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~ May 2006 ~ Topics

Nonprofits in the USA
Recruitment of Youth from Minority Communities in the UK Big Success

Some people have the perception that nonprofit organizations are big and wealthy. Not so. In 1993 41% of nonprofits were reporting to the IRS on a form called the 990 that their expenses were less than $100,000. In 2003 42% of nonprofits reported expenses of less than $100,000 annually A nonprofit is only required to report if they have income greater than $25,000 annually. This is not a big change in ten years and these not considered big budgets either.

A leading national advice charity in Britain recently hailed a major new recruitment drive a success after attracting hundreds of young volunteers from black and minority ethnic communities.

Citizens Advice runs the Millennium Volunteers (MV) award, a flagship government initiative to support and recruit young people into volunteering opportunities. A report published by Citizens Advice revealed almost half of the young volunteers recruited as part of a government initiative are from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds.

Last year 43% of Citizen Advice young volunteers were from a BME background. Since the project started in 1999 more than 800 young people have completed MV plans with the Citizens Advice service and gained certificates for volunteering.

Volunteers between the ages of 16 and 24 can choose from a wide variety of different roles. Many train as advisers, but other options include developing IT and organizational skills as an administrator, learning how to deal with the media, becoming fundraisers, or developing research skills as a social policy campaigner.

The extensive training allows volunteers to develop vital skills, with a third leaving the service to go onto paid employment. The Open College Network accredits CAB adviser training and all advisers receive the widely respected Citizens Advice Advisor qualification.

David Harker, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said, "Volunteers are at the heart of the Citizens Advice service.

"We are immensely proud of our success in involving young people from black and minority ethnic communities in the Citizens Advice service. Last year nearly half our Millennium Volunteers were from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

"We want to encourage more young people from diverse backgrounds to get involved, which is why we are passionately committed to providing quality volunteering opportunities for young people.

"Young volunteers not only have a crucial role to play in the Citizens Advice service today but are also crucial to how we develop the service of tomorrow."

The Citizens Advice service is a network of independent charities that helps people resolve their money, legal, and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information or to find out about local volunteering opportunities visit the organization's website at http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

As reported by: Ben Pindar, April 11, 2006, World Volunteer Web site