[cma-l] Time off to take part - new opportunities for community volunteers

[CMA-L]

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears will this week outline plans to
make it easier for more people, from all walks of life, to volunteer
for key roles in their local community.

Ms Blears wants to modernise the list of activities that entitle
people to time off from work to better reflect the kind of roles
available and encourage more people to participate - also helping to
widen the pool of skills, expertise and experience available.

Magistrates, school governors and members of health bodies or police
authorities already have time off entitlements. But Hazel Blears wants
to take a fresh look at whether this should be extended to other roles
to better reflect modern life and the needs of local communities.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said:

"Nearly three quarters of all adults volunteered at least once during
last year, with almost half volunteering at least once a month. These
are the people who help out elderly neighbours, read to children at
the local school, take part in litter picks and community gardening.

"So don't let anyone tell you that community spirit has disappeared in
today's modern society. But the pace and demands of modern life mean
that the people who want to do their bit participating in a more
formal role find it hard as they have to squeeze the task into already
busy schedules.

"But, if we value volunteering and community spirit then we have a
responsibility to see what we can do to make it easier more people,
from all walks of life to get involved.

"I want to modernise the list of activities that entitle people to
time off work to better reflect the kind of roles available and think
about how we can encourage more people to participate. So I am looking
at whether for instance youth offender panel members - those people
helping to turn round the lives of some of our most troubled teenagers
- should be entitled to time off or members of court boards.

"If people are prepared to give their time and talents we need to ask
what more we can do to acknowledge and support that. The more people
of different genders, ages and backgrounds we can get involved in
decision making in communities the better."

Latest citizenship data shows that nearly three quarters of all adults
volunteered at least once during last year - ranging from people
helping elderly neighbours to more formal roles such as magistrates.

Proposals include extending time off entitlement to those who want to
help young offenders turn their lives around, get involved in making
sure the local courts and probation services meet the needs of the
community and council tenants who want to take an active role in the
management of their estate.

Removing this barrier will make it easier to volunteer and should
attract a wider range of people - particularly younger people. Current
data shows:

* The average age of probation Board members is 60 for men and 59 for women.

* Across the country there are only two court board members under the
age of 35, with the majority being between 56 and 65.

* 70% of youth offending panel members are over 45.

There are a range of benefits for employers who allow their staff to
take part in civic roles - such as development of skills that can be
used in their 'day jobs' and boosting the public image of their
organisations.

Leading by example Hazel Blears' own department has recently
introduced a volunteering scheme enabling staff to spend three days a
year working for charities or local community projects that help
deliver on its priorities. The scheme has been well-received with a
number of staff already involved - for example taking part in
conservation work in the Thames Gateway.

Major companies such as Microsoft, HSBC, Rolls-Royce and Unilever and
BP also have active volunteering policies, for example, providing
training and support for employees in school governor roles and
developing extra-curricular school projects.

For volunteers, the benefits of taking an active role in their local
community include the opportunity to develop skills outside their
regular 'day job', and the satisfaction of representing and giving
something back to their local community. Examples of people using
existing time off entitlements include:

Manjit Singh Buttar, a Group Station Manager, who volunteers as a
magistrate in Hertfordshire:

"Becoming a magistrate was a way of me doing more to represent the
Sikh community and to give something back to the nation as a whole. My
employer has been very supportive - every year I get 18 full days with
pay to sit in court and my manager is very flexible. At work I manage
people and I'm also a mentor both at work and for other magistrates -
so the two roles really complement each other."

Bernadette Thompson, who acts as a school governor in Barking and Dagenham:

"I have a six-year-old daughter, and when she was starting school, I
decided I wanted to be more involved in the educational system. I had
already volunteered to run reading sessions in the reception class
which I had really enjoyed, and I wanted to put myself in a position
where I could physically do something to support further improvements
or influence important decisions across the school. Volunteering has
meant I can give something back to the community and play a part in
providing a positive education for our children."

Notes:

1. Today's announcement marks the start of a new consultation flowing
from the White Paper, 'Communities in Control: Real people, Real
power' (July 2008).

2. The focus of this consultation paper is twofold. Firstly it is
about extending time off entitlements to encourage more and different
people to take up specific civic roles, thereby enabling people to get
involved in decision making which affects their local communities.
Secondly it is focusing on governance roles which are located within
third sector organisations. We are not proposing adding them to the
list of roles legally entitled to time off but seeking views on what
else can be done to encourage participation.

3. The consultation is available at
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/timeoffconsultation

4. For further information on case studies of volunteers or employer
schemes, please contact CLG Press Office.