Time Well Spent 2023: Volunteering among the global majority

In this report, we use the term ‘global majority’ to refer to all ethnic groups except white British and other white groups, including white minorities. Learn more in the language and definitions section.

As well as overall satisfaction and positive and negative impacts, we also asked survey respondents about specific aspects of their volunteer experience.

Global majority volunteers have higher expectations of the speed of the entry process.

Just over three-quarters (77%) of global majority volunteers say the process of getting involved is easy and straightforward. This is lower than volunteers overall (86%).

Global majority volunteers are over twice as likely to say they expected the process of getting involved in the volunteering group to be quicker (42% compared to 20% of volunteers overall).

Demographic differences

Age

Younger global majority volunteers aged 18‒34 are less positive about volunteering entry processes than older volunteers aged 55 and over (70% vs 93%).

They are also more likely to have higher expectations of the speed of entry processes compared with those aged 55+ (46% vs 27%).

We see a similar pattern of younger volunteers being less positive about entry processes among volunteers overall. However, global majority volunteers aged 18‒34 are less positive compared with volunteers overall in this age group (70% vs 80%).

Ethnic group

Respondents from a Pakistani ethnic background are less likely to see the process of getting involved as easy (59%). This contrasts with black volunteers who are much more likely to be positive (81%).

This may relate in part to the demographic profile of Pakistani volunteers which, as outlined in the introduction, tended to be younger.

Sector

63% of global majority volunteers in the private sector expected induction processes to be quicker. This is contrasted with 34% of those volunteering in civil society organisations.

Those who volunteered for the public sector are in between, with 46% agreeing they expected induction to be quicker.

Higher expectations of private sector organisations may be driven in part by assumptions that these organisations have more resource or infrastructure in place. When it comes to reported experience on the ease of the process, however, there are less significant differences by sector.

Global majority volunteers are less positive about the management and organisation of their volunteering.

Half (50%) of global majority volunteers say their volunteering could be much better organised.

Qualitative data from our previous Time Well Spent research found perceptions of volunteering organisation centred around:

• having clarity of what is expected of them
• awareness of roles within the team
• knowing where they need to be and when
• having early notice of this information.

A small but notable proportion also agree that there is too much bureaucracy (35%), too much structure and formalisation (37%), and too much concern about risk (40%).

As seen in chart 12 above, they are less positive about these aspects than volunteers overall.

Most are happy with the flexibility of their volunteering.

76% of global majority volunteers agree that the organisation is flexible around the time they give.

Perceptions of the organisation’s flexibility are more positive for organisations with more formal coordination.

• 81% of people whose volunteering is organised by a paid member of staff agree the organisation is flexible.
• A slightly lower proportion (77%) of people working with an unpaid member of staff say their organisation is flexible.
• Where there was no specific person organising volunteering, a significantly lower proportion (66%) said the organisation was flexible.

Age and disability

Volunteers aged 18‒34 are more likely than volunteers aged 55 and over to say:

• there was too much bureaucracy (43% vs 19%)
• that volunteering was too structured and formalised (40% vs 21%)
• there was too much concern about risk (46% vs 24%).

Disabled volunteers are also more likely agree with these statements compared with non-disabled volunteers:

• there was too much bureaucracy (43% vs 30%)
• that volunteering was too structured and formalised (48% vs 32%)
• there was too much concern about risk (49% vs 33%).

This reflects wider trends seen in overall satisfaction. However there are no significant differences in these groups reporting that volunteering could be much better organised.

Gender

Male volunteers are also more likely to agree with these negative statements.

Notably 50% of male volunteers agree there is too much concern about risk compared with 30% of female volunteers.

Sector

Private sector volunteers are the least positive about how their volunteering is organised. See chart 13 below.

Across these statements, civil society volunteers are consistently the most positive.

Type of volunteering

People who exclusively volunteer remotely were more likely to agree there is too much bureaucracy compared with those who don’t volunteer remotely at all (44% vs 33%). This may relate to digitised or automated processes, with less in-person support.

There are no significant differences across other statements relating to volunteering organisation. This indicates there may be particular issues for remote volunteering.

Ethnic group

Asian volunteers are most likely to feel that things could be better organised. 55% agree with this statement, compared with 51% of black volunteers and 40% of volunteers from a mixed ethnic background.

Within the group of Asian volunteers, Pakistani volunteers are more likely than volunteers from an Indian ethnic background to feel there was too much concern around risk^[1] (61% vs 36%).

There are no significant differences between Asian volunteers as a whole compared with other ethnic groups.

Around three-quarters of global majority volunteers feel supported and know how to raise an issue.

77% of global majority volunteers feel well supported, and 75% say they know how to raise an issue within the group.

Notable differences include the following.

