Small local charities are increasingly concerned about volunteer recruitment, according to newly published research.
The NAVCA-commissioned research, based on a survey and interviews with local infrastructure bodies, reported that recruiting and managing staff and volunteers had become bigger issues for small charities over the past year.
However, NAVCA members reported a “reasonably positive” financial situation compared to 12 months earlier.
Increasing concerns
The report, carried out by the Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research (CRSER) at Sheffield Hallam University states that the most striking finding in terms of how local issues and challenges are changing is around matters to do with people in local VCSEs.
More than half of the survey’s local infrastructure organisation respondents reported that these concerns have become more significant for local VCSEs over the last 12 months:
• ‘Recruiting volunteers’ (63%)
• ‘Managing staff, including well-being’ (57%)
• ‘Supporting and retaining volunteers’ (55%)
• ‘Understanding and improving work on equality, diversity and inclusion’ (52%)
The report says volunteer recruitment and retention is thought to be particularly challenging for intensive roles, such as being a trustee or board member, and a wider challenge is that volunteering is seen by many public authorities as “a no-cost option”.
NAVCA member LIOs work with an estimated 11,446 volunteers, comprising 9,740 regular volunteers and 1,706 trustees/board members.
In total, an estimated 16,576 volunteer hours each week are provided by these volunteers, which would equate to an additional 474 FTE staff.
Improved financial situation
In the survey, NAVCA members were asked how the financial situation this year compared with the year before, and the report states “a reasonably positive picture emerges here”.
Some 58% said their income is increasing compared to the previous year, while only 18% reported declining income. Around a quarter, 24%, said it was staying more or less the same.
The survey asked NAVCA members about the prospects for their organisations over the next two to three years.
“Overall survey respondents have a rather mixed view of financial prospects, perhaps reflecting the uncertainty of the post-pandemic funding context. While income certainly increased for most NAVCA members through Covid-19, there are significant doubts over whether this will be sustained,” the research says.
NAVCA members are divided in seeing likely income increases, decreases and income staying more or less the same over the next two to three years.
Indeed, 28% think it will increase, 29% think it will decrease, and 28% think it will stay more or less the same.
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