New qualification for volunteer managers

Press Release 20 April 2005

New university Certificate in the Effective Management of Volunteers launched by the Volunteer Development Agency and the Institute of Lifelong Learning at Queen’s University.

The profile of volunteer management received another boost this month with the launch of a new university certificate to support increased professionalism in the field.

The management of volunteers is increasingly recognised as a distinct management discipline, with its own national occupational standards launched just last year. No longer just the voluntary sector equivalent of management, its increased profile affirms the value placed on the contribution of volunteers.

This certificate, organised and delivered jointly by the Volunteer Development Agency and the Institute of Lifelong Learning at Queen’s, meets the demand for an academically rigorous but very practical programme based on nationally recognised standards of good practice.

This one year part time programme provides the skills and knowledge needed to develop coherent systems for the effective management of volunteers within an organisation. Participants will be able to demonstrate their competence through practical, work based assignments designed to analyse and develop practice within their own organisation.

Wendy Osborne, Director of the Volunteer Development Agency comments:

“We are delighted to be launching this venture in the Year of the Volunteer – a year that is all about recognising the significant value of volunteering. Many organisations and services are entirely reliant on volunteers and we have to recognise that, unless they are well supported and managed, volunteers will simply vote with their feet. This course gives managers of volunteers the opportunity to develop their capacity to effectively manage the special dynamic of volunteering.”

The course will be delivered in one and two day blocks commencing in October 2005. For further information on this programme contact the training team at the Volunteer Development Agency on 028 9023 6100 or training@volunteering-ni.org or visit www.qub.ac.uk/schools/InstituteofLifelongLearning

Contact information:

For further information please contact Ruth Allen, Training and Development Manager, Volunteer Development Agency. 028 9081 8308 or ruth@volunteering-ni.org

Notes for Editors

The Certificate in the Effective Management of Volunteers will run from October 2005, subject to approval. The course is credited at Level one and attracts 60 CATS points. Cost is £690 including a residential. Application forms should be submitted by 17 June. Late applications will be considered if places are available.

The Volunteer Development Agency: The Volunteer Development Agency is an independent charitable company established in 1993. Our mission is ‘strengthening communities through the promotion and development of volunteering’ and this forms the foundation of all our work. We recognise volunteering as a vibrant expression of active citizenship.

We are a membership organisation that provides training, help and advice and publications on volunteering, volunteer management, child protection and voluntary management committees.

We actively promote volunteering as an important aspect of everyday life through campaigns such as the annual Volunteers’ Week (now in its 21st year). This year, has been designated the Year of the Volunteer 2005. The vision for the Year is to create awareness of, increase the opportunities for, and encourage more people to get involved in volunteering.

The Agency also administers several grant programmes on behalf of the Department for Social Development (Community Volunteering Scheme and Volunteer Bureaux Initiative) and the Department of Education (Millennium Volunteers). These funding programmes relate to the promotion, support and increase in participation in volunteering.

Volunteering in Northern Ireland: Volunteering and volunteers refers to individuals and the work or action they undertake for the benefit of others or the community (outside one’s immediate family), undertaken freely and by choice and not directly in return for wages

There are approximately 448,116 formal volunteers (voluntary work carried out with or under the auspices of an organisation) and 759,000 informal volunteers (voluntary work carried out outside organisation, often at neighbourhood level, but outside the immediate family. 125, 472 of the formal volunteers are also participating informally.

The annual economic contribution of regular formal volunteers, based on an average wage level of £9.03 (DETI) is over £452 million.