• Those whose volunteering is organised by a paid member of staff are more likely to feel supported (85%), especially compared with those who do not have a specific person organising volunteering (67%).
• Those who volunteer frequently (at least once a month) are also more likely to feel supported (83% compared with 74%) and know how to raise an issue (82% compared with 69%) compared with occasional volunteers.
• Volunteers from a higher socioeconomic group^[2] (ABC1) are more likely to say they feel supported than those from a lower socioeconomic group (C2DE) (80% vs 68%).

Disabled volunteers are just as likely to feel supported and able to raise an issue as non-disabled volunteers. Similarly, there are no significant differences by sector or ethnic group. This differs to other patterns seen in this report.

Compared with volunteers overall, global majority volunteers feel relatively less able to raise an issue within their volunteering group (75% vs 83%). They are also slightly less likely to feel supported, but not to a statistically significant level (77% vs 81%).

Around half (51%) of global majority volunteers agree that it is important to receive recognition for the help that they give. This is higher than volunteers overall (40%). 73% of global majority volunteers feel that they are recognised enough compared to 82% of volunteers overall.

As outlined in the volunteer motivation and values section, a small minority (10%) actively feel they are unappreciated.

Among global majority volunteers:

• those aged 18‒34 are less likely to say they are recognised enough compared with volunteers aged 55 and over (66% vs 91%). However there are no significant differences in the importance they give to recognition
• Asian volunteers or those from a mixed ethnic background are also less likely to say they feel recognised enough compared to black volunteers (69% and 63% vs 81%). Again there are no significant differences in the importance given to recognition
• public sector volunteers are least likely to feel recognised enough (62% vs 78% civil society and 86% private sector).

Around 6 in 10 say their organisation would reimburse volunteer expenses.

58% of global majority volunteers say that their volunteering organisation would reimburse expenses if they want them to. As seen in the negative impacts section, a small proportion (10%) report being left out of pocket from their volunteering.

Asian volunteers were most likely to say they would be reimbursed, particularly in contrast to those from a mixed ethnic background (62% vs 39%).

There are no significant differences between organisations of different sectors. There are no significant differences reported between global majority volunteers and volunteers overall.

However it is worth noting that the main Time Well Spent 2023 report highlighted that financial barriers to volunteering have increased over time.

As was the case in the previous Time Well Spent survey in 2019, a very similar proportion of volunteers state that they can claim expenses.

This indicates there has been little change in expenses practices.

Global majority volunteers value a culture of respect and trust more highly, but are less likely to see it in their organisations.

Over three-quarters (77%) of global majority volunteers agree there is a culture of respect and trust in their volunteering organisations.

While positive overall, the following global majority volunteers are less likely to agree there is a culture of respect and trust:

• volunteers aged 18‒34 compared with volunteers aged 55 and over (73% vs 87%)
• public sector volunteers compared with civil society volunteers (70% vs 83%)
• disabled volunteers compared with non-disabled volunteers (72% vs 82%).

There are no significant differences between ethnic groups overall. Within the Asian ethnic group, Pakistani volunteers were much less likely to report a culture of respect and trust compared with Indian volunteers (64% vs 84%).

While most global majority volunteers report a respectful and trusting culture, it should be noted that this is lower than volunteers overall (86%).

We see in the motivations and values section that this is the highest rated value among global majority volunteers. It is also the strongest factor associated with satisfied volunteers (see key factors influencing volunteer satisfaction).

Conflict and tension

Global majority volunteers are more likely to report tensions in their volunteering organisation compared with volunteers overall (43% vs 32%). This is partly driven by the younger demographic of global majority volunteers (see below).

A much smaller proportion (6%) report experiences of being ‘in conflict’ with others. This indicates feelings of tension may be based on what they have observed among others, rather than direct interpersonal conflict.

Younger, male and disabled global majority volunteers are more likely to report tensions or conflict.

Tensions or conflict are more commonly reported among:

• younger volunteers (48% 18‒34 vs 30% of volunteers 55 and over)
• disabled volunteers (58% vs 36% non-disabled)
• male volunteers (54% vs 33% female volunteers).

They are reported least among civil society volunteers (31%) compared with public sector (53%) and private sector volunteers (63%).

Tensions and conflict were also more likely to be reported among those volunteering exclusively online compared to those not volunteering this way at all (55% vs 43%).

It should be noted that the presence of tensions and conflict is strongly associated with being less satisfied (see key factors influencing volunteer satisfaction).

Perceptions of the organisation

Global majority volunteers are almost twice as likely to say their volunteering organisation is ‘not really going anywhere’.

This was reported by 37% of global majority volunteers compared to 19% of volunteers overall.

As with tensions and conflict, this is much more common among volunteers aged 18‒34. This demographic were over twice as likely as those over 55s to feel this way (44% vs 20%).

Disabled volunteers were also more likely to feel this way (51% vs 29% non-disabled volunteers). As were male volunteers (46% vs 29% female).

