Agenda item

(To receive a report by Samantha Hardy, Programme Officer – Community Engagement, Public Health, which provides an update on volunteering for Lincolnshire County Council and supporting volunteers across Lincolnshire)

Consideration was given to a report which provided the Committee with an update on volunteering for Lincolnshire County Council and supporting volunteers across Lincolnshire.  The report included information on the opportunities for volunteering and the value and impact of volunteering and how their invaluable contributions would have been recognised during Volunteers Week.

It was reported that the age range of volunteers was increasing, and people were starting young and kept going.  It was also noted that there was a move away from people joining big organisations, but instead were creating smaller groups to tackle local issues which could be fairly short term.  People were now having a different experience of volunteering.

The Committee was informed that there were between 1000 and 1500 volunteers within LCC in a variety of areas, with many in the heritage service.  There was also an emergence of spontaneous volunteering, usually occurring in emergency situations, such as the severe snow which fell in early 2018, these volunteers would appear within the community and given assistance, and then disappear when things returned to normal.

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         It was considered important to encourage people to go out and volunteer.

·         In terms of safeguarding, it was queried whether there was an option for just one DBS check, as one member commented they had had to have DBS checks three times as they were involved in three different activities involving children.  Members were advised that this had now been implemented, and the emphasis was now on the person to have a DBS check, rather than the organisation carrying them out.

·         It was believed that there were a lot of people who would like to volunteer, and there was a need to let people what opportunities were available.

·         It was requested whether councillors could have a copy of the volunteers welcome pack, and officers agreed to circulate this.

·         It was queried how appreciation was shown for those people who volunteered for LCC, and members were advised that a letter had been sent from the Leader of the Council thanking volunteers for the amount of work they did.  According to feedback, this has been very well received.  It was also noted that service areas held their own celebration as well.  Members were advised that the Council had achieved the Investing in Volunteer Standards award which set a professional standard for volunteers.

·         In terms of emergency planning, it was queried whether the authority worked with town and parish councils.  Members were advised that within the community engagement team there were two officers that were dedicated to working with town and parish councils, and volunteering was including within the emergency plan.

·         One member commented that she volunteered for several different things, and whilst there didn't seem to problem recruiting volunteers to be involved in a 'hands on' manner, where groups struggled was in finding people to look after the administration and paperwork side of the groups.  It was acknowledged that the introduction of GDPR regulations had made this more difficult, and it had always been a difficult area to recruit volunteers for.  There seemed to be a focus on a different style of volunteering which did not require this level of structure or framework.  However, if the group was going to be handling money a minimum level of governance would be needed.

RESOLVED

            That the report and comments made be noted.