A coalition of charities is calling on the government to introduce statutory paid volunteering leave.
The charities, which include the Scout Association, Sea Cadets, Girlguiding and St John Ambulance, are all volunteer-based charities, also called for the introduction of a volunteering levy (similar to the apprenticeship levy) which would ensure that large employers contribute to the scheme.
The request comes at a time when volunteering rates in England are still very low, compared to pre-pandemic levels. The latest Community Life Survey found that last year only 16% of adults take part in formal volunteering each month, compared to 23% in 2019-20.
The coalition says that record low numbers of volunteering put vital local services at risk, as charities simply lack the resources to provide support in these communities.
By introducing 35 hours of paid volunteering leave for everyone across the country it would help to 'unlock charities’ abilities to make a difference', and would have positive effects beyond this by providing employees 'the breathing space to discover and engage in volunteering' and 'driving social cohesion'.
A levy for volunteering
Crucially, the charities state the change would come at no cost to government finances, arguing that the scheme could be modelled on the apprenticeship levy, so that 'large employers who didn’t offer this volunteering leave would instead need to pay into a common pot to help support volunteering across the country'.
Many charities, including CFG, offer employees paid volunteering leave, though the group argues that legislating for this more widely would allow everyone to experience the benefits of charity volunteering. They go on to state that this would be 'a powerful demonstration of the government’s commitment to enabling and empowering civil society'.
The right to ask for volunteer leave
The group has also created a petition, which can be signed either as an individual or an organisation, which calls for the government to introduce the right for all UK employees to ask for up to 35 hours of paid volunteer leave each year.