‘Community Development – Volunteering’: A Submission by
Volunteer Ireland and Volunteer Centres to the Oireachtas Joint
Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht
(June 2014)
Introduction
Ire
Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer Centres welcome the opportunity to
address the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and
Gaeltacht Addairs on the topic ‘Community Development – Volunteering’.
Volunteering is at the heart of community development in Ireland. Strong
communities empower people through social action and connect citizens with
a social bond. Volunteering plays a unique and invaluable role in empowering
members of the public to participate and play an active role in making their
community a better place – for everyone. It has been demonstrated time and
time again that volunteers are core actors in community development.
In 2006, the first and last time volunteering was counted on a national level,
the Census found that one in six people aged 16 and over in Ireland
volunteered. Since then, Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer Centres have
recorded a significant increase in the number of people interested in
volunteering. Since the recession, we have recorded a 100% increase in
volunteer registrations. The Community Foundation of Ireland’s ‘Vital
Signs’ report (2013) found that 32% of people in Ireland volunteer regularly.
Last year the World Giving Index reported that 37% of people in Ireland
volunteer once a month. The increase in volunteering is arguably one of the
few positive outcomes of Ireland’s economic downturn.
The
development
and
ongoing
impact
of
over
15,000
community
organisations across Ireland has largely been made possible thanks to the
contribution, managed involvement and oversight of volunteers. Community
development cannot happen without volunteer engagement and volunteering
enables sustainable and self-sufficient community projects – it helps to
connect communities from the ground up without relying on outside
intervention
and
demonstrates
community
support
for
community
development initiatives. Simply put, volunteering connects individuals and
strengthens communities.
The Value of Volunteering
The benefits of volunteering are countless. Volunteering is good for the
recipients of volunteering, the thousands of community and voluntary
organisations with which they volunteer, for volunteers themselves and, of
course, the wider society. In a survey that Volunteer Ireland carried out in April
2014, over 70% of the Irish public stated that they believed volunteers made
Ireland a better place to live. Economically, volunteering is estimated to be
2.7% of GDP of developed countries – which in Ireland’s case equates to over
€3bn.
The social impact of volunteering is far greater, and much more difficult to
measure. On a daily basis and all across Ireland, volunteering positively
impacts thousands of people. The people that are on the receiving end of
direct services, being supported, listened to, visited, entertained. From the
most vulnerable to the invincible, we are all recipients of volunteering and, as
recipients of volunteering, the benefits are incalculable, sometimes not even
noticed – from survival to being happier and more free to live our lives.
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Volunteering is also good for volunteers. Volunteering can help individuals to
develop new skills or put existing skills to work, grow personal and
professional networks and can play a vital role:

in the capacity building of members of the public who would be
considered socially excluded e.g. ethnic minorities, young people,
individuals with mental health problems, long-term unemployed –
enabling individuals to learn new skills and build self-esteem.

in the transition into employment and out of employment;

in supporting the reintegration of offenders and those in recovery from
addiction;
Volunteer Ireland (VI) and the twenty-one local Volunteer Centres (VCs)
located across Ireland form a significant element of the volunteering
infrastructure in Ireland: organisations or entities dedicated to promoting and
engendering volunteering in Ireland. VI and VCs work in a complimentary way,
often in collaboration, towards achieving a shared vision of an Ireland where
everyone who wants to, can volunteer (see appendix for more detail).
Since the recession, Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer Centres have seen a
significant increase in the number of unemployed and underemployed
individuals interested in volunteering. So far in 2014, one in three volunteers
are
volunteering
to
improve
skills
or
assist
employment
prospects.
Volunteering can be a great way of developing new skills, putting existing
skills to use and expanding your professional network.
Volunteer Centres work with relevant institutions and clubs such as the HSE
and Jobcare to help place socially excluded individuals in suitable volunteering
roles. They also help and support young people to volunteer – one-in-four
volunteers registering with I-VOL and local Volunteer Centres are aged 22 or
under. Volunteer Ireland is involved, with partners from across the private and
non-profit
sector,
acknowledged
the
in
developing
employability
a
‘Careers
skills
young
Passport’
people
gain
that
will
through
volunteering. Volunteer Ireland also works with Campus Engage and USI on a
national level to promote and facilitate volunteering for third level students,
whilst many Volunteer Centres work closely with Higher Education Institutes
to place student volunteers in suitable volunteering roles.
