The Value of Community Rail Volunteering

A report prepared for The Association of Community Rail Partnerships
by the Independent Rail Consultancy Group
www.ircg.co.uk

To download the full report right click the download button and save the file to your computer (File size 6.9mb)

A copy of the full report is also available on compact disk from the ACoRP for a small charge. Please contact the office for details.

A Nation of Volunteers
Britain has a remarkably high level of voluntary work supporting community life
across many sectors of society. A large proportion of people consider that
voluntary activities are crucial to everyday life.

A Nation Of Community Rail Volunteers
The National Rail network features strongly in the world of volunteering for
a better society. In England, alone, it is estimated that there are over 4,000
volunteers contributing at least 1.2 million hours of work in support of
vital community railways. A Valued and Valuable Nation of Community Rail Volunteers Government, Network Rail, Train Operators- they all welcome the very real and apparent achievements of the community rail volunteers. And, those achievements are worth up to £27m a year. Vital support for vital rail links.

Profile of a Volunteer

• 70% are male
• 68% are aged over 55
• Just 4% are under 35
• Usually in the ABC1 social categories
• Rarely from an ethnic minority
• Motivated to help improve rail services, rail travel and community facilities
• Principal activities include Station Gardening, Station Tidying and and distributing publicity material

The Route to an Even Brighter Future

• Widen the profile;broaden the appeal
• Encourage greater involvement with schools, universities and
  businesses
• Don't upset existing volunteers-they can always take their energies elsewhere
• Set minimum national standards without national management
• Provide guidance with a Toolkit for Volunteers
• Minimise beauraucracy - keep schemes simple, safe and sensible
• Make sure the industry is staffed and structured to get the most from volunteer programmes
• Keep potential schemes `on the shelf for new volunteer groups
• Promote simple, but supportive record keeping
• Get insured
• Community Rail volunteers love what they do. You can help more people reach the same level of achievement and satisfaction

To download the full report right click the download button and save the file to your computer (File size 6.9mb)

A copy of the full report is also available on compact disk from the ACoRP for a small charge. Please contact the office for details.