[WiLT] Volunteering levels remain flat despite government programmes

[WiL Admin]

Volunteering levels remain flat despite government programmes

Volunteering levels have shown no upward trend since 2001, despite
determined efforts by the Government to boost them, according to
analysis by sector think tank and research consultancy nfpSynergy.

Examination of four of the Government's citizenship surveys between
2001 and 2008 shows no discernible trend in the number of people
volunteering at least once a month. That is true even among priority
groups such as young people, which have been specifically targeted by
government programmes such as Millennium Volunteers.

"This is not news that the Office of the Third Sector is keen for
others to talk about," said Joe Saxton, founder of nfpSynergy. "They
can't be pleased they have invested so much money with no discernible
results."

Saxton also emphasised the urgent need for better research into the
efficacy of different volunteering promotion programmes. "When
projects reach a certain scale, people no longer do the rigorous
research they would do for smaller projects," he said.

Baroness Julia Neuberger, chair of the Commission on the Future of
Volunteering, said last year's commission report had found little
research on the effectiveness of different approaches to volunteer
recruitment.

"However, we did find that most people said they would volunteer if
someone asked them, which suggests that personal approaches and using
technologies such as SMS messaging should be examined closely," she
said.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said figures showed volunteering levels had
risen significantly in 2005, which was the government-backed Year of
the Volunteer.

"We believe that government investment of £4m in volunteer training
and £2m in the Access to Volunteering fund for disabled people will
increase levels," he said.

http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/DailyBulletin/840124/Volunteering-levels-remain-flat/26F3DD2A0775AC8DCC9F2314ACFA841F/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin


Who volunteers?

Volunteering trends based on government data: 2001-2007/08

A briefing from nfpSynergy July 2008

http://www.nfpsynergy.net/downloads/GovernmentVolunteeringTrendsCitizenshipSurveys.pdf?PHPSESSID=02865f1a3e27e739023a9d82e4971953