It was reported that the Council’s Corporate Plan included a target outcome to “Encourage residents to play an active part in their communities through volunteering”.  The proposed Volunteer Strategy and its accompanying action plan set out how the Council would achieve this and how the Council would ensure that its communities and volunteers were appropriately supported.

In the strategy the Council recognised the benefits, value and positive impact of volunteering.  The strategy set out a long-term vision to develop volunteering in Havering which would ensure that communities are resilient and supported by an effective and sustainable voluntary and community sector.

It was noted that the strategy had been developed in partnership with the local voluntary and community sector. Various Council departments had input into the strategy through the cross-departmental Voluntary Sector Steering Group.  The action plan contained within the proposed strategy also reflected plans and objectives set out in individual service plans and strategies as well as new strands of work.

Reasons for the decision:

People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. For some it offers the chance to make a difference to the people around them or to make new friends. For others it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge.  For host organisations (including the Council), volunteering offers an opportunity to introduce perspectives outside of the day to day running of the organisation; to draw in additional skills and knowledge, and potentially to retain or expand services that are valued by the community but may otherwise need to be reduced or withdrawn altogether in the current economic climate. The development and delivery of a Volunteer Strategy was therefore essential to the furtherance of the “place shaping” agenda and to assist the Council in managing demand in times of diminishing resources.

Other options considered:

The only other option was not to implement a Volunteer Strategy.  For the reasons explained above, this was not a viable option if the objective set out in the Corporate Plan to “Encourage residents to play an active part in their communities through volunteering” is to be achieved.

Cabinet approved the Volunteer Strategy and Action Plan.

Cabinet approved the Volunteer Strategy and Action Plan