Why a National Talent Bank?
Almost a third of UK employers have already or are considering cutting back working hours, requiring sabbaticals or deferring new recruits (CBI Employment Trends Survey, June 2009).
The National Talent Bank was launched on 21 July 2009 in response. It aims to make the most of these temporary circumstances by matching the talent and time of employees with volunteering projects which will benefit them and communities in need.
The National Talent Bank matches this capacity to help with community need by focussing on three themes – the next generation, a greener society and local communities.
The Government will do all it can to support this very British tradition of volunteering, and National Talent Bank will make it easier for people with valuable skills to volunteer and put their abilities to good use. Volunteers themselves benefit, as do the people they help and the country as a whole. So I welcome the National Talent Bank and wish it every success.
Gordon Brown Prime Minister