Conference 7 May 2014, “Working Together on our Rights of Way” Volunteering Development Ruth Rourke Principal Countryside Access Officer Monmouthshire County Council

Objectives To develop a Community Engagement Strategy To make better use of volunteers to work on PROW and countryside access maintenance To explore options for working with groups of volunteers

Baseline Position Policy framework is very supportive Work programme in place Underpinned by supporting documentation and systems Existing experience of working with individual volunteers (with volunteer co-ordinator)

Existing volunteer network

Who are our volunteers? Groups – include, for example – NW Monmouthshire Ramblers/Lower Wye Ramblers – Raglan/Mathern Local Ways – BHS Bridleway Group – Monmouthshire Walking Festival Group – Abergavenny/Usk/Tintern Walkers are Welcome Individuals – 39 women and 77 men – 78 are retired, 36 are employed 1 is a student and 1 is unemployed

What do our volunteers do? Pathcare surveys and recording PROW maintenance (e.g. vegetation clearance) Data entry onto CAMS (e.g. comms from public, work to be done, work done) Litter picking Compiling walk leaflets Walking website Development of walks and leading walks Walking festival

Support provision Support for volunteers is provided in the form of: Training Supervision by MCC staff Procuring appropriate materials Liaising with landowners Health and safety infrastructure Practical support

Feedback – what works well The people! Morag Appropriate training Set-up of groups was done well e.g. lots of support Map given is good Insurance “Pathcare” Setting up volunteer groups When problems are reported on established pathways action is taken Training provision excellent Equipment supplied Verbal support Pathcare training course First aid training Mapping Waymark stickers Equipment People in charge: – Volunteer Co-ordinator/focal point – Warden organising walk programme Supplying tools/training/maps & information Things that are reported get fixed (sometimes) Allocated a single route to check three times a year Appropriate training for pathcare, leading walk and first aid Good communication – volunteer system with Morag Equipment supplied

Feedback – what needs improving Feedback from service to volunteers Major problems dealt with slowly after reporting (x2) No user/volunteer meetings with service No involvement of young people User meetings have ceased Setting up of groups then ‘abandoned’ Communication with groups > Follow up of action promised is poor Direction of groups – who is leading? Driving? Pulling everything together Diverting pathways/A’s to definitive map NOT happening Furniture installed on pathways that go nowhere Transparency – help us understand why problems exist Walk leaders training? (good when run by Tim H) Advertising & improving marketing volunteer opportunities particularly to youngsters Ability to do maintenance or other tasks at weekend More communication of what needs to be done Website Means of sharing good practice Resources Available – limiting factor is organising work to do – Super vol? Dealing with low priority issues Feedback about things we’ve reported Web based reporting of faults + needs feedback Communication & links between lots of groups Major work not undertaken by volunteers as not covered by insurance- not encouraged Inviting more community service assistance (with supervision) Minor public footpaths neglected/lost (still on ordnance survey map so visitors have negative experience)

Examples of current models of volunteering

Current volunteering activities/groups

Options identified INTERNAL COLLABORATION Continue as at present Services share a co-ordinator No co-ordinator EXTERNAL COLLABORATION Each org takes on what it can within existing core funding, staffing and mission MCC commissions one or more orgs Full partnership approach, combining volunteer effort and including project-specific fund-raising STAY AS COUNTRYSIDE ACCESS SERVICE ALONE P/t co-ordinator, but working with groups only. No co-ordinator

Where we are now

volunteers