In a speech yesterday at Volunteering England’s conference in London, its chief executive Justin Davis Smith called on the Government and volunteering organisations to cut out the red tape that puts off volunteers.

“The problems of red tape go to the heart of what we’re hoping volunteering will achieve for individuals and communities. As the amount of red tape increases, the more evidence we are hearing of people being put off from giving their time,” said Dr Justin Davis Smith.

The Government’s Big Society agenda presents key opportunities for volunteers and volunteering organisations to help improve public and community services.

But to capitalise on these opportunities, argued Davis Smith, we have to break down the barriers that many individuals face when trying to volunteer.

Justin Davis Smith reinforced the recommendations Volunteering England gave to the Big Society De-regulation Taskforce this month and said: “We must change the system and the culture of Government in a way that stops these barriers being created in the first place. Too often, these problems are an unintended consequence of a law that on the face of it has nothing to do with volunteering, such as reforms of the visa system or changes to child safeguarding.”

He then added, volunteers want to know whether their visa allows them to volunteer, but can’t get a clear answer from Government agencies.

"Youth organisations are frustrated by local benefits advisors telling young people they’re not allowed to volunteer, and NHS Trusts don’t understand why asylum seekers can’t give their time. Government needs to do more to remove these red tape barriers.”

According to Justin Davis Smith, volunteering organisations have to take some responsibility for creating unnecessary red tape.

“Volunteer-involving organisations ask us whether they are right to CRB-check every volunteer they have and volunteers tell us they tried to give their time to a local charity but were put off by the complicated application procedures. Volunteering organisations themselves have a part to play in thinking about how they can reduce the bureaucracy.”

He outlined the following issues as examples of the current barriers to volunteering.

“Following the start of the recession, many Volunteer Centres saw a significant rise in enquiries and increased demand for skills-based opportunities that would help people back into work.

"Volunteering has played a crucial role in helping those who’ve lost their jobs gain the skills and experience they need to get back into work, but we know that some jobseekers are still wrongly advised that they can’t volunteer while claiming benefits.

“Despite education and health being two of the most popular areas for volunteering, asylum seekers can’t volunteer in the public sector, only for charities and voluntary groups. But they can volunteer for a charity that works in a hospital. This complicated rule means that for a vulnerable group of people in the UK, giving something back to the country is beset by small print.

“Volunteer drivers give their time across the country often taking elderly and infirm people to hospital appointments. They are not only a lifeline, helping many people to stay living independently, but for some are the only friendly face seen that week.

"However, the higher insurance premiums being charged to volunteer drivers by some insurers mean that this valuable contribution is being penalised, and volunteer drivers are simply giving up.”

Share Story: