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BTCV urges debate on volunteer brokerage
By Kaye Wiggins, Third Sector, 23 June 2009
Lack of sector-wide code of practice is causing confusion, says conservation charity
Conservation charity BTCV has called for a debate on the desirability of a national code to define an industry standard for volunteer brokerage.
Miles Sibley, development director at the charity, said brokerage had been an area of growth over the past few years and a range of codes and quality accreditations existed.
But he said adherence to most of these was voluntary and there was no sector-wide standard. Organisations involved in volunteer brokerage, including BTCV, CSV and volunteer centres, should debate whether a code would be useful, he said.
Sibley said a code could include guidelines on the cost of brokerage and the extent to which brokers should be obliged to inspect the workplaces volunteers go to. It could also provide quality assurance and clarify the role of brokers in advising volunteers about their entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance and providing local discussion networks.
The standard would be effective if it was branded and marketed in a similar way to the Investors in People standard, said Sibley.
"It would need to be a badge that brokerage organisations would want to wear and would be embarrassed not to have," he said. "Alternatively, the code could be embedded in the procurement process, so that organisations were obliged to meet its standards to fulfil contracts with the Government and local authorities."
Mike Locke, director of public affairs at Volunteering England, said he would welcome a debate on the issue. But he said the wide range of brokerage activities meant it could be difficult to implement a standardised system and it would need to be carefully planned to avoid extra bureaucracy.
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Jeanette Harley, 25 June 2009, 12:04
I'm a bit confused here. I would have expected the idea of a national standard to come from VE, NAVCA or NCVO. I had never heard of BCTV until the volunteering brokerage scheme came into existence. I have no idea why BCTV was chosen to be a lead partner of the DWP scheme and don't understand why they are now involving themselves in trying to influence the management of the sector[Report this post]
Simon Richards, 25 June 2009, 19:09
Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA), which is run by Volunteering England, and which all Volunteer Centres (VCs) who use the branding must adhere to, aims to ensure that the brokerage service VCs provide is of a high and consistent quality. VCQA is an independently assessed quality mark that ensures best practice across the country. It is also important to remember that brokerage is only one part of excellent volunteer support. As such VCQA assesses a range of functions, including marketing, good practice and developing volunteering opportunities. These functions of volunteering infrastructure were developed through widespread consultation within and beyond the volunteering sector and led to the publication of Building on Success, the national strategy for volunteering infrastructure.[Report this post]
Eluned Hughes , 29 June 2009, 14:35
Agree with both Jeanette and Simon's comments but would also like to point out that Volunteer Centres provide support both to volunteers and voluntary organisations in terms of quality volunteering placements,good practice when involving volunteers. Many also offer training for volunteers for their own development and for organisations as part of their day to day services.[Report this post]
Loretta Borg, 4 July 2009, 15:03
Perhaps BTCV should do their homework. Volunteer Centre have to undergo the VCQA Quality Accreditation in order to deliver the cost functions of a Volunteer Centre whihc includes Brokerage.[Report this post]
Lizzie Gross, 5 July 2009, 20:05
Whilst it is correct that VCQA is available for Volunteer Centres, there currently isn't any accreditation for places such as Colleges, Universities and Students' Unions which offer volunteer brokerage to students. IIV isn't suitable because the volunteers are working with other organisations, and neither is VCQA as they are not volunteer centres. "The extent to which brokers should be obliged to inspect the workplaces volunteers go to" is a particularly important issue in this case.[Report this post]