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Greater Manchester infrastructure charities draw the line on volunteering

2 May 2014 - 11:32 by Mike Wild

A group of voluntary sector support organisations across Greater Manchester have this week issued a joint statement championing volunteering and defining the difference between people who volunteer and those who are on unpaid work placement schemes.

The group includes Volunteer Centres and voluntary sector infrastructure organisations across Greater Manchester who are increasingly concerned that the line between volunteering and unpaid internships or work experience were becoming blurred.

The organisations state that they do not see Community Work Placements as genuine volunteering and are reluctant to support the new Help to Work programme in confirming a person’s attendance in what the group state will be ‘compulsory volunteering’.

Mike Wild, Chief Executive of Macc, said:

“You can’t have ‘compulsory volunteering’. We’re choosing not to support these programmes because people do not have freedom of choice to participate in them and will be faced with benefits sanctions if they do not take part in the compulsory placements.

You can argue for or against ‘workfare’ but it isn’t volunteering and shouldn’t be called that. Volunteering is by definition a positive choice and we have to uphold that. To be fair, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) does not refer to these placements as ‘volunteering’, but others are starting to and this is muddying the waters

The group are also calling on their fellow local voluntary and community groups to consider carefully whether or not to be involved in this scheme as providers of ‘placements’.”

Mark Nesbitt, Chief Executive of Voluntary Community Action Trafford said,

“What we are concerned about, and what we need to be careful of, is that we don’t forget what we as volunteer centres and infrastructure bodies are here to uphold; which is the excellent work that volunteers do and to support the growth of the sector and the value that these people add to the local area. We want to ensure that there is a clear definition between unpaid interns or people on work placements, and volunteers.”

Liz Windsor-Welsh, Chief Executive of Voluntary Action Oldham said,

“Charity trustees need to consider whether they are willing to instruct their staff and volunteers to report someone to Jobcentre Plus for not turning up or being late knowing that their benefits will then be stopped.”

Sue Morris of Salford Volunteer Centre said:

“Accredited Volunteer Centres have a responsibility to uphold the core principles of volunteering and ensure that the experience of volunteering is one that truly benefits the volunteers, volunteer involving organisations and the communities that access their services. Compulsory volunteering will negatively impact on the reputation of volunteering”

Volunteer Centres match potential volunteers to local volunteering opportunities. They offer anyone wishing to volunteer support and advice in finding the opportunity which fits best with their interests and motivation for giving up their time and skills for free. This can include moving towards paid employment or in developing career options, but there are also many other reasons for volunteering such as learning, keeping active or simply helping others. Whatever the motivation, volunteering is a positive and informed choice. Most Volunteer Centres share a recognised definition of volunteering:

‘Any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment, individuals or groups other than, or in addition to, close relatives. It should be seen as distinct from mandated/required or contractual activity - which could include internships, work placements, student placements and people on other employment related schemes’

The signatories to the position statement are:

  • Macc
  • Voluntary Community Action Trafford
  • Voluntary Action Oldham (including Volunteer Centre Oldham)
  • Salford CVS (including Volunteer Centre Salford)
  • Bolton CVS (including Volunteer Centre Bolton)
  • Wigan & Leigh CVS
  • Community and Voluntary Action Tameside (including Volunteer Centre Tameside)
  • Volunteer Centre Trafford (Trafford CVS)

The full position statement can be downloaded below.

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