In 2009, David Cameron laid out, as an alternative to big government, his plan to create a Big Society. In May 2010, following the general election victory, these plans were given pride of place in the coalition’s Programme for Government. This vision has prevailed through the hard times and the language has become commonplace. Now, […]

Leonie and I recently wrote an article entitled Who Want to Be a Volunteer?, printed in the 2013 Charity Matters supplement in the Jewish Chronicle a few weeks ago. In this article, volunteering in schools was identified as one of the two means of volunteering that has come to the fore in recent years (the […]

Many of us who volunteer use our skills to do so. Whether we have learnt them through academia, during the course of our professional careers or simply out of life experience, the tools and talents that we have developed throughout our lives can really shine through in the world of volunteering. Whether you are a […]

I wrote a blog a few weeks ago entitled ‘What Makes A Volunteering Role Suitable’, highlighting the need to change our attitudes towards the ‘suitability’ of a candidate for a particular volunteering role. I asserted that ‘those who claim to have individual support needs should be taken on their individual merits, not as part of […]

It has been four months since the London 2012 Games ended, and one word more than others has been used to describe the vision for the future: Legacy. There was a thought, back in September, of “the Games are over: now what?” Lord Coe pledged, when presenting Britain’s bid for the Games back in 2005, […]

The winter season is meant to be a time of caring, sharing and goodwill. But every so often something comes along that dampens our spirits. Looking for a bit of positive news about the charity sector’s fortunes over the last year, we turned to the Back Britain’s Charities campaign, who only two weeks ago reported […]

Volunteering, schmolunteering – does the word volunteering actually matter? Leonie weighs in to a spirited debate!

As he prepares to leave JVN, Intern Mike takes a frank look at the world of internships

As more people age 30-49 start to volunteer due to unemployment, Leonie looks at the challenges facing the volunteering world and asks: Is Big Society necessarily better society?

Volunteering offers lots of practical benefits – but did you know that it is also can improve your physical and mental health?
(*banishing the common cold, not guaranteed!)