Voluntary and community organisations play a pivotal role in providing crucial support to local communities, delivering essential public services and supporting some of the most vulnerable people in Northern Ireland. However, as society has emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic and navigates the ongoing cost of living crisis, voluntary and community organisations find themselves grappling with their own challenges.
The Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) commissioned Stats & Stories to develop the ‘Making a Difference’ research to investigate the challenges encountered by the voluntary and community workforce, the implications of these challenges and to reflect on potential solutions aimed at mitigating these difficulties.
Key findings:
- 42% of voluntary and community organisations faced difficulties retaining staff in the past 12 months
- 47.8% of participants reported that high levels of burnout made it a challenge to retain staff
- 49% of organisations faced difficulties recruiting staff in the past year
- 75.8% of participants identified salary levels as a barrier to recruitment
- 55.8% of participants saw short-term contracts as a barrier to recruiting staff
The report, based on extensive surveys and focus groups, sheds light on key workforce issues such as recruitment, retention, and perceptions of working in the sector. With 49% of organisations reporting recruitment difficulties due to uncompetitive salaries compared to other sectors, short-term funding, and staff burnout driven by increased service demand, the sector is facing rising pressures all amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Despite these issues, participants reported overwhelmingly positive perceptions of working in the voluntary and community sector. Many employees find deep fulfilment in their roles, driven by the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives and the impact they have on local communities.
The voluntary sector plays a crucial role in Northern Ireland, accounting for around 6.7% of the workforce and delivering services to some of the most vulnerable communities. However, the report suggests that urgent changes are needed to prevent further strain.
While the report praises the positive community impact of VCS work, it calls for immediate structural reforms to address these challenges, including stable, long-term funding and the crucial need for greater awareness and promotion of the value of the sector.
The full report is available on NICVA’s website.