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Connecting volunteers with community needs
In 2013, over 14,900 volunteers registered to
volunteer through I-VOL and/or their local
Volunteer Centres. These volunteers clocked up
over 500,000 hours of voluntary work with an
equivalent economic value of over €10 million. A
further 2,450 volunteers from previous years reengaged with Volunteer Centres last year. 920
organisations
registered
with
I-VOL
and
Volunteer Centres for the first time, bringing the
total number of organisations currently supported to over 7,000. Volunteer
Ireland and local Volunteer Centres also provide a Garda Vetting Service for
volunteer-involving organisations and each year process up to 9,000 Garda
Vetting forms.
Gender of volunteers registered on I-VOL
in 2013
Additionally, www.volunteer.ie, the online portal for volunteering in Ireland
that provides resources, guides and supports for volunteers, prospective
volunteers, volunteer-involving organisations and employers interested in
supporting volunteering, received over 140,000 unique visitors in 2013.
Volunteer registrations on I-VOL, the national database of volunteering, 2013
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With interest in volunteering at an all-time high, Volunteer Ireland and local
Volunteer
Centres
are
helping
to
connect
volunteers
with
suitable
volunteering roles in their community. This is in a context of reduced capacity
within community and voluntary organisations to recruit and manage
volunteers. With ongoing funding cuts and a challenging fundraising climate,
organisations are finding it difficult to invest in the time and resources
required to engage and manage volunteers (even though demand for services
is increasing).
Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer Centres support volunteer-involving
orgnisations by providing training in volunteer engagement and management
– building the capacity of organisations to utilise volunteering towards
achieving their own objectives and helping to meet increased demand.
Last year, 24 volunteer management training courses were delivered by
Volunteer Centres with a total of 237 attendees across the country. There was
an average of a 95% overall event satisfaction rating. Additionally, Volunteer
Ireland provides a calendar of training events for national volunteer-involving
organisations to help improve the effectiveness and overall impact of
volunteer programmes.
Through training, international best practice
standards and bespoke consultancy, Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer
Centres are helping volunteer-involving organisations increase capacity for
volunteers and implement best practices in volunteer management.
Policy to support volunteering
There have been appeals for a national policy on volunteering since the 1990s.
In its 2000 White Paper (‘A Framework for Supporting Voluntary Activity and
for Developing the Relationship between the Community and Voluntary
Sector’), the Government acknowledged there was ‘no policy framework’
for volunteering or developing volunteering, deferring consideration on the
matter to the National Committee on Volunteering (NCV) established in
response to the designation of 2001 as the United Nations International Year
of the Volunteer. The report of the NCV (‘Tipping the Balance’, 2002) made
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two core recommendations to government. First, that it should develop a
policy on volunteering. Second, that it should support the emerging
volunteering infrastructure as a prime delivery agent.
It was a previous incarnation of this Committee, the Joint Oireachtas
Committee on Arts, Sports, Tourism, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, that next took
up the baton, receiving presentations from the C&V sector in 2004 (including
Volunteer Centres Ireland, who merged in 2011 to form Volunteer Ireland) and
issuing its own report in January 2005, ‘Volunteers and Volunteering in
Ireland’. As stated in the report, it was the Committee’s view that “a clear
strategy [was] needed on volunteering, essential to which were agreed
objectives,
targets
and
specific
timeframes.”
The
Committee
also
recommended that the emerging infrastructure be supported by public funds
to develop into a national volunteering infrastructure. Shortly thereafter, the
newly establish Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
announced ‘a package of measures to support volunteering’ which
included
providing
core
funding
to
the
then
eight
local
volunteer
infrastructure agents (a mix of bureaux and centres, with a town or county
remit) and a national agency (VCI).
In the years that followed, the local volunteering infrastructure grew such that
by 2008, there were more than 20 local Volunteer Centres, most of which were
affiliated to VCI and operating according to a quality standard framework
designed to establish a base level of good practice and align working practices
across VCs. In the same year, the Department undertook a review of the
Volunteer Centre programme resulting in a departmental ‘Policy on
Supporting Volunteer Centres’, which has formed the basis of funding and
evaluation of Volunteer Centres since. Although envisioning a Volunteer
Centre in every county, due to the economic climate (with respect to
resourcing additional VCs), the policy was effectively put ‘on hold’ the year
it was issued (2009). It remains the only official policy (national or
departmental) that exists on volunteering in Ireland.
In the last five years interest in and levels of volunteering have risen
dramatically in Ireland – yet there remains no official policy on volunteering.
Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer Centres welcomed the announcement
last year that the Department of Environment, Community and Local
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Government has committed to developing a Departmental policy to support
volunteering. Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government,
Phil Hogan, committed to developing a draft policy for consultation by the
end of 2013. This draft policy has yet to be released.
We believe that a national policy for volunteering could:
1. Increase awareness and understanding of the diversity, value and
impact of volunteering in Ireland.
Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer Centres believe there is insufficient
awareness across all sectors of society of the diversity, value and impact of
volunteering in Ireland. A Departmental policy can ensure that volunteering is
aligned to national priorities, targets and objectives.
2. Facilitate access to volunteering
Supports
and
funding
for
volunteering
infrastructure
are
currently
disproportionate in Ireland. With various levels of core funding, Volunteer
Centres are operational across 17.5 counties in Ireland. In non-VC counties,
dedicated resources are often limited to ring-fenced funding within the LDC
budget. Volunteer policy should provide a roadmap to a fully integrated and
nationwide volunteering infrastructure. Volunteering policy could also address
barriers to volunteering, e.g. issues for volunteers in receipt of social welfare people need to be encouraged/invited to volunteer.
3. Encourage quality in volunteering within the C&V sector
The quality of the volunteering experience is vital to creating a culture of
volunteering. A Departmental policy can set national priorities, targets and
objectives with respect to building the capacity and best practice of volunteerinvolving organisations (from the very largest, to the very smallest) and
employers (from MNCs to SMEs) which can be delivered by the volunteering
infrastructure through training (accredited/non-accredited), awards, quality
standards and ICT, with achievements tracked, monitored and evaluated
accordingly.
A policy for volunteering would clarify the objectives and outcomes of the
Government’s investment in volunteering, and provide strategic direction to
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the current volunteering infrastructure, helping to instil a collective clarity of
purpose. Volunteer Ireland and Volunteer Centres believe that a national
policy for volunteering should contain measurable, time-specific objectives
and goals for the volunteering infrastructure to work towards achieving, in a
collaborative and joined-up way.
Given the impact this Committee has previously had with respect to
volunteering, we would greatly appreciate its support in ensuring that a policy
for volunteering is developed and that the Department engages with key
stakeholders, including but not limited to Volunteer Ireland, local Volunteer
Centres and key national Volunteer-Involving Organisations, in a consultation
when a draft policy is produced.
Sustain volunteering supports and infrastructure
Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer Centres received a 5% cut last year. This
followed near-consecutive cutbacks to both Volunteer Ireland and Volunteer
Centres since 2010. Overall, the cut has been 15%, but some VCs (and VI) have
seen much higher cuts – between 25% and 38%. Whilst seeking to absorb
these cuts, Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer Centres have met an
increased demand for services – both from volunteers and volunteer-involving
organisations. Volunteer Ireland has grown its service offerings, engaged with
bigger audiences year on year and, together with local Volunteer Centres, has
grown I-VOL to offer nationwide access to volunteering opportunities.
Now more than ever it is crucial that volunteering is supported and existing
infrastructure is sustained. Ongoing funding cuts and lack of clarity regarding
the future of the programme is having a negative impact on services – with
some Volunteer Centres at risk of collapse. The lack of clarity has mitigated
innovation and creativity and has stifled Volunteer Ireland and the network of
Volunteer Centres’ ability to plan beyond the immediate and short-term.
It is vital that current levels of funding for volunteering are sustained – to
ensure the survival of the current infrastructure and to allow us to grow and
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develop new services and supports for volunteering.
Conclusion
Volunteering makes for safer, healthier (mentally and physically), more active
societies. The extent to which people connect to other people – social
networking in the traditional sense of the word – is the measure of a
community. The breadth and range of volunteering creates societies in which
more services (from the noble to the fun) are available. It creates more
tolerant, more equal, more inclusive, more cohesive and more questioning
communities.
When Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer Centres presented to the
Oireachtas Joint Sub-Committee in 2009, we made the point that the way in
which Ireland chose to respond to the greater demand for volunteering would
inform the experience of recession and the country that could emerge from it.
As Ireland finally turns a corner out of recession, it is prescient to consider the
kind of society we wish to create and it remains the view of the volunteering
infrastructure that the extent to which we can encourage and support people
to be involved in their community will bring us closer to a more equal society
for all.
The resources currently invested in Volunteer Ireland and local Volunteer
Centres are having a positive impact (both socially and economically) and
yield a significant return on investment. At the same time, we acknowledge
that no public funding should be wasted - and there is arguably a risk of this
being the case with no volunteering policy and ongoing funding cuts to
volunteering supports. With the desire to volunteer at an all time high, and an
ongoing lack of capacity within organisations to effectively engage and
manage volunteers, now more than ever a national volunteering policy is
required to ensure nationwide supports for volunteering are in place to assist
the continued growth and development of volunteering in Ireland. The policy
must be cognisant of other recent policy developments in local and
community development and citizen engagement – indeed there is an
opportunity for it to not only complement existing policy, but also facilitate
related policy goals and aims.
