What Would Happen if Everyone Stopped Volunteering - segment by Nicky Stainton

If all volunteering, in all of its forms (both formal and informal), stopped tomorrow and continued to stop, how would this impact Norfolk? 

Everyday life without volunteering would be almost unrecognisable!

Without ushers, ‘friends groups’, and helpers many arts and cultural organisations would reduce their activities or close down.

Without coaches and referees most sporting activities would cease.

Hospitals would be soulless places with no one to welcome or direct visitors, provide refreshments, friendly visits or hospital radio, and without volunteer drivers many people would struggle to get to appointments.

The justice system would collapse without magistrates and court volunteers.

Schools could become the fiefdoms of head teachers without governors to oversee activities, and without PTA groups, voluntary reading schemes and out of school clubs, schools would be characterless institutions limiting the rounded education of children.

Without befrienders, hospice helpers, neighbourhood groups, and Watch schemes the elderly, unwell and vulnerable would become more isolated, scared and lonely.

And without trustees, board members, management committee members and fundraising groups all Norfolk’s 3000+ charities, hundreds of social enterprises and thousands of grassroots community organisations would have to pack up. Village halls, community centres, churches and mosques, food banks and social supermarkets would be forced to close down.

The impact on the quality of life and the delivery of services to the entire community would be enormous. In monetary terms this voluntary contribution of time and expertise equates to well over £100 million each year in Norfolk.

At Voluntary Norfolk we work every day to support and encourage volunteering – not only because it benefits communities, participants and service users but because it also improves the health and wellbeing of those who volunteer. Through www.getinvolvednorfolk.org.uk we bring together the organisations that need volunteers with those who want to volunteer – since it launched three years ago over 10,000 people have registered to become a volunteer. In the last 12 months that number increased by 79% and applications for volunteering opportunities almost doubled. But the need grows, too, as rising costs impact in so many ways and VCSEs face unprecedented challenges.

Nicky Stainton 

This segment was part of a contribution towards a new national report, What Would Happen if Everyone Stops Volunteering by Dom Pinkney, who helped steer the London Vision for Volunteering.