The Commission on the Future of Volunteering is an independent body established by the England Volunteering Development Council to develop a long-term vision for volunteering in England as a legacy of the Year of the Volunteer 2005.
What we mean by 'volunteering'
We are aware that many people do not use the word 'volunteering' or, if they do, they do not associate it with the many different ways in which they are or could be active in their communities. We use the 'V' word because it is the 'industry standard' and, among other possible terms, is recognised by the greatest number of people. What we mean by 'volunteering' is 'any activity which involves spending time, unpaid, doing something which aims to benefit someone (individuals or groups) other than or in addition to close relatives, or to benefit the environment'. 'Informal volunteering' is volunteering on an individual basis, one person helping another. 'Formal volunteering' is volunteering on a collective basis, people getting together through groups, clubs or organisations to help.
[Justin Davis Smith, The 1997 National Survey of Volunteering (Institute for Volunteering Research, 1998), 13-14.]
Our questions
- What do you think is happening to volunteering now?
- What do you think should be happening to volunteering in ten years' time
In particular we want to know what you think about:
- informal volunteering
- formal volunteering
- volunteering in all three sectors – public, private and voluntary and community
- volunteering in all fields – from animals to transport
- volunteering in all roles – from giving advice to providing services
- volunteering in all kinds of areas - from rural to inner city, from deprived to prosperous, from South West to North East
- volunteering by all kinds of people
- volunteering in England, in the other nations of the UK, in Europe and further abroad.
Who can participate?
- Are you a volunteer now or have you volunteered in the past?
- Have you thought about volunteering but decided not to?
- Do you participate in activities or use services provided with the involvement of volunteers?
- Do you work with volunteers?
- Do you work for an organisation that provides support to volunteers or volunteer-involving organisations?
- Do you manage volunteers?
- Are you carrying out research on volunteering?
- Are you making policies that impact on volunteering?
- Are you commissioning services delivered with the involvement of volunteers
- Do you have something to say about volunteering?
Then we want to hear from you.
How you can participate
The call for evidence has now closed and the Commission is preparing its final report for publication in early 2008.
The Commission is
An initiative of the England Volunteering Development Council
The England Volunteering Development Council is a high-level representative body for volunteering. The Council engages with volunteers, volunteer-involving organisations and volunteering infrastructure organisations in order to capture their collective intelligence and provide a co-ordinated lobby to steer government policy, the thinking of opposition parties and community action.
- Visit the England Volunteering Development Council web site
Sponsored by the Volunteering Hub
The Volunteering Hub was established as part of the Cabinet Office's (formerly the Home Office's) ChangeUp programme of activity as a national centre of expertise. It brings together key players to provide strategic leadership and to act as a gateway to good practice.
- Visit the Volunteering Hub web site
Supported by Volunteering England
Volunteering England is the national volunteer development agency for volunteering and the accountable body for the network of volunteer centres. It promotes volunteering as a powerful force for change, for those who volunteer, involve volunteers and make policies that affect volunteers. It provides the Commission's Secretariat.
- Visit the Volunteering England web site
