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Volunteers' Week 2008 |
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Time: 1 - 7 June
Location: UK
Contents:
Volunteers' Week is a national celebration of volunteers and volunteering which takes place from 1 to 7 June of each year. It plays a huge part in raising the profile of England's 22 million volunteers while encouraging others to get involved.
During Volunteers' Week there is a burst of activity as events take place across the country to increase awareness of the UK's volunteers. Volunteer managers organise events to publicly thank their volunteers and highlight their contribution to local groups and the wider community, while individuals are encouraged to use the Week to find out more about volunteering.
Volunteers' Week began in 1985. Initially it was run on a local level but in order to raise greater awareness of the importance of volunteers the National Centre for Volunteering took the lead in promoting the Week.
The planning and development of Volunteers' Week in England is now led by the Volunteers' Week team at Volunteering England. The volunteer development agencies across the UK (Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), Volunteer Development Agency (based in Belfast), Volunteer Development Scotland (VDS) and Volunteering England work together to shape the major themes for the Week.
According to 2007 DCLG Citizenship Survey, in 2007 73% of all adults in England and Wales volunteered (formally or informally). Almost half the population (48%) did so at least once a month.
Government backs Volunteers' Week
Government ministers and civil servants ministers will be joining thousands of people who give their time and energy to benefit others. Throughout Volunteers' Week the Government will be taking part in celebrating the huge contribution that volunteers make to the society.
The Government is committed to supporting more people in high quality volunteering opportunities and has invested £117million in the youth volunteering charity 'v' and £12million into the 'Goldstar' and 'Volunteering for All' programmes which encourage people who are less likely to volunteer. The Prime Minister and Sir Gus O'Donnell have also called for a civil service wide group to make recommendations on how to foster and promote volunteering amongst civil servants.
For more information, please visit www.volunteersweek.org.uk |
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