JVN HOSTS A SEMINAR – “Demographics in the Jewish Community and its effect on volunteering”
“In order to ensure that volunteering in the Jewish community continues to thrive in the 21stC we need to see it (volunteering) as a service to the volunteers themselves. If organisations are to retain their volunteers we must ensure that the organisations’ needs match those of their volunteers,” said Professor Margaret Harris, Emeritus Professor of Voluntary Sector Organisation, Aston University, and seminar leader.
The event was held at the New North London synagogue on Wednesday 29th October, it was hosted by the JVN. It examined the changing demographic factors in the UK and the implications for the future of volunteering in the Jewish community.
Professor Harris addressed thirty representatives of key organisations from across the Jewish community, including Limmud, Nightingale-Hammerson, All Aboard, Kisharon, Jewish Care, AJR, Tikun, Norwood and Jewish Women’s Aid.
Drawing on three key sources – JPR Report ‘Jews in the UK in 2013: Preliminary findings from the National Jewish Community Survey; Commission on the Voluntary Sector and Aging; NCVO Manifesto 2015 ‘A Bigger Difference,’ Professor Harris led a lively discussion examining a range of complex issues affecting people’s ability to volunteer including - lack of time, pressure of working, travelling considerable distances, raising families and the demands of religious observance.
“Organisations need to be more flexible in terms of the variety of volunteering opportunities they offer. Furthermore these opportunities need to be tailored to the needs of the individual volunteer,” Professor Harris remarked.
Leonie Lewis, Director of the JVN said: “One of the main perceived problems related to giving time to volunteering is that people generally have less spare time and are choosier about how they spend it.”
She continued: “Each generation has differing expectations of volunteering. We must be sensitive to the unique needs and styles of our volunteers and devise ways for each to receive personal satisfaction and reward. We must create a variety of opportunities – from the one-off virtual/online volunteering opportunity to the long-term direct-service volunteer commitment.”
