The idea that “volunteering is the essential act of citizenship” has gained widespread acceptance since being stated in 1997 as part of a general package of initiatives which included the idea of a compact between Government and the voluntary sector within which the concept of a local compact, led by the Local Authority with its community partners, was absolutely central. In the intervening 12years it has become a commonplace view across political parties and through government agencies and departments. A number of local authorities have been leaders in “best practice”and “local” remains the most important place for volunteering.
Partnership is more than a nice idea. The establishment of the Compact Commission in 1998 was a momentous step.This agreement between the voluntary sector and government has had an enormous influence on the last ten years of government policy.
But volunteering remains a concept that is difficult to capture. It doesn’t just happen in the “voluntary sector”. Volunteers make a massive contribution to the NHS to social care toschools to youth work and to the environment. And not only do individuals have a responsibility but so do companies, departments of Government, local Councils, and even voluntary organisations themselves.
In 2008 Rabbi Julia Neuberger brought forward the report of the Commission on Volunteering which she chaired. It is a seminal document and Volunteering England put in place six high-level taskforces to carry forward the work on specific topics such as the role of the employer in promoting volunteering by employees. 
What we are doing now is moving beyond the principle and into practice. The Corporate Social Responsibility movement has led to great development in employer supported volunteering in thelast decade – particularly in large private sector firms – we now need to capitalise on this. Employer supported volunteering has focused on the private sector for years, the idea of time off for volunteering among the big firms is no longer the pipe dream it once was. We need to lead by example so the publicand voluntary sector should lead the way by mainstreaming employer supported volunteering.
Last week we met Ministers tourge that the Civil Service should be the exemplar of Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) and be the starting point of volunteering becoming theessential act of citizenship. The Minister Kevin Brennan is supporting and encouraging our approach.