Volunteering has had a bad press. Many employers see it as something flaky their staff get up to outside office hours - think harridans behind charity shop counters or do-gooders in socks and sandals - rather than an activity which can bring new skills and improved confidence. But the Morgan Inquiry, a group of cross-party MPs and experts on volunteering, has found that unemployed young people in particular are being deterred from gaining valuable experience by overly rigid benefit rules.
According to enquiry chair and former minister for women, Lady Morgan, "Everyone says volunteering is a good thing. But it is not always straightforward to get involved and there are real and perceived obstacles which act as barriers to many young adults."
The report is calling for a shift in how both the public and private sector regard staff who volunteer, and for an opt-in scheme for employers and academic institutions to allow staff a day off every year to volunteer in accredited volunteer schemes. And the CBI is recommending that the voluntary sector issue unpaid workers with an 'industry standard' certificate which would recognise the skills developed through volunteering.
Given that British industry's gripe du jour is that our staff lack even the most basic skills, this is an absolute no-brainer. Rather than offering ridiculous American benefits like 'duvet days', we should be making it as easy as possible for our staff to get out there and do something that will help society, give their employers something to smile about and add something concrete to their CV at the same time.
