Redrafting during 2007 has resulted in a number of changes, in particular

• greater emphasis on risk management and diversity
• reducing repetition through a unified knowledge and understanding specification
• simplifying the language
• developing colourful, user-friendly designs to encourage use of the standards for a wide range of purposes.

Following three months of online consultation, plus events throughout the UK, further revisions have been made to the standards which were approved by the Project Steering Group on 19 February 2008, subject to some minor amendments. The new Standards for Managing Volunteers, together with revised NVQ and SVQ frameworks, will go forward for accreditation in March 2008.

However, in order to finalise the NVQ and SVQ structures, we need more information about the exact functions managers of volunteers in different contexts carry out. If you are a manager of volunteers, please complete our Quick Feedback Survey by 6 March 2008. It will take you less than 5 minutes to complete.