed and share learning on a range of issues relevant to your work as a support provider.
Find out more at: www.improvingsupport.org.uk/volunteering
Modernising Volunteering bulletin
Keep up-to-date with the Improving Support modernising volunteering workstream by subscribing to the Improving support ebulletin at www.improvingsupport.org.uk/Register.aspx 
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