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Wednesday Aug 16, 2006
Opening doors to volunteering
A couple of pieces about volunteering that I spied in Third Sector today.
According to a guide recently produced by Volunteering England and Nacro, Involving Ex-offenders in Volunteering, we in the charity sector are generally not taking on volunteers with criminal records, regardless of the offence and the role.
We all recognise the value volunteering offers people from across society, and we're also aware of the risks inherent in involving new people in an organisation's activities, especially where there are direct links to clients. But it seems a shame to discourage folks who might well benefit from this experience, find a way to give back to their communities and develop their job options.
While we eventually pursued the equivalent of a CRB check in the staff recruitment for my former employer, a California-based affordable housing organisation, several of my colleagues who had offended years before were grateful for the opportunity to find meaningful work. And, they often did well; when from a similar community, they had an empathy for our tenants' challenges others did not always possess.
But then, we don't just volunteer to boost our CVs. According to a research project called "Doing One's Duty: A case study of volunteering in a deprived community", volunteers from poor backgrounds are more likely to do it to give something back. The study found that those who don't work because of disability, age or responsibilities at home are motivated by (non-monetary) philanthropy and to support their communities.
Posted by Kirsten Olson ( 11:34 AM ) Link to this post Comments[0]