The perception that the organisation isn’t going anywhere is also strongly associated with being less satisfied (see key factors influencing volunteer satisfaction).

Around three-quarters (77%) of global majority volunteers feel like they belong to their volunteering organisation. This is lower than volunteers overall (84%).

Among global majority volunteers, some groups were relatively less likely to feel they belong in their organisation.

• Volunteers aged 18‒34 (71% vs 89% volunteers aged 55 and over).
• Those from a lower socio-economic group (C2DE) compared to higher (ABC1) (67% vs 80%).
• Those who volunteer occasionally compared with those who volunteer at least once a month (71% vs 84%).
• Public sector compared to civil society (71% vs 83%).

There is no significant difference in how global majority volunteers perceive diversity or opportunities to influence the organisation.

While we have seen that global majority volunteers are less positive about various aspects of their experience compared with volunteers overall, in some areas there are no significant differences.

Perceptions of a diverse volunteer group

Just over two-thirds of global majority volunteers (68%) agree there are people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures giving unpaid help. This is very similar to volunteers overall (67%).

We saw earlier that global majority volunteers are as likely as volunteers overall to report ‘coming into contact with volunteers from a wide range of cultures’ as a positive impact of volunteering. We also saw this is an important value to global majority volunteers (see motivation and values section).

Opportunities to influence the development of the organisation

64% of global majority volunteers feel they are given the opportunity to influence the development of their organisation. This is almost the same proportion as volunteers overall (65%).

Global majority volunteers who are from a higher socioeconomic group are more likely to agree with this statement than lower socioeconomic group (67% ABC1 vs 54% C2DE).

Similarly, male volunteers are more likely to agree with this statement than female volunteers (70% vs 58%).

For both, we see similar trends among volunteers overall.

Expectations and boundaries

A sizeable proportion report unreasonable expectations and volunteering feeling too much like paid work.

Nearly four in ten (39%) global majority volunteers feel like their volunteering is becoming too much like paid work, compared to 26% of volunteers overall.

A similar proportion (37%) feel that their organisation has unreasonable expectations of how much they do. Again, this is higher than volunteers overall (24%).

Similar to other aspects of the volunteer experience, younger volunteers and disabled volunteers are less positive. There are no key differences between ethnic groups.

We noted in the satisfaction and impact section that having too much time taken up and feeling pressured by the group to do more ranked highest on a list of negative impacts. Unreasonable expectations is a factor strongly associated with less satisfied volunteers (see key factors influencing volunteer satisfaction).

Negative perceptions are driven by those under 55.

Younger global majority volunteers are more likely to agree that their volunteering is too much like paid work, compared to younger volunteers overall.

• Among those aged 18‒34, 48% of global majority volunteers agree compared to 38% of volunteers overall.
• Among those aged 35‒54, 32% of global majority volunteers agree compared to 22% volunteers overall.

The same age groups are more likely to agree that there were unreasonable expectations.

• 18‒34: 42% of global majority volunteers agree vs. 33% of volunteers overall.
• 35‒54: 35% of global majority volunteers agree vs. 24% volunteers overall.

In the main Time Well Spent 2023 report, we highlighted that the proportion of volunteers who report volunteering becoming too much like paid work had increased since the previous survey in 2019. This is the same with unreasonable expectations.

Some of the challenges of the covid-19 pandemic may have contributed to this. Some volunteers had to quickly step up in their roles which led to increased volunteer workloads and responsibilities.

While we do not have comparative data for global majority volunteers from this previous survey, it is notable from this report that some of the key challenges for volunteers overall appear to be more acute for global majority volunteers.

Almost six in ten (58%) global majority volunteers report using their professional skills when volunteering. 55% report using other, non-professional skills.

Those who exclusively volunteer remotely are more likely to use their professional skills than those not volunteering remotely (71% vs 60%).

Almost one in five global majority volunteers would like to utilise their skills more.

18% of global majority volunteers report that there are skills and experiences they would like to use when volunteering that they do not currently use. This was higher among global majority volunteers compared with volunteers overall (12%).

Black volunteers are more likely to feel this way. A quarter (25%) of black volunteers say they have skills and experiences that they would like to use but do not currently.

As well as black volunteers, volunteers aged 35‒54 are also more likely to agree with this statement, compared with this age group among volunteers overall (20% vs 12%).

As well as using existing skills and experiences, volunteers acquire new skills and experiences through their volunteering, including via training.

Global majority volunteers are mostly positive about the training they receive, with some wanting more.

Almost three-quarters of volunteers (73%) who had received training agree they have gained new knowledge and skills through their training. This is a similar proportion to volunteers overall (75%).

These volunteers are also more likely to want more training (51% vs 39%). This perhaps reflects the career-related motivations reported by global majority volunteers in the motivations and values section.

Global majority volunteers aged 35‒54 who took part in training were more likely to say they would have liked more training compared to volunteers overall of the same age (53% vs 40%).