Have you ever volunteered?
National Volunteers Week 2012 is coming to an end, but that doesn't mean we should forget about it. This year especially, the role of volunteers will be centre stage with the Jubilee and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
But after nearly 30 years of this annual campaign, is there a case for a more strategic approach to really deliver long term benefits? And how can comms professionals become a part of this solution?
More than a year on from the Government’s Giving White Paper; and with charitable giving down, venture philanthropy organisation Impetus Trust are calling for a more strategic approach to one particular strand of giving – volunteering - contesting that the ‘painting walls’ approach is a short term fix.
Dubbed ‘executeering’, where senior business managers donate their “day job” services to charities, this more strategic approach is one much more likely to truly affect community and social change says Impetus. Unlike traditional volunteering which tends to be physical support, such as painting, cleaning or leafleting, executeering involves giving senior executive time and skills that charities sometimes lack; senior management, financial planning and advice on the strategic direction of the charity.
To help Impetus Trust continue its work, they have recently been rewarded a £310,000 grant from the Social Action Fund which will be used to recruit, match and deploy hundreds of skilled professionals into charities that need their help.
To find out how you can be a part of this revolutionary way of giving back to the community watch the following video.