The coalition government may be mistaken if it believes employing voluntary workers will help play an influential role in its drive to cut costs, it has been suggested.
Previously, the government said charities and voluntary groups will play a key part in mobilising its concept of a "big society".
However, Tina Thompson, director of Third Sector Management Solutions, said: "If the 'big society' means people doing things voluntarily that used to be done for money, then I'm not sure that that's going to be the cost saving that people think it is, because volunteers certainly aren't a free resource."
"You need to recruit volunteers, train them and support them," she added.
According to a recent report by Skills - Third Sector, nearly half of the people who manage volunteers have not received any training to help them in their work.
The report, called Valuing Volunteer Management, found that while there is much good practice in the managing of voluntary workers in England, volunteer management is often undervalued and underfunded in many organisations.
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