VOLUNTEERING INFRASTRUCTURE

8. Ethics and quality standardsfor volunteeringAs volunteering has become more formalised and indeed more professionalized, Scotland,along with the other nations of the UK, has developed a practice based approach (with a strongfocus on the management and support of volunteers) rather than a rights based approach tovolunteering. Both these models are aimed at achieving the same outcomes: ensuring a safe andrewarding volunteer experience ultimately for the benefit of society.The implications of this is that an increasingly delicate balance has to be struck betweena situation where, on the one hand, volunteers do not enjoy the protection afforded byemployment and anti-discrimination legislation but where on the other hand volunteering isa flexible and relatively un-regulated activity. There are very few legal obstacles to becoming avolunteer and volunteers have very few responsibilities. In fact much effort has been directed atdeliberately exempting volunteers from legislation such as the National Minimum Wage Act.An increasinglydelicate balancehas to be struckbetween volunteersnot enjoyingthe protectionafforded byemployment andanti-discriminationlegislationand volunteeringas a flexibleand relativelyun-regulatedactivity.An exception to this is legislation designed to protect children and other vulnerable people, buteven here not all volunteering roles, even those involving work with children and vulnerablepeople are included within the vetting system. However, there is a danger that in some publicsector organisations the costs of suitability checks could be passed on to the volunteersthemselves and as such may place barriers in the way of many people.A key part of this practice based approach is ensuring ethics and quality standards for themanagers of volunteers. There are ‘national occupational standards’ for volunteers managersand Volunteer Development Scotland high quality accredited (and non accredited) training forvolunteers’ managers.9. Awareness of volunteeringopportunitiesVolunteer Development Scotland has developed a unique web based resource to enablevolunteers to find out about opportunities related to their interests. These opportunities arebroken down locally and provide a high level of detail. This resource can be accessed at www.volunteerscotland.org.uk. This resource has been highly successful in raising awareness ofopportunities and allowing potential volunteers to access these opportunities.10. Additionalcountry specificitiesAlthough volunteering is an issued devolved to the Scottish government at the EU level Scotlandis represented by the United Kingdom government.418 Volunteering infrastructure in Europe 29 UK - Scotland