With energy bills up again, temporary accommodation at a record high and fewer people volunteering than a decade ago, local charities and community groups need what businesses already have: people, skills and time.

This guide explains why business volunteering matters in 2026, where the need is greatest across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Bristol, and how to set up a volunteering programme that works for your team and your community.

Why business volunteering matters now

Fewer people are volunteering, so charities need employers. The government's Community Life Survey shows that 17% of adults in England volunteered formally at least once a month in 2024/25, compared with 27% in 2013/14. Over a full year, 28% volunteered, down from 45% a decade earlier.

The South West has goodwill to build on. In the South West, 20% of adults volunteer formally at least monthly, above the England average of 17%. Employers can turn that community spirit into organised, reliable support, particularly for charities that struggle to recruit regular helpers.

Workplaces reach people charities struggle to reach. Many people say they would help if it were easier. A volunteering day, a paid hour a week or a team challenge removes the barriers of time, confidence and not knowing where to start.

Where South West communities need business support most

1. Food insecurity and the cost of living

The Trussell Trust distributed over 2.6 million emergency food parcels across the UK in 2025, down 12% on 2024, a fall it largely attributes to easing inflation. Demand is still high, and its last published mid-year data showed 63% of parcels going to households with children (April to September 2024).

Team volunteering idea: a day sorting and packing at a food partnership, running a community pantry shift, or helping a community fridge collect and redistribute surplus food. Hardship in the South West is often hidden in rural villages and coastal towns, so local partnerships are the best guide to where help is needed.

2. Housing and homelessness

A record 135,580 households in England were living in temporary accommodation at the end of March 2026, according to IPPR's analysis of government figures. In the South West, a University of Plymouth study found average rents in South Hams, Plymouth and south-east Cornwall exceeded Local Housing Allowance by 12%. At the end of 2023, 862 children in Cornwall were in temporary accommodation.

Team volunteering idea: decorating and furnishing homes for families moving on from temporary accommodation, pro bono legal or finance clinics for tenants, or practical help at a homelessness charity's winter provision.

3. Fuel poverty and community energy

The Ofgem price cap rose 4% on 1 October 2026, taking the typical household bill to £1,723 a year for October to December. Older, off-grid rural homes feel this most. Community energy groups, including those working towards a regional network in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, are helping communities own and benefit from local clean power.

Team volunteering idea: engineers, surveyors and energy specialists can offer feasibility help to community solar groups, and any team can help run draught-proofing and energy advice days for low-income households.

4. Loneliness and rural isolation

An older Gloucestershire County Council analysis (published in 2016) found that in local social prescribing pilots, social isolation accounted for 54% of referral reasons, and that community hubs lifted participants' self-rated social contact from 5.1 to 7.05 out of 10. The figures are dated, but the pattern holds across scattered villages and coastal towns today.

Team volunteering idea: befriending and lift-share schemes, tech help sessions for older people, and opening your premises to community groups outside working hours.

5. Youth opportunity

Around 13% of 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK, nearly one million young people, are not in education, employment or training, and 48% were still in that position a year later, according to the Learning and Work Institute's April 2025 briefing. Rural distances and a seasonal job market make first jobs harder to reach in the South West.

Team volunteering idea: CV and interview coaching, mentoring, careers talks in schools and colleges, and work experience placements.

How to set up a business volunteering programme that works

  1. Start with a clear purpose. Choose one or two causes that connect to your business, your location or your people. Focus builds relationships and makes impact easier to explain.
  2. Ask the charity what it needs. The best volunteering fills a real gap. Speak to local charities first, then match their needs to your team, rather than inventing a project.
  3. Offer paid volunteering time. Even one or two paid days a year signals that the business values it. Flexible options, such as a few hours a month, help part-time and shift workers take part.
  4. Mix team days with skills-based volunteering. Team days build morale and visibility. Skills-based roles, such as finance, marketing, IT, HR and legal help, often have the greatest long-term value for small charities.
  5. Keep it simple and safe. Agree expectations in writing, check whether roles need background checks, and make sure insurance and health and safety are covered.
  6. Measure and share what happens. Track hours given, people helped and what the charity says changed. Thank volunteers publicly and share the story internally and externally.
  7. Come back. Repeat partnerships beat one-off days. Charities can plan around a business that returns every quarter or every year.

The business case for employee volunteering

Volunteering helps the community, and it can also help your business. Employers often use it to support staff wellbeing and engagement, build teamwork across departments, develop leadership and communication skills, strengthen local reputation and meet social value requirements in tenders. Set your own goals and measure them, so your programme earns its place alongside other priorities.

Frequently asked questions

What is business volunteering? Business volunteering, also called employee volunteering or corporate volunteering, is when an employer supports staff to give time or skills to charities and community groups, usually during working hours or with paid time off.

How many volunteering days should a company offer? There is no fixed rule. Many employers start with one or two paid days a year per person and expand once they see take-up and results.

Can small businesses run a volunteering programme? Yes. Small teams can offer a shared volunteering day, a pro bono skill share or a regular hour a month, and often build closer partnerships with local charities than large firms.

Why focus on the South West of England? Rural isolation, low seasonal wages, high housing costs and older, hard-to-heat homes mean national averages can hide serious local need. Strong community spirit also makes the region a good place for employers to build lasting partnerships.

How do we find a local charity to work with? Start with your local council for voluntary service, community foundation or volunteer centre, which can match your team with charities that need support.

Make a start

At CommonGood, we believe good causes and good business belong together. If you want to connect your team with causes that matter near you, get in touch.

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