In the year since Keep Volunteering Voluntary launched, over 550 charities and voluntary groups have pledged to turn their backs on workfare. Together we are highlighting the value of volunteering and building a strong consensus that responsible voluntary organisations will not take part in workfare schemes and put people at risk of devastating welfare sanctions. Thanks to your support, Keep Volunteering Voluntary was recently named Guardian Charity Campaign of the Month!
But the new government was elected with a pledge to send 50,000 more unemployed 18-21 year olds on workfare placements to charities and voluntary groups. That’s why it’s more important than ever that we use our collective voice to Keep Volunteering Voluntary.
Next week, 1st-7th June, is Volunteers’ Week. Here’s a few ways you can help grow the campaign:
- Tell the world your organisation is keeping volunteering voluntary using the #volunteersweek hashtag on Twitter
- Order posters and window stickers to make your commitment to Keep Volunteering Voluntary even more visible
- Request copies of KVV leaflets which include a simple how to guide to enable colleagues to detect and decline workfare placements or share the PDF by email
- Spread the word through your networks – let’s double the number of groups signing the pledge
- Invite a speaker from Keep Volunteering Voluntary to your event, meeting or forum
- Volunteer to help with the work of running Keep Volunteering Voluntary: come to our next meeting, Friday 5th June, 4pm in Stoke Newington, London (email andy@independentaction.net if you’re interested)
- If you can’t make it to the meeting, but would like to get more involved with the campaign, please reply to let us know you’d like to help!
- If you know organisations in or around Manchester who might like to get involved in or come along to our next event, please put them in touch with andy@independentaction.net
And if you have a few more minutes, here’s a few reminders of why all of this is so important:
- Watch the video of Clive, who spoke at our event in March, describing the impact of benefit sanctions on his health
- Read Gary’s story about being sent on the Help to Work scheme where people told him “I feel as if I’m on parole”
- Get inspired by how HAVCO Volunteer Centre is keeping volunteering voluntary
- Read more about why we draw the line between workfare and volunteering and why NCVO should too
- Please feel free to forward this email to others who might like to get involved too.
However you show your support this Volunteers Week, many thanks for helping to Keep Volunteering Voluntary!