Two new reports have made the news in the last couple of weeks, and could influence the future governmental policy response to volunteering.
The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) surveyed 2,500 UK adults in its Volunteering for a Healthier Britain report. The study asked about the wellbeing, health, volunteering activity and social connectedness of people to understand whether it had been affected by the pandemic.
The report argues that volunteering should be included in the government's levelling up agenda and recognised as a public health intervention. While the pandemic has negatively impacted health in Britain's poorest neighbourhoods, a key finding of the study is that volunteering can be a protective factor for those who get involved, and could be a powerful tool to help address health inequalities.
People who volunteered in the most deprived areas had dramatically improved scores compared to those who didn’t volunteer for mental health, physical health and general wellbeing. They were also considerably more likely to chat with their neighbours, socialise more and to gain confidence.
See more in this Civil Society news article.
The second report is published by NCVO and forms part of a larger cross-UK study. Volunteering in England During Covid-19: The Policy Response and its Impact looks at the experiences of volunteers and organisations and how they were affected by government policy decisions on volunteering in England during the outbreak.
This report found a mixed – but mostly negative - experience of governmental policy response to volunteering in England during the pandemic. “Inconsistent and confusing public health guidance for frontline organisations put strain on those managing and coordinating volunteers,” NCVO found.
The research highlighted a disconnect between national and local responses, with the NHS Volunteer Responders Scheme cited as an example of where local volunteering organisations were overlooked or underutilised.
The government’s call to action to volunteer was beneficial in raising the profile of volunteering. However, there are clear lessons for the future, calling for a more joined-up approach in volunteering policy in England - blending the strengths of 'local' and 'national'.