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Appendix
About Volunteer Ireland
Volunteer Ireland is the national volunteer development agency and a support
body for all local Volunteer Centres and Volunteer Information Services in
Ireland. Our vision is every person connected to and participating in their
communities to build a better Irish society and we strive to achieve this
through increasing awareness of, access to and quality in volunteering in
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Ireland.
Volunteer Ireland works to promote and celebrate volunteering in Ireland
through campaigns such as National Volunteering Week (May 12th – 18th) and
the Volunteer Ireland Awards (September – December). We support national
volunteer-involving organisations by offering bespoke training, consultancy
and an extensive range of online guides and resources on engaging
volunteers. Volunteer Ireland also provides support to for-profit companies
interested in volunteering and offers volunteer management services for
large-scale events and festivals.
Volunteer Ireland develops and supports best practice in volunteering and
Volunteer Centres, including the evaluation of Volunteer Centres according to
a quality standard framework. Volunteer Ireland works collaboratively with the
network of local Volunteer Centres and with the emerging Volunteering
Information Services in managing I-VOL (the national database of Irish
volunteering opportunities and listings) and striving to achieve our shared
objective of an Ireland where everyone who wants to, can volunteer.
About Volunteer Centres
Volunteer Centres offer advice and support to both volunteers and volunteerinvolving organisations through a range of services that include information
provision, consultation, training and Garda Vetting. Volunteer Centres’
primary function is to match individuals and groups interested in volunteering
with appropriate volunteering opportunities.
In addition to placing volunteers, Volunteer Centres stimulate and encourage
volunteering by promoting volunteering at local, regional and national events
and in local, regional and national campaigns. They work towards breaking
down the barriers to volunteering, targeting specific groups of people who are
under-
or
unrepresented
in
volunteering.
Volunteer
Centres
develop
volunteering opportunities through consultation with local voluntary and
community organisations. They recognise the potential of volunteering and
encourage groups and organisations – be they private, statutory or voluntary
and community – to think creatively about volunteering roles and to develop
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imaginative, non-traditional opportunities for potential volunteers.
Volunteer Centres work to promote good practice in working with volunteers
through the delivery of training and support. They campaign and respond to
legislation that may impact on volunteering and, as local experts on
volunteering, inform planning and policy at regional and national level.
Organisation Case Study: Cheeverstown House
Cheeverstown is a voluntary organisation that provides a wide range of
residential, respite and day services to almost 400 children and adults with an
intellectual disability in Templeogue and throughout various community
locations in South Dublin.
Gerry O’Connor, Volunteer Coordinator with Cheeverstown, first registered
the organisation with South Dublin County Volunteer Centre back in 2007. He
was new in his post and hoped to set up a volunteer program to enhance the
lives of the service users in Cheeverstown.
Gerry met with South Dublin Volunteer Centre to discuss best practice in
volunteer management and how Cheeverstown could best engage and involve
volunteers. Some months later they met again and Gerry had, as a result of the
initial consultation, developed a clearer idea of what practices and policies he
needed to put in place. In order to develop these Gerry then attended
volunteer management training with the Volunteer Centre, which he found
very beneficial.
Gerry then became very active in the community and voluntary sector. He
joined the Volunteer Managers Forum (coordinated by Volunteer Centres in
Dublin) and shared his learnings with others while also gaining experience
from more established volunteer managers. Gerry frequently attends seminars
run by the Volunteer Centre on topics such as ‘Garda Vetting’ and
‘Volunteering and Older People’.
Tricia Nolan, Manager of South County Dublin Volunteer Centre said “Gerry
now runs a flourishing volunteer program at Cheeverstown. Working with him,
Cheeverstown House has moved from registering with us and having no
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formal volunteers to now having 7 opportunities registered with the Volunteer
Centre and numerous others, which have been filled over the years.”
Tricia continued, “Gerry has become such a pioneer in volunteering. Last year
he held a volunteer fair in Cheeverstown House to coincide with International
Day of Volunteering, which we attended, to promote volunteering to the staff
and service users. Taking small steps, and working closely with the Volunteer
Centre, Gerry has developed a volunteer program, built on best practice, which
Cheeverstown House can be proud of.”
Gerry recently worked with Volunteer Ireland on adopting ‘Volunteer
Impact’ for the organisation – volunteer management software that makes
engaging with, and managing volunteers, both efficient and effective. Gerry’s
next plan is to sign up to Volunteer Ireland’s Investing in Volunteers Award,
the national quality standard for good practice in volunteer management.
