Kate Bowgett

Director, Association of Volunteer Managers

Can Volunteer Management be a Distinct Profession?

Does this sound familiar?

1. Are volunteering decisions made that you aren't consulted about?

2. Are there people in your organisation who don’t know what you do?

3. Do you get asked at parties if you are paid?

And yet…

As a direct result of volunteer managers:

• 59% of the population formally volunteered in the last year

• The economic value of volunteering is estimated at £38.9 billion

What skills do you need? (1)

• Managing people• Managing projects• Recruiting• Marketing• Budgeting• Influencing• Training

What skills do you need? (2)

• Risk-assessing• Planning• Dealing with crises• Understanding technical/legal implications• Decision-making

Volunteer managers need to be highly-skilled and knowledgeable individuals

And yet...• Just 6% of volunteer managers are paid, full-

time volunteer managers

• 65% are paid below the national average salary

• 12% organisations can’t identify who is responsible for managing volunteers

Where are we at the moment?

• Growing appreciation of the role of volunteer managers by organisations

• Growing appreciation of the role of volunteer managers by Government

• National Occupational Standards in Volunteer Management

• Growth in support networks eg Association of Volunteer Managers, UKVPMs

And yet...(1)

• Lack of recognition of what we do and our impact

• Lack of accountability• Lack of strategic input in organisational

direction• Lack of consistency in what we do and how

we do it

And yet...(2)

• Under-investment• Lack of recognition of the skills needed for

the role• Lack of consistency within pay• Lack of recognisable career progression

Should we be a profession?

Characteristics of a profession:

• Specialised body of knowledge• Set of skills• Group mission or identity• Standards of behaviour and practice

What would a ‘profession’ mean?

• Increased understanding and recognition of volunteer managers and management

• Better and sustainable investment in volunteer management

• Greater accountability in all areas.• A more recognised career path• Greater respect for volunteers

How do we get there? (1)We need to: • come together better as a group of

professionals, sharing our learning and knowledge

• establish the identity of a ‘volunteer manager’ that we all identify with

• agree standards of behaviour and practice

How do we get there? (2)

No-one will do it for us

If we want a profession of volunteer managers that is understood, respected and valued

we must do it ourselves

Your thoughts and comments?

Association of Volunteer Managers

www.volunteermanagers.org.uk