If you think students spend all their spare time avoiding studying, going out with their mates and having a good time then you'd be right. Well our student bloggers do anyway. While they assure us they don't slack on the study, they've got a lot to answer for when it comes to enjoying themselves while volunteering.

All | Emma | Oli | Daniel | Carrie | Olivia | Fiona | Sammy | Ashley | Rochelle | Natalie | Tom | TomG | Harry

Saturday Jan 31, 2009

Volunteering in 2009

So the UK has entered its first recession since 1991, and the Guardian is providing us with an exciting timeline of the 'mounting job losses', which are creating the highest UK unemployment level since 1997. Considering we all survived the 1990s the papers may be over-exaggerating the impending financial doom a little, but as jobs are undoubtedly being lost and with 'thrift' the word of the month, the position of the voluntary 'Third Sector' is certain to change.

In fact this change is already happening, but it is happening in two different ways. As unemployment rises the voluntary sector benefits as the government looks to keep people learning new skills, interacting with other people, and most importantly for them: away from the effects of long-term unemployment.

Labour has already announced plans for employers to be paid £2,500 for every person they recruit and train that was previously unemployed for over six months but as well as this, a government white paper also outlined that 'a new full-time structured vocational volunteering programme is being created'. For more coverage check Kate Bowgett's blog at volunteermanagers.org.uk.

As the government is seemingly only able to bail-out banks and big businesses, volunteer advice centres also stand to receive increased state funding as the government seeks to rely on them to sort out the people's problems. The government has already announced increased funding for the Citizen's Advice Bureau to deal with the increase of debt problems.

On the other hand it is common sense that in periods of financial uncertainty, people spend less. If you're saving money the non-essentials are the first to go; the result is that many voluntary organisations which are dependent on donations will begin to suffer in the downturn. I know from my own experience on the voluntary radio show Sheffield Live (93.2fm) that businesses are also less likely to support the third sector if they worried about cutting costs.

Similar themes appear in Richard Gutch's article in the Guardian – 'Tough times for the third sector'

So voluntary organisations may face a mixed future in 2009, but it is also clear that it is now that we will need them the most – to support those in need (Rethink, Shelter etc.) and to provide the public with an outlet for edification and creativity (Do-It, VSO, etc.)

Harry.

Posted by Harry ( 1:25 AM )
Link to this post Comments[0]