Volunteering is vital for society and the Government recognises this. It benefits volunteers and the organisations involving them and has transformational impacts on beneficiaries and their communities.<\/p>
My department is funding and supporting the launch of the 2024 Big Help Out, following the success of the inaugural day of community volunteering to mark the Coronation of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty The Queen, held on 8 May 2023. The Big Help Out aims to raise awareness of volunteering and to provide opportunities for people to support their communities.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4032", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Andrew"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pudsey"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stuart Andrew"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-12-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-12-06T12:57:40.36Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "217"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-12-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Voluntary Work"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to support volunteering through the Big Help Out campaign.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1409", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Londonderry"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Gregory Campbell"} ], "uin" : "4801"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1640437", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1640437/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Volunteering is vital for society and the Government recognises this. It benefits volunteers and the organisations involving them and has transformational impacts on beneficiaries and their communities. Government aims to remove barriers to getting people involved.<\/p>
Government sees the experience and satisfaction of volunteers as a key part of unlocking the benefits of volunteering. We are supporting the volunteering sector\u2019s Vision for Volunteering initiative, which focuses on improving the volunteer experience, including an investment of £609,000.<\/p>
We will consider the full findings of the Time Well Spent survey when the report is published in June 2023 by NCVO.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4032", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Andrew"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pudsey"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stuart Andrew"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-06-05T14:05:10.01Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "217"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-05-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Voluntary Work"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the findings of the report Time Well Spent 2023 published by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations on 2 May 2023, whether she is taking steps to help improve satisfaction levels among volunteers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1588", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Barbara Keeley"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worsley and Eccles South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Barbara Keeley"} ], "uin" : "186835"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1504545", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1504545/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Volunteering is critical to a vibrant and resilient civil society; it benefits volunteers and the organisations involving them and has transformational impacts on beneficiaries and their communities.<\/p>
This Government is committed to enabling people to take part in all forms of social action, including volunteering. We know the profound benefit that volunteering has on the individual, on communities and on society.<\/p>
Volunteers do not have a contract of employment as a volunteer, so do not have the same rights as an employee or worker, and are not placed under the same obligations. However, they will usually be given a volunteer agreement that explains:<\/p>
the level of supervision and support they will get<\/p><\/li>
what training they will get<\/p><\/li>
whether they are covered under the organisation\u2019s employer or public liability insurance<\/p><\/li>
health and safety issues<\/p><\/li>
any expenses the organisation will cover.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>
The volunteer agreement is not a contract, but it is a good way of setting out what volunteers can expect from the organisation they are volunteering for. You can find information about this at https://www.gov.uk/volunteering/pay-and-expenses<\/a>. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) also has information on volunteers\u2019 legal status<\/a> and guidance on solving volunteer problems.<\/p> If a volunteer believes they are treated unfairly, there is recourse available to them through a variety of means. Volunteers for charities are able to raise concerns to the Charity Commission. The Health and Safety Executive, Disclosure and Barring Service, and the Information Commissioner's Office are also useful points of contact.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4407", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nigel Huddleston"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nigel Huddleston"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-20T07:43:34.907Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-09-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Voluntary Work"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps she has taken to ensure the fair treatment of volunteers within the voluntary and charitable work sector.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"}
], "uin" : "45984"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1467250", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1467250/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government recognises that volunteering is critical to a vibrant and resilient civil society; it benefits volunteers and the organisations involving them and has transformational impacts on beneficiaries and their communities.<\/p> As a department, we are focused on simplifying routes into volunteering and seeking to make volunteering more inclusive.<\/p> Through the £7.4 million Volunteering Futures Fund, volunteering opportunities are being created to remove barriers to volunteering in arts, culture, sports, civil society, youth and heritage sectors. Young people, people with disabilities and those experiencing loneliness will be given the opportunity to volunteer and help others. DCMS is investing £6.25 million in the fund, together with £1.17 million provided by matched funders.<\/p> Our delivery partners for this programme are the Arts Council England, NHS Charities Together and Pears Foundation. The 19 Arts Council England funded projects will work with over 160 partners across heritage, arts, libraries, festival, community and sport organisations to increase accessibility to volunteering.<\/p> We are also supporting the development of the sector-led Vision for Volunteering, through which an ambitious ten year action plan is being developed to improve the volunteer experience. One of the five themes of the Vision is \u2018Equity and Inclusion\u2019, in recognition of the barriers that some people face to participating in volunteering.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4407", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nigel Huddleston"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nigel Huddleston"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-10T11:29:12.953Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Voluntary Work"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle potential barriers to volunteering; and whether she plans to make funding available to tackle those barriers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4742", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Anderson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wolverhampton South West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stuart Anderson"}
], "uin" : "11864"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1360655", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1360655/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " DCMS is focusing its role as a steward of the sector, working collaboratively to improve access to volunteering by removing long-standing barriers, some of which have been exacerbated or exposed by COVID-19.<\/p> As part of our work to investigate how and the extent to which COVID-19 has impacted on volunteering in England, we produced a report to investigate what drives demand for volunteers and how this varies over a typical calendar year, as a means of identifying potential issues in the supply of volunteers. This also examined the effect of the pandemic on volunteer supply and demand. *<\/p> We are working with the voluntary and community sector to develop a Vision for Volunteering, which will be a clear and actionable 10 year plan to simplify access to and experiences of volunteering in England.<\/p> We are also planning to launch a new Volunteering Futures Fund, which will provide new volunteering opportunities for young people and others who experience barriers to volunteering, within DCMS sectors (arts, culture, museums and heritage) as well as in youth, tackling loneliness and place-based community initiatives.<\/p> <\/strong>* https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-report-on-the-drivers-in-demand-for-volunteers<\/strong><\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4407", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nigel Huddleston"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Worcestershire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nigel Huddleston"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-10-21T16:45:42.703Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-10-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Voluntary Work"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage volunteering during the recovery from the covid-19 outbreak.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4249", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anne Marie Morris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newton Abbot"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Anne Marie Morris"}
