A report has called for the government to introduce a right to voluntary service to increase participation in civil society and trust in democracy.
According to research published today by think tanks Power to Change and More in Common, most people in the UK have little trust in government and feel they lack control over decisions affecting their local area.
However, researchers found that people involved in local civil society organisations had higher levels of political trust.
The report therefore makes several recommendations to increase participation in civil society, including a right to voluntary service.
“The message came through loud and clear through our research that time is a significant barrier to people engaging with associational organisations, particularly those in middle life,” it says.
“We are therefore building on an existing Demos proposal to allow local people the right to request time for community service.
“This would provide individuals who are working for larger businesses or in the public sector with a statutory right to request time for voluntary service. Should there be significant uptake, this right could be expanded to all businesses.”
Last year, under the previous government, then-civil society minister Stuart Andrew urged caution over a proposal by a fellow Conservative MP to introduce a legal right for all workers to request paid volunteering leave.
Andrew said: “There is a danger that that could become a problem, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses.”
‘Renewing our democracy from the ground up’
The report recommends that community covenants should be formed to improve relationships between local voluntary organisations and councils.
It also calls for the government to create a democratic trust fund, whereby new taxes on large technology and social media companies are redistributed as unrestricted funding for local civil society groups.
Nick Plumb, director of policy and insight at Power to Change, said: “Our democracy is in poor health. Trust and satisfaction with political parties and government has hit a new low.
“But it’s not a strongman leader people want to change this. Our research shows that associational organisations, such as community businesses, can play a crucial role in bridging the gap between citizens and democratic institutions.
“By fostering trust and engagement, they offer a pathway to renewing our democracy from the ground up.”
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