A collection of essays examined the development of the conceptual frameworks which demarcated the phenomenon of volunteering. It provided a foundation for understanding the ways in which volunteering was researched, organized, and developed.
Source: Justin Davis Smith and Michael Locke (eds.), Volunteering and the Test of Time: Essays for policy, organisation and research, Volunteering England (0845 305 6979)
Links: Summary | Volunteering England press release
Date: 2007-Dec
A report examined the impact of volunteering in five key policy areas: development; safer and stronger communities; social inclusion; quality of life, and lifelong learning. It highlighted positive outcomes for volunteers, those helped by volunteers, organizations that involved volunteers, communities, society generally and, in particular, government.
Source: Nick Ockenden (ed.), Volunteering Works: Volunteering and social policy, Institute for Volunteering Research (020 7520 8900) and Volunteering England
Links: Report | Volunteering England press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Oct
A report examined how social care and health organizations could pay and reimburse the expenses of people on benefits who used services and who got involved in their work, without affecting people's benefit entitlement.
Source: Elizabeth Tilley, Benefit Barriers to Involvement: Finding Solutions, Commission for Social Care Inspection (0845 015 0120)
Links: Report | CSCI press release | GSCC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Oct
A survey found that more than half – 58 per cent – of those people interviewed in England had both volunteered and donated to charity in the previous 12 months, and 81 per cent had given to a charity within the previous four weeks.
Source: Natalie Low, Sarah Butt, Angela Ellis Paine and Justin Davis Smith, Helping Out: A national survey of volunteering and charitable giving, Cabinet Office (020 7261 8527)
Links: Report | Cabinet Office press release | Volunteering England press release | NYA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Sep
An article said that the effects of becoming involved in youth volunteering were complex, multidirectional, and (in some cases) apparently contradictory. Although in some ways the activities appeared to serve essentially conservative functions (for example, by developing sympathy for those in positions of power), in other respects they engendered a much more critical stance to some aspects of young people's worlds.
Source: Rachel Brooks, 'Young people's extra-curricular activities: critical social engagement – or "something for the CV"?', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 36 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jul
A report examined the impact volunteering had had on the lives of homeless people, and how they had been managed and supported as volunteers.
Source: Kate Bowgett, Gaining Experience, Giving Time: Homeless people and volunteering, Off the Streets and into Work (020 7089 2722)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Jul
The government began consultation on proposals to exclude participants in schemes that were part of the national framework for youth volunteering from the provisions in the National Minimum Wage Act.
Source: National Minimum Wage and Voluntary Workers, Department of Trade and Industry (0870 150 2500)
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2007-Jun
A survey (published by a volunteering charity called 'v') examined the personal passions of young people aged 16-25, and the issues that concerned them - both in the world at large and in their own communities. The results contradicted the idea that apathy prevented young people taking action: there was much in their lives that they cared passionately about and on which they would take action - given the right opportunity.
Source: Barriers Preventing Passionate Young People Acting on Their Concerns, v (020 7960 7000)
Links: Summary | v press release
Date: 2007-Jun
A report examined the skills, knowledge, and attitudinal development that young people derived from volunteering. Young people identified for themselves a wide range of personal and social skills developed through volunteering: but opportunities to reflect on and articulate this learning were often underdeveloped.
Source: National Youth Agency, Young People's Volunteering and Skills Development, Research Report RW103, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2007-May
The government announced a review of the national minimum wage in relation to voluntary workers, to explore whether any changes were necessary to the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, or identify alternative non-legislative options, to clarify and/or add flexibility to it in respect of voluntary workers. There was no intention of altering the original scope of the Act in terms of those who should, or should not, be paid the minimum wage.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 17 January 2007, column 38WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | TUC press release
Date: 2007-Jan