More effort on volunteering needed by FE colleges

Assessing the Impact of Volunteering on the FE Sector found less than a third of student volunteering workers believed volunteering was a priority for their college.

And only 56 per cent felt their work in volunteering was supported by their organisation.

The report recommends a dedicated funding stream for FE volunteering that institutions and learners can access.

Justin Davis Smith, chief executive of Volunteering England, said: “It is vital that FE learners have access to quality volunteering opportunities to enable them to fulfil their potential – and this requires support from the FE colleges and government.”

Phil Hope, minister for the third sector, said he hoped that FE students would soon have similar access to volunteering opportunities already enjoyed by higher education students.