Employer supported volunteering: benefit or burden? Monday 23 November 2015

Employer supported volunteering: benefit or burden?Monday 23 November 2015#volunteering

1

On the brink of a game-changer?Building sustainable partnerships between companies and voluntary organisations

Main messages from the research

23rd novemeber 2015

Nick OckendenAndrew Curtis

2

Background to the research3

Commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development to look at partnerships in ESV

Research conducted spring/summer 2015

Two workshops and 12 telephone interviews, we spoke to: CompaniesCharitiesBrokers

[ANDY]3

People in paid work participating in ESV 2010/11 2013/14 (England and wales) 4

Source: NCVO Almanac and Community Life Survey

[ANDY]4

A mutually beneficial activity 5

ESV, when done well, has the potential to create positive benefits for all parties

Volunteering is freely given but not cost free, yet this can be outweighed by the benefits experienced

A need for mutual understanding of the full range of costs that are involved and who should incur these costs

[ANDY]5

Understanding the perspective of partners6

Both companies and voluntary organisations have different working cultures, challenges and expectations

Need to understand and examine these at an early stage

Importance of the first contact between the company and the voluntary organisation

Different values can be placed on varying types of activity, eg group volunteering versus specialised assistance

[ANDY]6

Using third party brokers and intermediaries 7

Brokers and intermediaries can play a key role

A third party can play a vital part in matching the needs of companies and voluntary organisations Brokerage can be especially beneficial for smaller voluntary organisations and SMEs

[ANDY]7

Recognising the importance of scale 8

Volunteering for smaller local organisations can be particularly attractive

Can potentially have greater impact working with smaller voluntary organisations

Also benefits from voluntary organisations partnering with SMEs

[ANDY]8

Implications?9

What can help to facilitate ESV?

Can anything be done to help match partners?

What are the relative merits about volunteers providing generalised versus specialised support?

9

Employer supported volunteering: HRs views

Katerina RudigerChief Community Officer, CIPD Monday 23 November 2015

10

Community investment at CIPD Creating a movement of HR volunteers CIPD approach to its own volunteersSupporting CIPD members and wider HR/employer community with ESVRelationships with charity/voluntary sector Advocacy around volunteering & role of HREnsuring CIPD walks the talk

CIPD volunteer survey 2015: employees views

Employers attitudes towards volunteering

The issueand some solutions

How to take this forwardClose partnership with the NCVO (joint work on training for HR)Championing good practice Exploring link between volunteering and L&D Promoting skills-based volunteeringProviding employers with initiatives & toolkitsSupporting the charity sectorJoining up CSR & HR activity

Advising other ESV networks in Wiltshire, BANES & BasingstokeThis doesnt exist anywhere else outside of London. We are leading the way and we are making a difference. Tony Martin, Zurich Community Trust, Chair, Involve Swindon

Why it is different

StructureMonthly steering group with Corporate, Charity and Statutory partnersCorporate and statutory donations with multi year commitmentActivity brokered through NCVO Accredited Volunteer Centre It is business driven

Brokerage perspectiveSmall local charities can be overwhelmed by support from large corporates, they may not have capacity to deal with or know what to do with people or how to use the skills/time offered

Brokerage perspectiveBusinesses & their employees can think that offering the time of 50 or more people for a day is a good thing & dont realise the amount of time involved in supporting & managing, particularly for small charities

Brokerage perspectiveDifference in understanding between a corporate CSR team & an employee on the ground what a business may say at corporate level is not always understood or easily achievable by an individual employee

Brokerage perspectiveits really important to stress that what may work between 2 big partners (corporate & charity) may not always work out in the regions with smaller charities

Brokerage perspectiveTrying to get people to understand that volunteering and brokerage isnt free But you are a charity ..

Brokerage perspectiveBusinesses & employees still want to do team building ie practical stuff but there are only a few charities that can take advantage of this offering, need to find ways of raising awareness of what is actually needed Shift towards donation of skills , micro opportunities and workshops

What has worked Im learning things I wouldnt normally learn. Ive developed skills Im bringing back into my job. Emily Jones,Nationwide Customer Care Training Delivered & hosted by the Swindon Marriott for volunteer receptionists from Citizens Advice BureauCorporate trustees help us look at our charity from a fresh perspective and bring skills none of us possess Dressability

The future

Developing Franchise model Gloucestershire taken it up Develop links with SMEs

Contactwww.involveswindon.co.uk

Abi Robins, British Gas

Breakout discussion questionsWhat are the challenges you face in terms of working with charities/business?

What is needed to ensure your organisation can make the most of the opportunities presented by ESV?

Employer supported volunteering: benefit or burden?

#volunteering

30