Nick Ockenden

1
Challenges and opportunities for the development
of an accreditation tool in the UK

• Nick Ockenden
• 23.05.07

2
Volunteering in the UK

• Volunteering in the UK
• The state of accreditation of volunteering in the
  UK
• The Assessing Voluntary Experiences toolkit
• Overcoming the barriers
• Implications for developing a European-wide
  toolkit

3
Volunteering in the UK

• 44 of people volunteer formally (HOCS, 2005)
• 17.9 million people
• 22.5 billion contribution to the England and
  Wales economy
• Wider process of formalisation and
  professionalisation of volunteer management and
  involvement
• Volunteer management as a profession
• Trends to formalise a system of recognition for
  volunteering

4
Accreditation in the UK

• Accreditation becoming more popular, but in early
  days
• Clear demand for a tool
• Variety of individual accreditation schemes in
  existence
• Example BITCs Volunteering Plus
• The challenge no national policy or lead on
  accreditation
• Competitive environment of award schemes
• Need to develop a cohesive national approach to
  the accreditation of volunteer activity

5
A tool for accreditation in the UK

• The Assessing Voluntary Experiences toolkit
• Content of the toolkit
• Diagnosis (identifying skills)
• Evidence (gathering examples)
• Action (the next steps)
• Piloting with Kew Gardens, London
• Low uptake of the toolkit throughout the UK

6
Overcoming the barriers 1

• 1. The diversity of the target audience
• Diversity of volunteer managers
• Variation in the role of volunteer managers
• Variation in their capacity and ability
• Reaching smaller, volunteer-led groups
• Lack of support networks or volunteer managers
• Lack of resources

7
Overcoming the barriers 2

• 2. The motivation of volunteers
• The diversity in motivations and variability in
  suitability
• Desire to gain relevant experience and references
• Some volunteers do not want accreditation
• Still of value if not seeking paid work
• Volunteering is mutually-beneficial
• Lifelong learning and continuous personal
  development

8
Implications for a European toolkit

• The dangers of being generic
• The need to recognise the motivations of
  volunteers
• The wider context of lifelong learning
• The requirement for further research
• Developing a national framework the Volunteering
  England agenda

9
Contact

• Institute for Volunteering Research
• www.ivr.org.uk
• 44 (0)207 5208 931
• nick.ockenden_at_volunteeringengland.org
• Assessing Voluntary Experiences toolkit
• http//www.ivr.org.uk/projects2.htmassessing

10
Discussion questions

• Challenges and opportunities facing accreditation
  of volunteering
• The demand for accreditation
• External developments affecting the development
  of accreditation
• Good practice in the development of
  accreditation toolkits
• Dissemination of toolkits and awards
• Recognising volunteers as individuals in generic
  toolkits