VITA

1
VITA

•  Volunteering In the Third Age

2
Overview

• What, who, when and how
• Research
• Products
• Outcomes
• Access to materials

3
VITA

• Ran for 2 years from November 2004
• Partnership between
• WRVS
• Volunteering England
• RSVP
• Cabinet Office

4
Purpose

• To improve the volunteering experience
• Raise awareness of barriers to volunteering
• Promote value and impact of volunteering
• Increase numbers of older volunteers

5
Research

• VITA produced a number of research papers and
  comprehensive results of a survey of 477
  voluntary organisations. Results included
• Over 50s formed 2/3rds of voluntary workforce
• Over 65s formed 31
• Over 50s contributed 68 of hours worked
• Volunteering in Social Services / Health /
  Environment consist of over 70 in over 50s
  bracket

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Benefits of volunteering

• Enjoyment
• Health Improvement
• Structure / replacement of work
• Active participation in local communities (making
  a difference)
• Increasing personal confidence
• Lifelong learning / new experiences

7
Benefits for organisations

• Longevity of service (stay longer than younger
  vols)
• Put in more hours
• Bring more experience skills
• Flexibility
• Commitment reliability

8
Barriers to volunteering

• Public image of volunteering
• Confidence
• Perceived commitment
• Role definition
• Access ( disability access)
• Insurance

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Motivations to volunteer

• Helping others or cause
• Because they were asked personally
• Life transition redundancy / retirement and so
  on
• Increased role in community
• Feel better when they volunteer
• Involvement enjoyment
• Duty or commitment to faith
• Use of specific skill

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Summarising Recommendations

• Vision create enabling environment where older
  people valued
• Guiding principles
• Involvement of volunteers in planning design
• Support for transitional phases
• Give volunteers a better experience
• Good practice in management

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Summary continued

• Guiding principles
• Funding managed in a strategic framework
• Must inter-relate with other orgs community
• Must be evaluation frameworks
• Provide wide range of opportunities
• Dispel myths and discrimination

12
Future

• Once VITA ended, Government turned its attention
  to young people
• Must be more intergenerational work
• 3 areas for empirical work
• Around discrimination
• Encouraging older men to volunteer
• Negative impact of poverty on volunteering

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Good practice products to share

• Active Ageing in Active Communities
• Data Digest
• Pre retirement presentation
• Accompanying notes
• Golden Opportunity (A guide to attracting and
  retaining older volunteers)
• An insurance guide for volunteers
• Guides on involving older disabled and BME
  volunteers
• Delegate pack from Opportunity of a Lifetime
  Conference