Volunteers to Receive More Employer Support

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The Investing in Volunteers for Employers (IVE), managed by Volunteering England, has been launched at the Hotel Russell in London on the 8th June 2006. The scheme has been created to support and improve employer supported volunteering programmes.

The scheme will aim to address a number of issues pertaining to voluntary work. These issues will include ensuring best practices are observed and encouraging more employers to support volunteers. The scheme would also like to help businesses” good work in their local communities, introduce a consistent code of practice and review the benefits employers have reaped from volunteering initiatives.

The IVE has been created to support the initiative and offers to provide employers with all the information and guidance they need to examine key areas of employer supported volunteering best practice. Some of the areas focused upon include recruitment, supervision, recognition and risk management. All employers are encouraged to consider the IVE framework, which is free and for a registration fee can be assessed for an IVE quality mark.

KPMG Show Their Support

Mike Kelly of KPMG, gave his support to the initiative, saying: “At KPMG, we have operated a structured employee volunteering programme for over 10 years. The Investing in Volunteers for Employers standard provides us with an opportunity to ensure we are providing our people and community organisations with the best levels of support, opportunities and guidance.”

Mr. Kelly went on to speak of the importance of the scheme to the work of KPMG, and said: “Assessing our employee volunteering programme to a UK standard highlights KPMG’s commitment to our communities and our investment in the volunteering efforts of our people.”

The IVE initiative is an excellent way to encourage employers to make an even greater contribution to their communities. Many local businesses are keen to support volunteer projects and such a scheme will go a long way to making it a more productive and efficient partnership between them and the communities that they serve.

Dan Atkinson

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