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| Volunteers 'put off by red tape' | Volunteers 'put off by red tape' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Fears over legal action and red tape are stopping people from volunteering in the UK, an agency has warned. | Fears over legal action and red tape are stopping people from volunteering in the UK, an agency has warned. |
| Volunteering England warned the "compensation culture" was in danger of affecting the provision of services. | Volunteering England warned the "compensation culture" was in danger of affecting the provision of services. |
| Its study suggested over one million people considered stopping volunteering through fear of legal action. | Its study suggested over one million people considered stopping volunteering through fear of legal action. |
| The agency called for "excessive risk management" to be challenged. It will also launch a 'Risk Toolkit' giving practical advice to organisations. | The agency called for "excessive risk management" to be challenged. It will also launch a 'Risk Toolkit' giving practical advice to organisations. |
| Justin Davis-Smith, deputy chief executive of Volunteering England, said: "The 'compensation culture' - myth or otherwise - is in danger of taking a real hold in this country, with potentially disastrous effects on the provision of services, both by public and voluntary bodies." | Justin Davis-Smith, deputy chief executive of Volunteering England, said: "The 'compensation culture' - myth or otherwise - is in danger of taking a real hold in this country, with potentially disastrous effects on the provision of services, both by public and voluntary bodies." |
| He said while this climate had in some cases improved services and safety, it had also led to "excessive risk aversion". | He said while this climate had in some cases improved services and safety, it had also led to "excessive risk aversion". |
| Girlguiding UK, which has a shortfall of 8,000 volunteers, said a large number of organisations were affected by 'over the top' decisions. | Girlguiding UK, which has a shortfall of 8,000 volunteers, said a large number of organisations were affected by 'over the top' decisions. |
| Lighting fires | Lighting fires |
| Jennie Lamb, head of guiding development, said: "For example, when a local authority decides it's not safe for children on school residentials to light fires. It isn't long before our volunteer leaders feel that this activity must be too risky and remove it from their programme. | Jennie Lamb, head of guiding development, said: "For example, when a local authority decides it's not safe for children on school residentials to light fires. It isn't long before our volunteer leaders feel that this activity must be too risky and remove it from their programme. |
| "It takes a very confident volunteer to continue to offer something a local authority has banned or restricted in some way." | "It takes a very confident volunteer to continue to offer something a local authority has banned or restricted in some way." |
| It says a boost in volunteer numbers would enable some of the 50,000 girls on the waiting list to join the group. | It says a boost in volunteer numbers would enable some of the 50,000 girls on the waiting list to join the group. |
| The research On the Safe Side was published by Volunteering England and the Institute for Volunteering Research and questioned different groups, including 535 voluntary organisations, 14 employers and 16 insurance firms. | The research On the Safe Side was published by Volunteering England and the Institute for Volunteering Research and questioned different groups, including 535 voluntary organisations, 14 employers and 16 insurance firms. |
| It found 7% of the organisations had called off events because the insurance premiums were too high. | It found 7% of the organisations had called off events because the insurance premiums were too high. |
| Volunteering England said this echoed findings by insurers Royal and Sun Alliance that one in three people would sue a charity if they were injured at an event or on a charity's premises. | Volunteering England said this echoed findings by insurers Royal and Sun Alliance that one in three people would sue a charity if they were injured at an event or on a charity's premises. |
| The Risk Toolkit will give tips on "sensible" risk assessment. Mr Davis-Smith said he hoped it would better equip groups to carry out activities "enabling them to be the lifeblood of their communities". | The Risk Toolkit will give tips on "sensible" risk assessment. Mr Davis-Smith said he hoped it would better equip groups to carry out activities "enabling them to be the lifeblood of their communities". |
| The Health and Safety Executive said the Toolkit was a "good fit" to the HSE's own "sensible risk management campaign". | |
| Tony Bandley, head of strategic risk and intelligence at the HSE, said: "There are plenty of myths around 'elfandsafety' and what it will and will not let you do but the reality is that it provides a sensible framework that allows for real risks to be identified and controlled proportionately." | Tony Bandley, head of strategic risk and intelligence at the HSE, said: "There are plenty of myths around 'elfandsafety' and what it will and will not let you do but the reality is that it provides a sensible framework that allows for real risks to be identified and controlled proportionately." |
| Volunteering England says 22 million adults in the UK are involved in formal volunteering each year. | Volunteering England says 22 million adults in the UK are involved in formal volunteering each year. |