A volunteering programme run by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations has displayed ‘an impressive capacity’ to help unemployed people into paid work, according to an independent evaluation by researchers at Sheffield Hallam.
The Big Lottery Fund-backed Volunteering for Stronger Communities (VSC) programme provides targeted support for unemployed people who face significant barriers to employment. Under the programme, local volunteer centres give unemployed people support to help them into volunteering while working with them to enhance their employability skills.
More than one in five (22 per cent) found paid work following their participation. Data from the programme showed it also brought about improvements to clients’ confidence, self-esteem and practical skills.
The evaluation of 15 projects run by the VSC programme was conducted by the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) at Sheffield Hallam University.
NCVO will make further recommendations shortly aimed at taking the learning from the scheme to improve employment policy.
The Volunteering for Stronger Communities project, which launched in October 2011 and runs until the end of 2013, is funded by a £1.9m grant from the Big Lottery Fund. Projects evaluated included the Sheffield Volunteer Centre.
For more information visit the Media Centre: http://www.shu.ac.uk/mediacentre