Volunteering: what our strategy means for NCVO's work

So, it’s only natural that one of the key questions we have been asked as we developed our strategy is: "What will this mean for NCVO's work on volunteering?"

The short answer is, volunteering remains a core part of NCVO's mission, because it is core to the health and delivery of the sector. But what the strategy does help us do is be clearer on where we invest resources in volunteering for the greatest impact.

In the simplest terms, going forward you can expect to see NCVO in spaces and doing work that support organisations, not volunteers. Others do that well, and we will always champion their incredible work.

Our focus will be on shaping the system that enables volunteering

Our new strategy sets out a clear purpose: to create the conditions for civil society to thrive by strengthening its resilience, connection and influence. For volunteering, that means our focus will be increasingly on the organisations, networks and systems that make brilliant volunteering possible.

We know that volunteer-involving organisations are facing significant challenges. Expectations of volunteers are changing. Technology is reshaping how organisations deliver services. Financial and time pressures on volunteers continue to grow.

Our role is to help organisations navigate that difficult environment, and to influence the systems to make it easier to recruit, retain and manage volunteers.

What we'll continue to do

Whatever we do, you'll continue to see NCVO champion volunteering as an essential part of civil society. We'll continue to develop good practice, share learning, convene organisations, produce trusted evidence and represent the interests of volunteer-involving organisations.

We'll continue to bring organisations together to tackle shared challenges, from good volunteer management and leadership to the opportunities and implications of AI and digital technology.

We'll continue to influence government and decision-makers to make sure that policies affecting volunteering are informed by evidence and the lived experience of organisations working across civil society.

We'll strengthen our membership so volunteer-involving organisations are better connected to one another and have a stronger collective voice. We'll invest in better evidence, data and AI capability so organisations can make informed decisions and demonstrate the value of volunteering.

We'll use that evidence to strengthen our advocacy, helping improve the policy and funding environment in which volunteering takes place. And we'll work through new and innovative partnerships, recognising that the biggest challenges facing volunteering cannot be solved by one organisation acting alone.

What this doesn't mean

It doesn't mean NCVO is stepping away from volunteering. It doesn't mean volunteering is becoming less important.

Instead, we're recognising that the greatest long-term impact comes from helping the whole volunteering ecosystem become stronger.

Sometimes that will mean producing guidance. Sometimes it will mean bringing organisations together around a shared challenge. Sometimes it will mean influencing government. Sometimes it will mean supporting partners to lead where they have greater expertise.

Volunteering will always be about amazing people giving their time to make a difference. Our role is to help create the environment for volunteer-involving organisations to continue to work with volunteers well, and be stronger as a result.