Volunteering
We define volunteering as any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or groups) other than, or in addition to, close relatives. Central to this definition is the fact that volunteering must be a choice freely made by each individual.
This can include formal activity undertaken through public, private and voluntary organisations as well as informal community participation and social action. Everyone has the right to volunteer and volunteering can have significant benefits for individuals.
What we're working on
VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance
NCVO is a member of the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance which aims to amplify the collective voice of the VCSE sector and work towards reducing health inequalities.
#iwill
NCVO supports the #iwill campaign which aims to make social action part of life for as many 10 to 20 year-olds as possible by the year 2020. We have pledged to support the campaign in a number of ways, from showcasing the impact of youth social action during Volunteers’ Week and to developing practical guidance to support organisations to involve young people. Find out more about our pledge on the #iwill website.
Find out more about volunteering
- The Time Well Spent report is a result of a national survey on the volunteering experience.
- The Getting Involved report gives an overview of the different ways that people get involved in society and looks at the nature of participation by drawing upon trends, facts and statistics.
- The Institute for Volunteering Research is home to reports on volunteering and its impact.
- The UK Civil Society Almanac provides statistics and information on volunteering.
- The government's Community Life survey tracks trends in volunteering.
- Read more about volunteer management and practical advice for volunteering.
- The Volunteer Rights Inquiry aimed to understand the nature and scope of the problems experienced by volunteers and to identify suitable remedies.
Consultation responses
Date | Title |
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October 2015 | Home Office consultation on reforming the powers of police staff and volunteers |
Parliamentary briefings
Date | Title |
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January 2017 | National Citizen Service bill - Commons second reading |
December 2016 | National Citizen Service bill - Lords report stage |
November 2016 | National Citizen Service bill - Lords committee briefing |
October 2016 | National Citizen Service bill - Lords second reading |
October 2016 | Joint statement on National Citizen Service - Second reading |
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Posted on 5 May 2022by Jarina Choudhury in Blogs
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Posted on 26 April 2022by Jarina Choudhury in Blogs
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Posted on 11 April 2022by Catherine Goodall in Blogs
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Posted on 29 March 2022by Jarina Choudhury in Blogs
Latest volunteering press releases
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4 April 2022
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25 March 2022
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30 November 2021