], "uin" : "58400"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1348576", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1348576/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " 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> 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> 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> 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>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4361", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Warman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Boston and Skegness"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matt Warman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-27T12:28:26.95Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Voluntary Work"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) the NHS volunteer programme and (b) other national volunteering programmes do not conflict with or undermine programmes run by local organisations.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "36667"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1344471", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1344471/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Her Majesty\u2019s Government welcomes the findings of the report and its contribution to our understanding of civil society during the pandemic. As documented, the scale and breadth of the volunteer response over the last year has been remarkable; as the study estimated, 12.4 million people volunteered during the pandemic, 4.6 million of them volunteering for the first time. Government would like to express its gratitude to all those who volunteered for their contributions, whether through continuing or taking up a formal role with an organisation, or national schemes such as the NHS Volunteer Responders programme, or the extraordinary 2.5 million people who undertook local acts of neighbourliness as coordinated through over 4,000 mutual aid groups. Undoubtedly our experience of the pandemic would have been very different without them.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> As outlined by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, our approach to the government's role in volunteering is as a steward, enabling further unlocking of the potential within the volunteering sector as we seek to build a volunteering legacy from this challenging time.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> To meet this ambition, DCMS is developing policy with a focus on simplifying the routes into volunteering, how volunteering supply and demand can be best matched and leveraging government\u2019s links with the voluntary and community sector for strategic collaboration. Developing solutions to address the barriers facing those who wish to volunteer in their local community will be an integral element of our work.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> Beyond this, the Government continues to celebrate and champion extraordinary individuals who volunteer across the United Kingdom through the Prime Minister\u2019s daily Points of Light Awards, and remains committed to promoting the benefits of volunteering both to personal wellbeing and community cohesion.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4703", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Barran"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Barran"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-07-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-07-14T11:12:50.57Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Voluntary Work"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by British Future Our Chance to Reconnect, published in March; and what steps they are taking to make it easier for people to volunteer in their local community.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1796", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Taylor of Warwick"}
], "uin" : "HL1776"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1337917", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1337917/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Local Volunteer Centres play an important role in many areas, providing support and expertise on volunteering within the local community.<\/p> Volunteering opportunities organised both nationally and locally have been an integral part of the community response to COVID-19.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> Out of the various ways that people stepped up to respond to the pandemic, the Talk Together report Our Chance to Reconnect (March 2020) estimates that 12.4 million people across the UK volunteered to support their communities (Talk/Together: Our Chance to Reconnect<\/a>, February 2021), with up to 4.6 million volunteering for the first time. Of these first time volunteers, 75% say they wish to continue volunteering. With reference to volunteering opportunities organised nationally, it is worth noting that NHS Volunteer Responders have now completed more than 1.9 million tasks to support over 171,000 people at risk from Covid-19. (NHS Volunteer Responder Success Measures<\/a> (12 June 2020 - 16 May 2021)<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> In addition to volunteer responses organised through formal channels locally and nationally, the pandemic saw huge growth in informal volunteering. The DCMS Community Life Recontact Survey (December 2020) found that the proportion of the population offering informal help on a regular basis (at least once a month) increased from 28% to 47% (DCMS, Community Life COVID-19 Recontact Survey<\/a>, December 2020). We saw communities rapidly mobilising to help local people, who were particularly at risk or hardest hit by the effects of isolation. Pro Bono Economics\u2019 Civil Action report (December 2020) estimated that over 2.5 million people volunteered with over 4,000 mutual aid groups (Pro Bono Economics, \u2018Civil Action: Exploring Civil Societies Potential in the 2020s\u2019<\/a>, December 2020), a unique grassroots movement which has seen communities demonstrate their strength, resourcefulness and adaptability.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4361", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Warman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Boston and Skegness"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matt Warman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-06-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-06-25T13:35:57.693Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-06-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Voluntary Work"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has of the comparative effectiveness of volunteering opportunities organised through (a) local and (b) national schemes.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "17779"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1303426", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1303426/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Volunteers have been critical to the ability of local communities to respond to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Local networks between councils, community groups, the voluntary sector and individual citizens have enabled an army of volunteers to step up and help during a time of national crisis.<\/p> Through the Covid-19 response, the government has funded the Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership to help charities - large and small - to work together to identify and reach communities most in need, signposting volunteering needs and opportunities across a network of more than 200 organisations. Over £6million of funding for the Partnership has so far been committed up to 30th June 2021 with an option to extend should the need continue.<\/p> The government will continue to draw upon the lessons of volunteering, both from the Covid-19 period and more broadly, to develop current and future policy.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4361", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Warman"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Boston and Skegness"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matt Warman"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-03-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-03-23T15:21:07.253Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-03-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Voluntary Work"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to enhance local networks through which people are signposted to positive social action and volunteering opportunities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4742", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Anderson"}
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DCMS has not conducted a specific assessment of local volunteer centres but the MoVE project, a collaboration between the Universities of Sheffield, Hull and Leeds (Lessons from Lockdown, October 2020) found that \u2018existing local infrastructure and community support networks have underpinned successful community responses.\u2019<\/p>"}
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