EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - GoldStar Exemplar Programme involves socially excluded through voluntary work

GoldStar Exemplar Programme involves socially excluded through voluntary work

Introduction

The GoldStar Exemplar Programme is a national initiative designed to encourage and enable voluntary organisations and projects throughout England to realise the potential of volunteers, mentors and befrienders from socially excluded or disadvantaged groups. The aim of the programme is to promote and share the good practices used in engaging people from these groups and giving them the opportunity to enrich their own and other peoples' lives.

Proposition

How to involve people from socially excluded or disadvantaged groups in voluntary work?

Description

Over a 2 year period, Goldstar is identifying the barriers to recruiting volunteers from socially excluded groups and offer ways of overcoming them. This is being achieved through a series of live regional and national webcast events supported by ongoing web forums, progammes, research and guidelines that will help voluntary projects everywhere to exchange ideas and access useful information. Inspiration is also taken from the existing GoldStar Exemplar projects already recognised by the government for their good practices.

Potential volunteers mainly come from groups at risk of social exclusion such as:

People with no qualifications;
People from Black and Minority Ethnic groups;
People with disabilities or long term illness.

According to the GoldStar Exemplar Programme, these people represent a rich and largely untapped volunteer resource in all our towns, cities and local communities. Some have already become highly successful and fulfilled as volunteers, mentors and befrienders. Through GoldStar, is is expected to be possible for many more to follow.

The Programma has also published a good practice handbook, which includes a large number of cases showing successful examples in the volunteering field.

The GoldStar Programme is funded by the UK Cabinet Office.

Contact info

GoldStar Exemplar Programme
info@grantsadmin.co.uk

Publication date

21/05/2008

Article info
Organisation: GoldStar Exemplar Programme

Links

Visit the GoldStart Exemplar Programme website Visit the UK Cabinet Office website

Downlaod the GoldStar Exemplar Programme Good Practice Handbook (PDF, Eng, 7.5 MB)

Document type

policy

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Keywords

Citizens' participation