The Power of Volunteering: for the individual and for the Big Society

Volunteering is an important expression of citizenship and is fundamental to democracy. It is the commitment of time and energy for the benefit of society and the community

Volunteering England

Walking for Health relies on volunteers and has done for more than a decade.  Each one of our 640 local schemes run a variety of volunteer-led health walks every week. The skills and commitment of our volunteer walk leaders have enabled WfH to grow and flourish.

Now the concept of Big Society is looking anew at what volunteering can contribute and how it might be encouraged. Here we examine the power of volunteering – both for the individual and for Big Society.

On this page:

• What is volunteering?
• Volunteering for WfH
• What is Big Society?
• How WfH volunteers fit the bill
• Big Society Award

What is volunteering?

At its simplest, volunteering is an unpaid activity where someone gives their time to help an organisation or individual. In 2008/09 (the most recent figures available), 26% of people in England participated in formal volunteering at least once a month.

People volunteer for many different reasons – to develop skills or gain experience, to socialise or to give something back to society. In a Volunteer England survey 'Helping Out' volunteers listed the main benefits they gained as:

• Getting satisfaction from seeing the results of their volunteering,
• Enjoyment, and
• Personal achievement.

This demonstrates that the benefits are not all one-way. Volunteering is an exchange. Research has shown that it has a positive impact on longevity; ability to cope; mental health; interpersonal relationships and a sense of structure and purpose.

In 2005, volunteering was estimated to be worth over £48 billion in England and Wales (Home Office Citizenship Survey).

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Volunteering for WfH

More than 50,000 people have attended our walk leader training since 2000. In the last 12 months an estimated 11,000 walk leaders have been active – providing over 1,000 led walks every week.

The majority of WfH walk leaders are volunteers. So are the local helpers who complete the paperwork, update the databases, research and assess new walks, update the websites, welcome new walkers and perform numerous other vital tasks.

WfH was founded on this principle of reliance on volunteers and it is an integral part of every health walk scheme. Our volunteers are neither a substitute for paid employees nor a cheaper option.

A WfH Volunteer Survey (August 2010) revealed the six main benefits that motivate WfH volunteers:

• Helping others
• Meeting new people and socialising
• Personal health benefits
• Enjoyment of walking
• Enjoyment of the natural environment and fresh air
• Providing a service for and building a stronger community

A recent assessment from WfH has shown that volunteers contribute 630,000 hours to the programme which is equivalent to a monetary value of more than £6 million per year. (link)

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What is Big Society?

The Big Society is about moving power away from central government and giving it to local communities and individuals. Two of the main definitions mention ‘building the capacity of citizens’ and ‘encouraging national collective activity’ (Lord Wei).

The No. 10 official website mentions the 3 main ways in which Big Society will bring people together with the aim of improving their lives and the lives of others:

• Devolving power and empowering communities: helping and enabling local people to have more of a say in how decisions are made in their area and about the services they receive;

• Changing and opening up public services: encouraging public sector orgs to demonstrate new and innovative ways of delivering public services and enabling charities, social enterprises, private companies to deliver public services;

• Promoting social action: encouraging people to be more involved in their communities and to volunteer and give money.

Encouraging volunteering

A Big Society Day will be launched to celebrate the idea of volunteering, money will be available to fund social projects and an army of 5,000 community organisers will be dispatched to different parts of the country to encourage effective volunteering.

Big Society funds

A Big Society bank has been established to fund social projects. It will issue local regeneration bonds. As an area is regenerated and saves the government money, so a share of the savings will be put into the bond fund.

Investors – including local residents and businesses - buy the bonds and this funds the charity/social enterprise to do the work and, it is hoped, get a return. This may be a source of funds for WfH in the future.

In addition, a transition fund is being established to help charities and social enterprises compete for government contracts.

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How WfH volunteers fit the bill

The Big Society is still a new concept. There is much to be sorted out and a level of confusion and cynicism. WfH can, in many ways, act as a model.

WfH demonstrates how a major, national ‘problem’ (declining levels of fitness and associated ill health) can be tackled at a local level by encouraging and enabling volunteers to encouraging walking in their own community.

WfH volunteers:

• Are trained in the specifics of leading health walks;
• Are focused on their local health walk scheme but also part of a national initiative with national resources;
• Reflect the diversity of the community they live in;
• Are part of regional and sub-regional networks;
• Are appreciated through ‘Thankyou’ events.

WfH is aware of the actual and perceived barriers to volunteering – eg anxiety about over-commitment.

What inspires our volunteers?

The overriding principle for me is that our walk scheme brings folk from the community together and enables them to enjoy a common activity.

 Being able to show city-dwellers that there is natural beauty to be found even in the most unlikely places and see their environment through different eyes.

Seeing the difference it makes to the lives of many people who participate, both physically and socially in a positive way.

The enjoyment I receive each week when we meet and the thought that I may be doing some good or helping those less able. I feel that the social side of walking is as important as the exercise.

Read about two schemes' experiences:

"You could call our volunteers 'long-term' - we've only lost two in eight years" »

"Most of our volunteers are health walkers themselves. They understand what walkers are dealing with" »

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Big Society Award

This award has been created to recognise individuals, groups or organisations that are demonstrating the Big Society in their work or activities.

• Anyone can make a nomination but you cannot nominate your own group. The nominator has to be someone independent of the group – eg a walker or a funder.
• The awards are an ongoing process:
  • Nominations for Round 3 to be submitted by 9th May
  • Round 4 by 8th August
  • Round 5 by 4th Oct

• Winners will each receive: a plaque; a signed certificate from PM; a logo to use on websites and publicity material; an invitation to a reception at No 10; and a press release that appears on No 10 website and is also circulated to local and regional press in winner’s home area.

WfH is encouraging each region to submit one or two entries. Please let us know if you are planning to put together a submission. We will be able to help you with this and also would like a copy of your form, as we may also ask your permission to use it to promote the success of Walking for Health.

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