We’ve lost 110 million volunteering hours since the pandemic – how do we reverse the trend?

It’s fair to say that those who actively volunteer for the ICE are the backbone of the institution.

They give their time, effort and expertise to deliver an engaging, relevant and diverse membership offer.

But broadly speaking, around the UK, volunteers are disappearing.

More than 110 million annual hours of volunteering by people aged 50 and over have been lost in a “post-pandemic slump”, research has shown.

Though over-50s are still most likely to volunteer, levels have not recovered since the pandemic, falling from 31% to 22%.

For other age groups, UK government statistics show that 25- to 35-year-olds are less likely to take part in formal volunteering at least once a month, compared to all other adults (15% to 23%).

But the news isn’t all bad!

ICE members want to volunteer

The ICE Events and Activity survey, carried out last year, indicated that 9 out of 10 members would consider volunteering in the future.

I would urge all members to try it out, whether it’s a one-off or more regular commitment – it can be hugely rewarding.

At the ICE, we are blessed with a very active Early Careers Network who regularly put on events and activities for students, graduates and apprentices.

This reflects statistics showing that career development is a top motivator for 18- to 24-year-olds who volunteer.

These members will hopefully continue to get involved with the ICE well into the future.

My volunteering journey

I became an active volunteer in 2016 while I was living in Canada and was appointed an ICE representative there.

In 2019, I became chair for the ICE in the Americas, a post I held until the end of 2023.

This gave me the opportunity to engage with and support ICE members from across North, Central and South America, and to raise the profile of the institution internationally.

After returning to the UK, I joined my local Hereford and Worcester branch and the West Midlands Regional Committee.

I’m also an ICE Professional Reviewer and End Point Assessor.

Getting involved

Whether you can spare a little or a lot of time, there are many ways to get involved which is a great for professional development, increasing your experience, networking and making new friends!

ICE volunteering opportunities include:

• Driving the regional civil and infrastructure engineering agenda by joining your local branch or committee
• Sharing your expertise and best practice by presenting at knowledge events or joining an expert panel
• Becoming a school governor or STEM Ambassador and visiting schools and colleges to help inspire the next generation
• Becoming a mentor, delegated engineer or supervising civil engineer to support trainees in your company
• Becoming a professional reviewer to assist candidates as they aim to become professionally qualified
• Writing articles, blogs, contributing to policy consultations or simply sharing your news and achievements via the ICE’s media channels

Support your fellow members

If you can’t commit to becoming an active volunteer, please do support your fellow ICE volunteers by attending the events and networking opportunities that they organise in your region.

These normally take the form of in-person networking and learned society events, webinars and membership development support.

The offer is impressive. Across the UK, over 700 events have been organised by regional branch and committee volunteers, with more than 33,000 people attending.

There have been a further 100 events tailored to members’ ongoing professional development.

Why attend ICE events

There are many benefits to attending ICE events:

• contribute to your continuous professional development;
• grow your professional network by meeting and getting to know other members from across your region;
• learn about new and innovative ideas from across the industry;
• strengthen and develop existing knowledge to support your current role; and
• support your preparations for your professional qualification.

The ICE survey indicated that satisfaction with ICE events was high, with the majority of respondents wanting more of the same.

The regional committees are first and foremost there to support members and deliver activities that they want to see in their regions.

If there’s something you want to see included in your regional programme, do reach out to your chair or regional support team – they’re an approachable bunch!

Closer to home

Our own ICE West Midlands annual programme has something for everyone, including our West Midlands Annual Awards, the ICE president’s visit and an inter institutional event, Collaborative Conversations.

This year, we’ve also celebrated Railway 200 with a special event on the historic Severn Valley Railway. This among a number of knowledge events organised by our branches.

You can find all upcoming activities on the ICE website and promoted in our monthly newsletter (makes sure you have signed up to receive the newsletter – you can do so via MyICE).

I’m very much looking forward to the next two years as your chair and hope to engage with as many members from across the region as possible during that time.

If you have any suggestions for what you would like to see more of in our West Midlands programme specifically, please do reach out via: [email protected].