History of the Investing in Volunteers Standard

Investing in Volunteers for Employers has been created to support and recognise the increase in volunteering that takes place with the support of an employer. It’s structure, assessment and quality assurance process matches it’s established sister standard Investing in Volunteers.

In 1995 the Wandsworth Volunteer Bureau in South London was concerned that they had no way of knowing whether volunteers they sent to other organisations received a good standard of management. With quality standards becoming commonplace it was felt to be timely and appropriate for the development of a Standard, Investing in Volunteers, which would relate specifically to the management of volunteers in volunteer involving organisations.

To take the idea forward the three neighbouring London boroughs of Croydon, Sutton and Merton joined with Wandsworth to form the Wandle Valley Partnership, and by 1998 funding was raised to run a three year pilot to develop the Standard. The idea for the Standard was based on the four areas of volunteer management: Planning for volunteer involvement; recruiting volunteers; selecting and matching volunteers; and supporting and retaining volunteers.

The pilot was a success with 60 organisations being awarded the Standard, and an independent report recommended that the Standard be rolled out across the UK.

In 2003 guardianship of the Investing in Volunteers Standard passed to the UK Volunteering Forum, and funding was raised from GUS Charitable Trust, the Home Office and the Department of Health to launch the Standard in the UK. Investing in Volunteers has operated UK wide since October 2004. At May 2006 there are 30 organisations who hold the Investing in Volunteers standard and over 150 who are part way through the assessment process.

In 2004 funding through the Change Up programme, through the Home Office, provided an opportunity to develop a complimentary standard that is aimed at employers. The standard aims to meet the objectives of the Change Up programme by increasing the quality and quantity of volunteering.

Investing in Volunteers for Employers has been developed in consultation with employers, volunteer involving organisations, volunteer centres and by consultants appointed for their knowledge, experience and understanding of employer supported volunteering.