12/05
31 January 2005
Chancellor leads Government, sector and business effort on youth volunteering
Chancellor Gordon Brown today called for a step change in the participation of young people in volunteering, encouraging young people to do voluntary work as part of their normal lives and enabling them to do voluntary work in the UK during pre-college gap years. He spoke at a conference forming part of the Chancellor’s pre-Budget consultation, involving the voluntary and community sector and businesses, coming at the start of 2005 – The Year of the Volunteer.
The Chancellor was joined by Home Secretary Charles Clarke, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Paul Boateng, and Economic Secretary John Healey. Ian Russell, Chief Executive of Scottish Power plc, announced the results of the Russell Commission consultation on youth volunteering. The Russell Commission report will be published around the time of the Budget.
The Chancellor highlighted the importance of voluntary action and mentoring, and called for more people to give up time to help others. He discussed how to expand the participation of young people in volunteering, how to extend the scope of mentoring, and how businesses as well as individuals can be more involved. He also launched a new guide explaining the tax incentives for corporate giving.
The Chancellor said:
“I believe we have a goodwill mountain just waiting to be tapped. Building upon the current engagement of young people - 3 million each year in voluntary work - we find that a majority of young people aged 15 to 24 year old – 59 per cent - want to know more about how to get involved in their communities.
Let us set a practical aim: that the majority of young people do volunteer and that over the next five years 1 million new young people become volunteers. And let us now set a national framework: business, government and the voluntary sector working together to encourage, enthuse and engage youth in community action.”
Home Secretary Charles Clarke said:
"Volunteering enables people to make a real difference in both their lives and the lives of others in a huge variety of ways, from working as a mentor to assisting a neighbour do their shopping. Earlier this month the Chancellor and I launched the Year of the Volunteer 2005 which forms an important part of a cross-Government commitment to encourage citizens to give their time to make communities better places for us all.
"I recognise the important role that volunteering can play in a young persons life and the Russell Commission is currently working in partnership with voluntary groups and businesses to identify and build on what works in UK volunteering. Their proposals will inform the Government's National Youth Volunteering Strategy and I await the Commission's report with interest."
Ian Russell, CEO of Scottish Power said:
"By responding to the needs and aims of young volunteers themselves, the national framework aims to make volunteering the norm among young people and help establish a pattern of lifelong engagement which will be to the mutual benefit of the individual, the local community, and Britain as a whole."
Notes to editors
1. The Russell Commission was established in May 2004 by the Chancellor and Home Secretary, to develop a new National Framework for Youth Action and Engagement. The Framework will help increase the level of community participation by young people of 16-25 across the UK.
2. The Commission is headed by its sole commissioner, Ian Russell, Chief Executive of ScottishPower plc. The Commission has also been supported by two advisory groups – an Independent Advisory Group and a Youth Advisory Group. The Commission held a period of national consultation between 4 October and 31 December 2004, and will deliver its report to the Chancellor and Home Secretary around the time of Budget 2005. Russell Commision website.
3. The Chancellor announced the Year of the Volunteer in Budget 2004 which the Home Office are taking forward. It was launched at a “Local Heroes” Ceremony on 10 January, when 68 Local Heroes from all over the UK were recognised for their outstanding contributions to their communities. Through the Year of the Volunteer, the Government will work with the VCS and corporate sector to promote the extraordinary contributions being made by volunteers all over the country, in order to recognise their efforts and to encourage others to participate in these sorts of activities. VCS representatives are working with the Home Office to devise a series of calendar of events during the year. Year of the Volunteer website.
4. Evidence suggests that the generous tax framework for corporate giving is underused. The Guide to Tax Incentives for Corporate Giving, published today by HM Treasury and the Home Office, aims to provide business with clear and concise information about the range of tax incentives available, in order to increase their take up. It has been written in consultation with the business and voluntary sectors and is available from the HM Treasury website.
5. Media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury press office on 020 7270 5238. Media enquiries regarding the Russell Commission should be addressed to Julia Clements on 0207 035 5334.
6. Non-media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury Correspondence and Enquiry Unit on 020 7270 4558 or by e-mail to public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk.
7. This press release and other Treasury publications and information are available on the Treasury website . If you would like Treasury press releases to be sent to you automatically by e-mail, you can subscribe to this service from the press release site on the website.