Conference 7 May 2014, “Working Together on our Rights of Way” Volunteering Development

1. Conference 7 May 2014, “Working Together on our Rights of Way”Volunteering Development Ruth Rourke Principal Countryside Access Officer Monmouthshire County Council

2. Objectives • To develop a Community Engagement Strategy • To make better use of volunteers to work on PROW and countryside access maintenance • To explore options for working with groups of volunteers

3. Baseline Position • Policy framework is very supportive • Work programme in place • Underpinned by supporting documentation and systems • Existing experience of working with individual volunteers (with volunteer co-ordinator)

4. Existing volunteer network

5. Who are our volunteers? • Groups – include, for example • NW Monmouthshire Ramblers/Lower Wye Ramblers • Raglan/MathernLocal Ways • BHS Bridleway Group • Monmouthshire Walking Festival Group • Abergavenny/Usk/TinternWalkers are Welcome • Individuals • 39 women and 77 men • 78 are retired, 36 are employed 1 is a student and 1 is unemployed

6. What do our volunteers do? • Pathcaresurveys and recording • PROW maintenance (e.g. vegetation clearance) • Data entry onto CAMS (e.g. comms from public, work to be done, work done) • Litter picking • Compiling walk leaflets • Walking website • Development of walks and leading walks • Walking festival

7. Support provision Support for volunteers is provided in the form of: • Training • Supervision by MCC staff • Procuring appropriate materials • Liaising with landowners • Health and safety infrastructure • Practical support

8. Feedback – what works well • The people! Morag • Appropriate training • Set-up of groups was done well e.g. lots of support • Map given is good • Insurance • “Pathcare” • Setting up volunteer groups • When problems are reported on established pathways action is taken • Training provision excellent • Equipment supplied • Verbal support • Pathcare training course • First aid training • Mapping • Waymark stickers • Equipment • People in charge: • Volunteer Co-ordinator/focal point • Warden organising walk programme • Supplying tools/training/maps & information • Things that are reported get fixed (sometimes) • Allocated a single route to check three times a year • Appropriate training for pathcare, leading walk and first aid • Good communication – volunteer system with Morag • Equipment supplied

9. Feedback – what needs improving • Feedback from service to volunteers • Major problems dealt with slowly after reporting (x2) • No user/volunteer meetings with service • No involvement of young people • User meetings have ceased • Setting up of groups then ‘abandoned’ • Communication with groups > • Follow up of action promised is poor • Direction of groups – who is leading? Driving? Pulling everything together • Diverting pathways/A’s to definitive map NOT happening • Furniture installed on pathways that go nowhere • Transparency – help us understand why problems exist • Walk leaders training? (good when run by Tim H) • Advertising & improving marketing volunteer opportunities particularly to youngsters • Ability to do maintenance or other tasks at weekend • More communication of what needs to be done • Website • Means of sharing good practice • Resources Available – limiting factor is organising work to do – Super vol? • Dealing with low priority issues • Feedback about things we’ve reported • Web based reporting of faults + needs feedback • Communication & links between lots of groups • Major work not undertaken by volunteers as not covered by insurance- not encouraged • Inviting more community service assistance (with supervision) • Minor public footpaths neglected/lost (still on ordnance survey map so visitors have negative experience)

10. Examples of current models of volunteering

11. Current volunteering activities/groups

12. Options identified INTERNAL COLLABORATION        • Continue as at present • Services share a co-ordinator • No co-ordinator EXTERNAL COLLABORATION • Each org takes on what it can within existing core funding, staffing and mission • MCC commissions one or more orgs • Full partnership approach, combining volunteer effort and including project-specific fund-raising STAY AS COUNTRYSIDE ACCESS SERVICE ALONE • P/t co-ordinator, but working with groups only. • No co-ordinator

13. Where we are now

14. volunteers