Achieving more by using your local people resource
Volunteering is a popular topic at present - within government with the pledge to offer up to three days’ paid volunteering in public sector organisations and companies employing over 250 staff; with charities which have a view on this and which might need to be doing more with less staff; and with those who volunteer who will also have a view on why they volunteer and what they do – and how this plays out in a time of reducing public services.
A straw poll of some staff working with me shows there are a range of reasons why people volunteer, what they do and what puts them off volunteering. I realise we work for a charity, so we might be predisposed to volunteering but from my time in the voluntary and community sector I think our replies reflect a range of reasons why people get involved, stay involved or leave.
For example, reasons for volunteering include: a call to action, someone asking for their help, something that used their professional skills, free experience that was fun or experience for their CV or via faith activity. The type of volunteering that people get involved with ranged from fundraising to local youth work to litter clearance on the beach or more involved volunteering such as taking on the role of a charity trustee.
What put people off volunteering included: being asked repeatedly to do more, poor organisation, dull meetings or little volunteer support. On the positive side, the things that kept (or keep) them volunteering included: doing some good, making friends and meeting new people, having fun and getting something out of it, and supporting local community activities.
The benefits of volunteering
Most of us are aware that volunteering can increase people’s confidence, boost wellbeing and help strengthen the fabric of society. It is also vital for many charities, as without volunteers they would not be able to provide activities, events, support or services.
Recent statistics show that over 27% of people volunteer regularly through a group, club or organisation once a month; and 74% of people volunteered at least once in the last 12 months. That’s a huge number of people supporting our communities and supporting charities. I welcome all voluntary activity. Having been involved as a volunteer since the age of 14 I know the benefits it brings.
I want to highlight the role of residents and those who volunteer at a grassroots level - to encourage us all to give a greater voice to those who give their time to help neighbours, friends and community groups in their local area.
Residents working locally can help improve green spaces, run youth or sports clubs, improve access to local services and amenities through community transport, organise events, support people to access training to find jobs, arrange activities around healthy eating or renovate disused buildings. This makes a positive difference to social capital, builds networks of relationships among residents and helps communities to function more effectively – a key ambition for many charities working at a local level.
So how can charities harness the potential of residents to the benefit of all?
Give residents a greater voice
A recent survey we did found that three quarters (76%) of those surveyed agree that residents are best placed to know what is needed in their community; three in five (61%) agree that they would like to be given the opportunity to help decide how funding is spent whilst half (50%) say that they would be more likely to help make their community a better place to live if given more control over decisions about what changes should be made. Almost two thirds (63%) were willing to help their neighbours and community if given the opportunity.
Giving a greater voice to residents and local volunteers – as well as beneficiaries – will help charities identify where change is needed at the same time as allowing those who live, work and socialise in our communities to play a more active role in helping to create this change. It is residents who are best placed to know what is needed in their community and they are often most capable of creating and sustaining positive change locally, supported by the organisations that they trust and respect.
Some charities might face challenges in helping residents become involved with voluntary activity. This may especially be the case where, historically, people have felt unable to make their voice heard about changes that are most needed locally. It may also especially be the case within communities most affected by public spending cuts and welfare reform where community engagement can be a greater challenge, and this can be a barrier for charities working with these communities.
However in my experience you can work with residents and people locally in these communities using a community development approach to identify what matters most to them and how they might help.
Organisations – funders, charities, local government and businesses – have valuable insight, experience and resources, but please recognise the potential of residents to create lasting, long-term solutions in their communities with their friends and neighbours. By working together we achieve more.
Embrace the risk
Handing over more power and control to resident led groups of volunteers can be seen as an opportunity to engage, to enable and to support residents and local volunteers to make decisions that have an impact on them, their family, friends and neighbours. It is a risk worth taking; residents won’t necessarily do the same things as professionals; they might be more outspoken or more hesitant. They might want different rewards or get involved for different reasons.
Residents, volunteers and the range of organisations which support them learn from successes and from mistakes. As I outlined at the start of this article, there are many reasons why people volunteer and get involved with charities and we need to embrace these differences and work out how we can use the skills and interests to the benefit of all those we support.
Handing over more power and control to resident led groups of volunteers helps create more resilient communities which are less vulnerable to wider change and more effective in identifying and addressing need and making the most of opportunities that are presented to them. It helps charities focus their technical skills and expertise where it is most needed, working in partnership within the community to give residents more opportunities to take on responsibility in a way they are comfortable with, whilst not over-burdening them.
Encouraging and supporting resident led development is an important long term approach worth pursuing, even if tangible progress or success is slower to deliver whilst they gain ownership, increase engagement and bring a level of respect for what is being done within their local area. Ultimately, it will lead to stronger communities.
By focusing on engaging residents and local volunteers and working more collaboratively with communities, charities can play a more effective role in creating positive, lasting change in communities where it is most needed. I encourage more charities to take this step.
