The Committee is asked to consider the Volunteering Strategy.

The Cabinet Member for Localism and the Head of Economy and Communities have been invited to attend for this item.

The Cabinet Member for Localism introduced the report which had previously been reviewed by the former Policy Overview Committee.  He explained that the aims of the Policy was to make it work and to set targets.  It should guide what the Council did, improve the capacity of groups with training, and deliver more opportunities for volunteering, especially for young people as this could increase their experience and be beneficial for future job opportunities.  Members now had an opportunity to review how the Policy had worked and how it could be improved.

In response to a question, the Economy and Community Services Manager explained that currently there were no comparable figures with other local Kent authorities on the amount of people who participated in volunteering.  She explained that statistics for this were being looked into.  The Cabinet Member for Localism advised that the national figure was 25% involvement, Swale was 21-22%, and it was hoped to get up to 25%.

The Economy and Community Services Manager explained that young people were being encouraged to participate in volunteering.  This was being done via the Swale Youth Forum and through schools.  An SBC apprentice would soon lead on this work and engage and expand on what had been carried out so far.

In response to a question, the Economy and Community Services Manager explained that there were around five or six FTE working with  89 voluntary groups in Swale, with further expert advice received from other departments.

A Member welcomed the Policy but raised concern with the skills that were needed to be a trustee on an organisation and suggested that training was necessary to allow business skills to be learnt.  He suggested SBC staff and Councillors be encouraged to volunteer and opportunities for this needed to be increased.  He questioned the accuracy of figures on page 31 of the report and suggested the figures should be higher.

A Member considered that finding new volunteers was an issue.  He suggested that this was a communications problem.

The Cabinet Member for Localism acknowledged the need for trustees and that they were a crucial part in the volunteering sector.  He advised that there would be training opportunities for trustees in the future, along with the introduction of mentoring.  He advised that SBC was able to promote and facilitate volunteering opportunities and provide good publicity, and to ensure that the capacity for volunteers to run their organisations was there. 

Councillor Mike Henderson proposed that the Committee recommended that Cabinet ensured that the Trustee Network was rolled-out in October 2014; that trustee training be developed; the figures in the report be updated; and more publicity, to include who to contact, further information, and  Swale  Councillor and officer volunteer numbers.

The Chairman welcomed identifying the volunteering figures within SBC, he advised that the Trustee Network was scheduled to be rolled-out in October 2014, and that the Cabinet Member for Localism had reported that training would be available for trustees.

The Economy and Community Services Manager explained that some trustee training had already been carried out and a Trustee Week would be held in November 2014 and this would be advertised to voluntary groups via press releases, social media and network groups.  She also explained that there was a lot of information relating to volunteering opportunities online.

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member for Localism and the Economy and Community Services Manager for attending the meeting.

Resolved:  That the Committee recommend to Cabinet that the figures in the report be updated; and there be more publicity, to include who to contact, further information, and  Swale  Councillor and officer volunteer numbers.