Working with Volunteers
From GPG
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The use of volunteers is well-established in Countryside Services, but less so in RoW sections. However, there are notable examples of authorities having one corps of volunteers (often operated by the Countryside team) who then do work by arrangement for the RoW Section as well.
There are several roles within the RoW area which volunteers can fill admirably. Amongst the obvious ones are :
- The monitoring of path condition either on a regular basis within a stipulated area, or as a one-off project.
- Waymarking can be done effectively and economically by volunteers who have had appropriate training.
- User surveys can provide much useful information to a RoW section and volunteers are often interested in this work and very capable of doing it.
- Some authorities also use volunteers, after training, for practical work involving minor upkeep and improvement tasks on paths.
The contribution volunteers make to ROW work is assessed in the CSS report on Resources for ROW.
Durham County Council has a very effective voluntary ranger service which includes adopt-a-path wardens, tree wardens, guided walk stewards, site patrols and practical working parties. The authority supports the service and employs a vounteer coordinator to ensure the needs of both sides are met. More information on Durham's website.
Brentwood Borough Council runs a countryside management volunteer group which carries out practical tasks every Wednesday. Information on the tasks is given on the authority's website.
Just taking those examples, certain requirements emerge right away and the most important of these are:
- Training in the skills needed (including dealing with the public)
- All working to the same standards throughout
- Motivation of the volunteers
The perception that volunteer efforts are 'cheap labour' is never fully accurate and, if the three elements above are ignored, the work produced can be worthless, the returns supplied will be meaningless, and there is immense scope for annoyance, frustration and apathy - both with staff in the office and amongst volunteers in the field.
It is logical to conclude from the above that one of the best formats is having a group of enrolled volunteers forming a recognised body of Volunteers. Training courses can be arranged for them in practical skills, interview techniques, basic First Aid, Health & Safety etc. At the same time they are shown the significant contribution they will be making to the path network and the enjoyment of path users.
Each authority will decide how far it can go in offering a small allowance to cover depreciation of clothing, packed meals on site, travel to/ fro and the like. There are other issues to resolve including co-ordinating work projects, organising the volunteers into groups, supply of equipment and materials, insurance and documentation.
To further all this and to keep updating volunteers on progress with various issues (part of motivating), a Newsletter and/or regular meetings are desirable or, some would argue, essential. All this predicates the need for a member of staff to have oversight of volunteers as part of his/ her role and have the time and resources to fulfil that.
A number of authorities have volunteer groups which do contribute enormously to the work of the council. Working with volunteers can be very rewarding for both sides. The experiences of different authorities are summarised below:
Isle of Wight Council
Lee Skinner comments on working with the Isle of Wight volunteer team:
We have used volunteer teams for different projects for a few years now and found it to be relatively problem free.
We have used a Ramblers' Association volunteer work party for various jobs across the network. This group has worked well, but we have given limited supervision. Due to the nature of the team (mostly retired/semi retired men who have had a great deal of experience in engineering or similar), we have pretty much let them get on with it, without too much interference. We give them a list of potential areas of work and allow them to choose which ones they would like to do, and the design of the work.
We make sure we inspect the works quickly afterwards for Quality Assurance (QA), and the group leader writes a brief report of the works and what was achieved.
It's good to let them make their own decisions as they become an independent group, but you have to have a QA system in place.
We have also used a volunteer team to assist in the Best Value Performance Indicator surveys for the past four years. This team was initially made up of Ramblers, but has shifted to keen semi retired walkers in the past year or so. The Rambler team members were (and still are) extremely helpful, but some can take it very seriously and argue the smallest of points for a long time! (not a major issue, but worth bearing in mind if you intend to use 'user group' members.
Again this team was given training, but then left to do the surveys in their own time. As the surveys were returned we did a random monthly QA check on each member.
We have good contact with the team and like to get in touch every so often just to make sure they know they are not forgotten. Every year we also have a set of team shirts made up to draw that team spirit!
My main advice to anyone considering using a volunteer team is :
- Check with your insurance department to make sure any volunteers are covered for the works they are doing.
- Provide some initial training for any task, the members appreciate it.
- Have in place a Quality Assurance system, and use it.
- Give time to the volunteers when they need it. They are doing it for you, so you should be able to spare some time regardless of how busy you are.
- Team events or ideas work well. Our team like the team shirts every year. Minimal expense, but keeps a spirit up.
- Make sure that any complaints/ideas they give you are acted upon. You don't want the volunteers to feel they are doing it all for nothing.
Lancashire County Council
The Countryside Service has been employing volunteers to help with a range of tasks for several years. Volunteers assist with :
- The safeguarding of countryside sites and access areas by encouraging good behaviour and reporting on the need for any remedial actions.
- Offering information and guidance to visitors.
- Dealing with, or assisting with, any emergency that might arise.
These duties are carried out whilst on patrol, mainly on a Sunday and on public holidays. As well as carrying out these main duties volunters have the opportunity to carry out practical tasks, work on local nature reserves, lead guided walks and staff information centres.
For more information including the training offered to volunteers see Lancashire's website.
Essex County Council
Essex has a very comprehensive P3 scheme which has been in place for over 10 years. Volunteers are usually parish based but some are part of organised groups e.g. Trail Riders Fellowship, Ramblers etc. Essex operates with a single "P3 Rep" for each group (not necessarily someone from a parish council but anyone with the interest/time to do so). The P3 Agreement is signed by the Parish Council or Group Chair. Every Rep is inducted to the scheme and given a manual which includes a generic risk assessment pack. It is the responsibility of the P3 Rep to perform the risk assessments for every volunteer activity although officers will assist if required.
The P3 manual is currently (June 2011) being revised to bring it up to date as the scheme has evolved. The same goes for the risk assessments, considering a format where a risk assessment will be job specific and have a box for every volunteer present to sign (and acknowledge) the risks. The P3 manual is available on the Essex website, and the Volunteer Handbook.
Volunteer Initiatives
The Parish Paths Partnership
The Parish Paths Partnership (P3) is a way of involving local communities or groups in the management of the local path network. The Countryside Commission launched the scheme as a pilot in 1992. Initially it was a demonstration project, and was grant-aided by the Commission. Parish councils and other local groups were encouraged to agree with the highway authority a programme of works on the path network to improve the paths and encourage their use. The Commission funded the highway authority to recruit a liaison officer to support the groups involved in the scheme and also funded the cost of the works carried out.
Funding for P3 is no longer available but many authorities continue to run the scheme as they recognise it is a successful method of engaging local communities in improving and maintaining their public rights of way.
- Durham County Council secured additional funding to expand its P3 scheme through the LTP.
- See Parish Paths Partnership for more information.
Adopt-a-Path
Another ex-Countryside Commission initiative is the Adopt-a-Path scheme where volunteers 'adopt' a local path. The volunteer agrees to walk the path regularly and report any problems back to the council. In some authorities adopt-a-path wardens also carry out maintenence to their paths.
Devon County Council run an adopt-a-path scheme which is promoted on the authority's website.
Other schemes
Authorities have adopted the scheme to fit with their own needs. Northamptonshire County Council runs a Parish Path Warden Scheme which is a hybrid of the P3 and Adopt-a-path idea. Information on its website.
Kent County Council has a volunteer "walk 'n' fix scheme" called the countryside access wardens.
Working with Volunteers — The Way Forward
<p>In 1999 the CSS Countryside Working Group published a report on working with volunteers.Hampshire County Council has a guidance document and agreement form provided to volunteers undertaking waymarking.
