General Information

Below is a list of general information around volunteering. If you know of any to add to the list or if a link isn't working, please contact us.

The Association of Volunteer Managers is not responsible for the information contained in these sites or publications.

About Volunteer Management

The 21st Century Volunteer: A report on the changing face of volunteering - Elisha Evans and Joe Saxton (nfpsynergy)

The Right Stuff: New ways of thinking about managing volunteers - Meta Zimmeck (Institute for Volunteering research)

A Choice Blend: What volunteers want from organisation and management - Katharine Gaskin (Institute for Volunteering Research)

Bright future: Developing volunteer management - Pat Gay (Institute for Volunteering Research)

Balancing Act: The Challenges and Benefits of Volunteers - Mark A. Hager & Jeffrey L. Brudney (The Urban Institute)

National Occupational Standards for Management of Volunteers

Volunteer Management Resources

UKVPMs - message board for UK Volunteer Project Managers

NAVSM - National Association of Voluntary Service Managers

Sandy Adirondack - freelance management and training consultant for the voluntary sector, includes a legal of up-date service

Energize - international training, consulting and publishing firm specialising in volunteerism

OzVPM - Australasian region's largest volunteer management resource including message board

CyberVPM - message board for Volunteer Project Managers (mainly North America)

Volunteering Research

Institute for Volunteering Research - includes summaries of research on different aspects of volunteering

Joseph Rowntree Foundation -  contains on-line versions of their research

Association for Research on Non profit Organisations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) - dedicated to to the creation, application and dissemination of research about voluntary action, non profit organisations and philanthropy

Volunteer Awards

The Beacon Fellowship - awards annual prizes to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to charitable causes or to organisations that benefit the public

The League of Mercy - honours volunteers who have given seven or more years of 'outstanding service'

The Matt Spencer Award - recognises the work of outstanding student volunteers

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service - recognises and rewards excellence in voluntary activities carried out by groups in the community

Useful Sites

Volunteering England - Provides a range of services to support volunteer managers and organisations that involve volunteers

Vol Resource - Information resource for voluntary sector organisations

Office of the Third sector - the Government office with overall responsibility for the voluntary and community sector

Recruiting volunteers

Do-It - national database of volunteer opportunities in the UK

eVolunteer - online resource for recruiting volunteers

Reach - recruits people with specific business, professional, managerial or technical career experience

Professionals4free - aims to make it easier for voluntary and community organisations to asses whether or not they need professional help such as legal advice or management consultancy and if so, where they can access it

Bar Pro Bono Unit - puts advice agencies and members of the public in touch with barristers who can give advice, provide representation and assist with mediation free of charge

Everybody Counts - Institute of Chartered Accountants Initiative to facilitate and encourage members' voluntary work

IT4communities - linking IT professionals to volunteering

Solicitors Pro Bono Group - supports, promotes and encourages pro bono work across the solicitors' profession