Volunteering 'flourishing in recession'

Leaders of national volunteering organisations attribute this to a rise in unemployment across the UK.

With 2million people currently unemployed, and with an increase in unemployment figures expected today, leading voluntary sector organisations can reveal the direct impact the recession is having on the volunteering movement.

Nearly 90% of volunteer centres in England - a kind of job centre for volunteers - saw an increase in inquiries over the six months to March, according to a survey by the Institute of Volunteering Research. This rise in interest in volunteering is supported by figures from volunteer involving organisations YouthNet and Community Service Volunteers.

YouthNet, home of the UK's volunteering website do-it.org.uk, has recorded a staggering rise of 115% from 2007 to 2008, in the number of people applying for volunteering opportunities, with the numbers of applications made in 2008 topping 60,000. The latest stats show a continuation of this trend with 38,592 and 40,143 applications made in January and February respectively - double the number of applications made for the same period last year.

While, CSV Community Service Volunteers, the UK's largest volunteering and training organisation, also revealed that the number of full-time volunteers offering between four and 12 months are up 55%..

Justin Davis Smith, Chief Executive of Volunteering England, the national development agency for volunteering today commented: "The recession is having a major impact on the world of volunteering. We know volunteering is an excellent way to develop new skills and increase an individual's employability.  Many thousands of people are now looking for volunteering opportunities as a way of making good use of their time and as a route back into employment.  The increase in the number of people wanting to volunteer is good news for our local community services, which will benefit from the skills and time from new and existing volunteers. People will develop capabilities which will help our society recover from the recession."

Fiona Dawe, Chief Executive of YouthNet, said: "More and more people are recognising volunteering as a valuable way to build on skills and improve chances in a turbulent job market, which is also good news for charities and organisations that will depend further upon volunteers during the recession.

"Volunteering is becoming more accessible and attitudes towards it are changing, so although this is a difficult and challenging time, we hope that the interest it generates in volunteering continues, as more people realise the benefits it can have on them, and the community."

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For more information, please contact Suzi Darsa on 0207520 8928 or 07887523522 or email suzi.darsa@volunteeringengland.org

Notes to Editors

• *The number of applications to volunteer received by do-it.org.uk in January and February 2008 was 19,621 and 20,559 respectively. In 2007 do-it.org.uk received 28,185 applications in total, rising to 60,621 in 2008.
• Volunteering currently adds huge value to our economy with an estimated contribution annually of £22.5billion, with a total contribution was 1.9 billion volunteer hours
• Volunteering England is a membership organisation and the leading development agency for volunteering in England. We are the authoritative voice on volunteering issues, advising organisations, government departments and volunteers on policy and good practice.  For more information please visit www.volunteeringengland.org.uk
• YouthNet is the UK's first exclusively online charity and was founded by Martyn Lewis CBE in 1995.  It aims to create a socially inclusive environment where all young adults are engaged, informed and inspired to achieve their ambitions and dreams, and does this through two award winning websites, do-it.org.uk and the online guide to life for 16 to 24-year-olds, TheSite.org.  do-it.org.uk is designed to make finding roles as easy as possible and hosts over a million volunteering opportunities, searchable by postcode, plus articles and advice on finding the perfect role.
• CSV (Community Service Volunteers) creates opportunities for people to take an active part in the life of their communities through volunteering, training and community action. In 2007/08 more than 200,000 people gave time as volunteers through CSV. CSV trained over 12,000 people of all ages and linked 29,000 people to learning through BBC Local Radio. www.csv.org.uk