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Volunteering England, in partnership with 15 local Volunteer Centres, has today been awarded a £1.9m Big Lottery Fund grant over three years to help communities most affected by the recession through stimulating volunteering.

The funding is focused on some of the most deprived communities in the country, experiencing high levels of unemployment and economic distress coupled with greater demand for services. The project, delivered by the Volunteer Centres, will use volunteering to engage those furthest from the job market, to assist them in utilising their skills and talents to help their local communities.

The Volunteer Centres are part of an England-wide network of over 250 centres which provide support and expertise within the local community. The project seeks to strengthen volunteering locally by enabling these Volunteer Centres to extend their activities of supporting people as volunteers, increasing the opportunities for volunteering and engaging more fully with their communities. This promises the triple benefits of helping people who need the services of volunteers, of developing the capabilities of the volunteers and of strengthening local systems to build resilience in communities.

Tony Edwards, Deputy Chief Executive of Volunteering England said: “Volunteering England is delighted that the Big Lottery Fund is supporting this important project. As communities are faced with the realities of the recession – fewer jobs; reduced funding for public services – the support of volunteering and the voluntary sector will be crucial.

“Working alongside 15 Volunteer Centre partners, in locations most affected by the economic downturn, we will explore new ways in which volunteering can make a difference to the lives of individuals and to the economic and social health of communities. Above all, we aim to make a significant difference at a local level during a time of real need.”

The project will also incorporate a research component, undertaken by Volunteering England’s Institute for Volunteering Research in partnership with Birkbeck, University of London. Over a three year period, the research will examine the project’s outcomes and explore the role volunteering can play in helping communities to cope with the recession and public spending cuts. The resulting knowledge will inform wider application of the project’s principles in other communities around the country

Source: Volunteering England