Government

James Purnell issued a ministerial statement on Monday on the government's plans to get people who are long term unemployed back into work. Unsurprisingly volunteering is mentioned but, at least the way I read it, he seems to have made the assumption that most volunteering will be full time. 

Obviously this is far from true, very few people volunteering are doing so full time.  I've come up against this assumption a couple of times with governmenty peeps, and I'm wondering what effect this has on government plans around volunteering?  Do they see the CSV full time model as the norm, and is effecting their plans and strategies?

Liam Byrne expands (slightly!) on the scheme Purnell mentions. It's right at the end again!

Apparently the Government has launched a £3m volunteering fund in a bid to improve interaction between the generations. Further details from Third Sector magazine.

The Association of Volunteer Managers welcomes the Office of the Third Sector's generally positive response to the Commission's 'Manifesto for Change'.

We are pleased that the Office of the Third Sector see its role in leading cross-Government support for developing volunteering and expect this to result in better recognition across all government departments of the vital role volunteer management plays in developing successful and sustainable volunteering.

What do people think of this news from Government on volunteering? 

CABINET OFFICE News Release (CAB/074/07) issued by The Government News Network on 5 September 2007