Jim McCallum Team Leader, Volunteering Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL)

What VAL Does Developing Groups Enabling Volunteering –Creating volunteer opportunities –‘Brokering’ volunteers Do-it / VAL Practical problems focused on active citizenship

Volunteering 30% of adults in UK volunteer 500 local volunteer opportunities 10,000 enquiries p.a. in Leics

Volunteering Landscape Volunteering slightly declining in UK –Unemployed volunteer less Big demand for day time, high skills volunteering Barriers –DBS checks –High Support Needs –Slow turnaround by volunteer-involving organisations

Volunteering Landscape –Key plank of Leicestershire Communities in Charge programme –Leicestershire Together Volunteering Strategy –Priority for the Stronger Communities Board –LCC policy agreed on supporting and developing volunteers –Wide range of opportunities, now advertised together in one place:

Parish Councils and Volunteering Volunteering within Parish Councils Volunteering in small groups in villages Marketing volunteering

Think Leicestershire Go Mad / Leicestershire County Council / Voluntary Action Leicestershire –Get ideas > build a plan > take action Currently 157 Community Coaches –Newly active and existing activists Supported by 27 Thinking Action Group leaders

Role of Parish Councils regarding Volunteering Involving volunteers Marketing volunteering –Notice board –Website –Word of mouth –Do-Its –VAL drop-ins Signposting community groups/activists to VAL

Questions Does my Parish Council involve volunteers? Should/can my Parish Council involve volunteers? Can my Parish Council market volunteering? What intelligence has my Parish Council about unmet needs that volunteers could help with locally? What intelligence does my Parish Council have on needs of existing local groups?