Community and Voluntary Sector

Baroness Grey-Thompson Excerpts

Thursday 31st October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Grey-Thompson (CB)]

My Lords, I too thank the noble Baroness, Lady Morgan of Drefelin, for tabling this debate. I draw noble Lords’ attention to my registered interests: I am chair of trustees for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, president of the Local Government Association and chair of Sport Wales.

Voluntary organisations and community groups are the backbone of social and economic provisions across the United Kingdom. In 2021, the voluntary sector injected £17.8 billion into the economy and employed nearly 1 million people, making up 3% of our national workforce. But there are many challenges for volunteering, which is an important part of the sector.

Youth Employment UK have said that the volunteering participation rate among 11 to 30 year-olds has reduced from 24% in 2023 to 17% in 2024. As more young people become socially isolated, more sedentary and resultingly more vulnerable to physical and mental health issues, I am particularly worried about the impact on young women. Girlguiding’s Girls’ Attitudes Survey 2024 has shown that the number of young girls who feel unsafe due to sexism has doubled over the past decade; it has gone from 17% to 47%. That is just one organisation that helps young women volunteer.

Organisations such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award continue to champion youth volunteers because we recognise the profound impact that volunteering has on young people. Overall, more than 545,000 young people across the UK are currently working towards a DoE award. Participants gave 4,725,825 hours of volunteering in their communities. This is equivalent to over £24 million in paid working hours. Young people come from a variety of backgrounds; among last year’s participants, 15.2% were experiencing poverty, 26.7% were from ethnic minority backgrounds and 7.8% had additional needs. It is important that volunteering opportunities are open to everyone.

The Local Government Association’s 2010 Hidden Talents report, which is still valid, shows how volunteering helps build the confidence of young people, instilling in them invaluable interpersonal skills that they may not receive in the classroom. Whether it is volunteering at a sports club, helping in a charity shop or even shopping for an elderly neighbour, these experiences foster real-world interactions that are so evidently lacking in a world that revolves around technology. I know my own personal experience of volunteering had a huge impact on my life. When I was an athlete, all my coaches were volunteers; I could not have done what I did as an athlete without them.

Local authorities are under huge pressure and we must find ways to strengthen the relationship that they have with other organisations. Without cohesion and support, these organisations cannot close service gaps within communities, nor will they be able to provide adequate assistance to the most vulnerable in our society.

Finally, while I welcome the Government’s introduction of the new Civil Society Covenant Framework, I urge the Minister to maintain continuous dialogue and co-ordination with the devolved Governments. In order to achieve the full, positive impact of this covenant, it is essential that it resonates across all nations within the United Kingdom.