Red tape 'deterring volunteers'

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People are being put off volunteering by red tape and needless criminal checks, a government adviser suggests.

Baroness Julia Neuberger said a fundamental shake-up of the system is needed to make volunteering part of the "DNA of society".

She said "unnecessary bureaucracy" and "financial obstacles" were stopping volunteers coming forward.

In 2007, 49% of people in England volunteered at least once a month, worth around £48.1bn to the economy.

Baroness Neuberger, chairwoman of the Commission on the Future of Volunteering, said it is time to "re-think the obsession with any risks that might be involved" in volunteering.

'Time-consuming'

Her comments coincide with the launch of a report by the commission entitled Manifesto for Change.

The prime minister's special adviser on volunteering said: "Our vision is a society where volunteering is part of our DNA so that by giving time, we enrich our own lives and those of others.

"But at the moment, too many people are being put off volunteering. Many people come forward to offer their time and skills, but red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy get in the way."

The Liberal Democrat peer said "time-consuming" criminal record checks were only necessary when volunteers are working with children or vulnerable adults.

Response promised

In Manifesto for Change, the commission said the government could boost volunteering further by adopting a position of non-interference and resisting the temptation to develop new initiatives.

It also noted certain groups, including disabled people and asylum seekers, often faced difficulties when trying to enlist and that staff volunteering schemes were generally only being implemented by large UK businesses.

Among the commission's recommendations is the setting up of a working group tasked with finding ways of removing barriers to volunteering.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "We welcome this final report from the commission. We will consider its recommendations carefully and respond to it comprehensively in February."