VOLUNTEERING INFRASTRUCTURE

1. VOLUNTEERING INFRASTRUCTURECONCEPT DEFINITIONDefinition of infrastructureVolunteering England’s 2004 strategy for volunteering infrastructure, Building on Success 1 ,included the following definition of voluntary and community sector infrastructure:The physical facilities, structures, systems, relationships, people, knowledge and skills that exist tosupport and develop, coordinate, represent and promote front-line organisations thus enabling them todeliver their missions more effectively.This work also defines infrastructure organisations as:Voluntary organisations whose primary purpose is the provision of infrastructure functions (supportand development, coordination, representation and promotion) to front-line voluntary and communityorganisations.The role of volunteering infrastructureA number of reviews have taken a strategic look at the role volunteering infrastructure shouldplay in England.In 2004, Volunteering England published Building on Success: a strategy for volunteeringinfrastructure in England 2004-2014. The strategy recommended a number of steps be takento strengthen volunteering infrastructure, including the development of a single brandand national quality assurance programme for local infrastructure bodies. The strategy alsorecommended the adoption of a simpler set of core functions to define the role of volunteeringinfrastructure more clearly and encourage a greater coherence in approach across England.These core functions are now used by the Volunteer Centre network, with centres required todemonstrate successful delivery of the functions in order to use the Volunteer Centre name andbranding.The core functions Volunteer Centres are expected to deliver are:1. Brokerage;2. Marketing volunteering;3. Good practice development;4. Developing volunteering opportunities;5. Policy response and campaigning.1. Penberthy, C. and Forster, A. (2004) Building on success. Strategy for volunteering infrastructure in England 2004 – 2014, Volunteering England:London402 Volunteering infrastructure in Europe 29 UK - England