 |
answer text |
<p>The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) aims to empower local
volunteering and ensure national efforts to encourage volunteering do not detract
from locally-led responses.</p><p>DCMS is closely engaged with the Department of Health
and Social Care and NHS England & NHS Improvement on NHS volunteer programmes,
including the national NHS Volunteer Responders programme. In the course of those
discussions, we consider local volunteering mechanisms, and how best to ensure that
national NHS volunteering works with those, and that NHS volunteers and recipients
of NHS volunteer services can be referred to local organisations.</p><p>In recognition
of the vital role that local organisations have played in the volunteer response to
COVID-19, DCMS has commissioned research on local models of mobilising volunteers
across England during the pandemic. The research aims to improve the evidence base
of the various models of coordinating volunteers at a local level, including the ways
in which local organisations collaborated with national volunteering programmes to
support community volunteering.</p><p>DCMS continues to work closely with the Voluntary,
Community and Social Enterprise sector to assess the needs of the sector and how the
government can best support it to continue its vital work. The Minister for Civil
Society and DCMS officials are engaging regularly with civil society stakeholders
to highlight and address key issues for the sector in responding to the COVID-19 crisis.</p><p>
</p>
|
|