Organisation Case Study: Knockbridge Community Initiative
The Knockbridge Community Initiative was set up in October 2013 in an effort
to increase the number of volunteers and involve more people who were not
originally from the parish. A key aim was to carry out a community skills audit
under the guidance of Louth Volunteer Centre to see what talents local people
might have that the community could benefit from and also to let people
know what options existed for helping out.
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The project arose out of a presentation to Louth County Council on how Louth
Volunteer Centre can make it easier for people to volunteer. Declan
Breathnach, the local Councillor for Knockbridge, then organised a group of
local people to develop a survey and identify the needs of the community. The
team at the Volunteer Centre held meetings with the group to design the
survey, develop volunteering opportunities, organise information stands/a PR
campaign to encourage people to sign up and provide on-going support on
how to effectively manage and retain volunteers.
In February 2014, the survey was distributed to over 600 households. Out of
the 58 responses received 28 people have confirmed so far that they now
volunteer regularly. Moreover, as a direct result of the Community Audit, a
new befriending service for older members of the community who may be at
risk of isolation was created. 16 volunteers undertake tasks such as home
visitation, going out for tea, giving lifts etc. Another 12 people volunteer either
as part of the local Tidy Towns, GAA Club, Girl Guides and/or Vintage Rally
Day. One young person who is studying in Dundalk IT is now using her skills
as the Editor of the parish newsletter.
John Cotterell, Manager of Louth Volunteer Centre said it’s inspiring to see
people take the initiative to make their communities stronger with support
from their local Volunteer Centre. We have received great feedback on our
face-to-face meetings with people willing to help but who are unsure of where
to volunteer or did not feel confident enough to approach groups themselves.
They also appreciate our follow up support calls, SMS service and newsletters
highlighting the latest volunteering opportunities. Based on the success of the
Knockbridge Community Initiative, Louth Volunteer Centre hopes to roll out
similar projects throughout the county in the near future’.
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Volunteer Case Study: Jean
Jean took early retirement a number of years ago and qualified as a Social
Worker in 2011. After that she became a full time carer of her elderly
parents. In 2014 she found herself with free time and had a desire to make a
difference in her community.
Jean registered with South Dublin County Volunteer Centre in March
2014. She secured her first placement when she responded to an advert for a
volunteering opportunity with the DSPCA, who where looking for someone to
carry out some data entry and make phone calls in preparation for the Ladies
Mini Marathon.
Jean wanted to volunteer on a regular basis, so she searched I-VOL for
opportunities and the Volunteer Centre kept in contact with her, suggesting
opportunities that might be suited to her. She applied to a number of
organisations and attended a number of interviews.
Out of the six vacancies Jean applied for, she has now been placed in three
roles. Jean helps out with Crumlin Meals on Wheels for 2 hours a week. She
also volunteers as an Office Volunteer with Arthritis Ireland, helping out for 4
hours every week. And most recently, she has secured a position with the Irish
Foster Care Association, and will be helping with their telephone helpline from
July onwards. Jean also approached a local school and has been helping out
with reading with the children 2 hours a week.
Volunteer Case Study: William
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William ran his own jewellery making business but was unable to continue
after suffering a period of depression. Last year, his HSE social worker
suggested he contact Louth Volunteer Centre to see if volunteering might
interest him.
Based on his interests, skills and preference for a short commitment
William’s first volunteer role was as an Invigilator in the ‘Lens a Hand’
photo competition and exhibition in local shopping centres in Drogheda and
Dundalk that Louth Volunteer Centre organised as part of National
Volunteering Week. The aim of project was to capture the spirit of
volunteering in Louth and encourage other people to give volunteering a
go. After this positive experience, the Volunteer Centre connected William
with other volunteering opportunities locally. He now uses his skills to teach
people how to make jewellery in upcycling workshops in the ‘Action against
Addiction’ charity as well as helping out in the Mens Sheds and stewarding
in local festivals.
Karen Donlon, Louth Volunteer Centre said ‘ Recently, William was a
participant in the local Jobs Club that Louth Volunteer Centre attends. We
present to members of the club on how volunteering can be a useful
stepping-stone back to employment. William was a fantastic ambassador for
volunteering by sharing his own experience with others on the course’.
William said ‘I didn’t know there was the opportunity to volunteer. The
reason I enjoy volunteering is because it give me a sense of worth, keeps me
busy, I’ve learned bits and pieces at the Mens Shed and I like to help other
people. Also, it’s a bit of company while I’m working and it’s the only
involvement with people that I have. I like taking on a bit of responsibility and
like to see a job being done well. You never know at some point a job might
come from it. It’s not who you know it’s who knows you.’
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