Time Well Spent: A national survey on the volunteer experience

What stops people from getting involved?

• Among those who have not volunteered through a group, club or organisation the last three years or ever, the most common reasons people give for not being involved are doing other things with their spare time (27%) and not wanting to make an ongoing commitment (25%).
• Among those who have never volunteered, one of the most frequently cited reasons is that they have never thought about it (19%).
• Barriers to involvement reflect life stages and personal circumstances, such as older volunteers (55+) being more likely to cite not wanting to make an ongoing commitment (31%) and younger people giving work or study commitments as a reason (25% of 18–34s).
• Around one in five (19%) lapsed volunteers (who had volunteered in the last three years but not in the last 12 months) said they had looked into opportunities to volunteer in the last year. A much lower proportion of those who had never volunteered said that they had done the same (4%).
• Among those who had looked into volunteering, perceptions of commitment, flexibility and suitability of opportunities are the key factors that prevented them going through with it.

What might encourage people to volunteer?

• Among those who had not volunteered in the last year, some said they could be encouraged to get involved. The things that would most encourage them to get involved are having flexibility with their time committed (50%), flexibility with the way they give their help (eg doing it from home) (40%) and being asked directly (28%).
• However, the less recently they have volunteered, the more likely they are to say that nothing would encourage them to get involved.
• Disabled people and those aged 55 and over are the least likely to to say they could be encouraged.

Interest in future opportunities

• Generally, how recently people have volunteered indicates how likely they are to be interested in volunteering opportunities in the future.
• Among those interested in at least one way of giving time, people are more attracted to opportunities where they can dip in and out of activities (53%) or one-off activities and events (49%) than give time on a regular basis (30%).
• For those interested in at least one of a number of different ways of getting involved in the future, opportunities to make use of existing skills or experience (52%), take part in fun and enjoyable activities (50%) and combine volunteering with existing hobbies or interests (44%) are the most popular.

8.2.1 Barriers to volunteering

Doing other things and not wanting to commit are the most common reasons people do not volunteer.

Among those who had not volunteered in the past three years (including those who had never volunteered), the most common reasons for not volunteering were: ‘I do other things with my spare time’ (27%) and ‘I don’t want to make an ongoing commitment’ (25%). Other key barriers included not being asked (16%), work or study commitments (14%) and an illness or disability (11%).

These key barriers were largely consistent among those who had volunteered at some point and those who had never volunteered; where there were slight differences, these related to the proportions within these groups and order in which they ranked them (see Figure 49).

This links to other research which shows that participation stops when there is a poor quality experience, a lack of resources (such as time or confidence) or a life event (such as the birth of a child or taking on caring responsibilities).70

The least common barriers were that ‘my family or partner wouldn’t want me to get involved, ‘I would be worried about the risks’ and ‘I have been put off by negative experiences giving unpaid help in the past’ (all 3% and under).

Around one in five people who have never volunteered say that they have never thought about it.

One of the most frequently cited reasons among those who had never volunteered (an option only applicable to this group) was ‘I had never thought about it’, with around one in five (19%) giving this reason.

This is also likely to explain the lower numbers of these respondents selecting other barriers than those who had volunteered more than three years ago (see Figure 49).

Some barriers are more prominent for certain groups.

Across both those who had volunteered three or more years ago and those who had never volunteered some barriers were particularly relevant for certain groups.

• Across different age groups, older respondents (aged 55–64 and 65–74) were most likely to be put off by bureaucracy or administrative processes (13% and 14% respectively), contrasting most with those aged 18–24 (4%). These older age groups were also most likely to cite ‘not wanting to make an ongoing commitment’ (31% and 34% compared with 15% of 18–24s).
• For those aged 75 and over, ‘I feel I am not the right age’ was the biggest barrier (26%), and this reason was also common among those aged 65–74.
• Unsurprisingly, the most common barrier among those with existing limiting health conditions was an illness or disability (34%); this was the case regardless of age, but, overall, health reasons were given most commonly by older respondents aged 65 and over (16%).
• Younger respondents were more likely to see work or study commitments as a barrier, with 25% of 18–34s citing this as a reason, compared 5% of those aged 55 and over.
• Those from social grade ABC1 tended to be more concerned about ongoing commitment (29% ABC1 vs 22% C2DE) and were more likely to say they are doing other things with their time (31% ABC1 vs 22% C2DE) or have work or study commitments (19% ABC1 vs 10% C2DE) than those from social grade C2DE.
• Women were more likely than men to say their commitment to look after someone was a barrier (11% vs 6%).

8.2.2 Looking into volunteering opportunities

People who had previously volunteered were more likely to look into ways to do it again.

Almost one in ten (9%) of all respondents who had not volunteered in the last year reported that they had looked into ways of giving unpaid help during that time. As shown in Figure 50, this was higher for lapsed volunteers (people who have volunteered between one and three years ago) (19%) and lowest for people who have never volunteered (4%).

There was little to distinguish those who had looked into it by demographic factors, however the data indicates those who had looked into it were more likely to be under 45 years old.

Key barriers at entry are perceptions of commitment, lack of flexibility and the suitability of the opportunities.

Around a quarter (23%) were still in the process of looking into the volunteering opportunity. Again, this was higher among those who had volunteered between one and three years ago (ie lapsed) (35%) than those who had volunteered three or more years ago (17%) or never (16%).

Figure 51 shows that among those who had looked into volunteering, excluding those who were still in the process of applying for or looking into it, the most common reason given was that ‘it involved more time than I could commit’ (28%). This supports the findings in section 8.2.1 that time-related barriers are most common.

A lack of flexible opportunities (17%) and a lack of opportunities that matched skills, interests or experience (17%) were also barriers for these potential volunteers. Too much paperwork or too many administrative processes and not thinking they would make enough of a difference ranked lowest.

On the whole, the key barriers were consistent regardless of how recently they had volunteered. However, those who had volunteered three or more years ago or never volunteered were more likely to report ‘I didn’t think I had the necessary skills or experience for the role’ as a barrier (12% and 17% respectively) than those who had volunteered more recently (between 12 months and three years ago) (4%).71

Lapsed volunteers were most likely to be encouraged to get involved again.

A quarter of lapsed volunteers (those who had volunteered between one and three years ago) said that ‘nothing in particular would encourage me to get involved’; this rose to almost half (48%) of those who had never been involved (see Figure 52).

This indicates that the more recently involved they have been, the more likely they are to be open to encouragement. However, even among those who had never volunteered, 40% selected at least one factor that would encourage them to volunteer, suggesting that there are opportunities across all groups to encourage future involvement.

Disabled people and older people are less likely to be encouraged.

Regardless of past involvement, disabled respondents were more likely to say that nothing in particular would encourage them to get involved (44%) than non-disabled respondents (35%). Across different age groups, older respondents (aged 55 and over) were least likely to be encouraged, with almost half (47%) of this age group saying nothing in particular would encourage them.

Flexibility and being asked directly are most likely to encourage people to volunteer.

Among those who felt they could be encouraged to volunteer, being flexible with the time committed was the key factor cited by all groups, whether they had volunteered or not (50%) (Figure 53). Flexibility of the role (40%) and being asked (28%) were also commonly mentioned. Employers supporting or encouraging volunteering had one of the fewest mentions (12%); it is likely that this is not relevant for all as not everybody is employed.

Some factors were more likely to encourage certain demographic groups than others.

As with barriers, there were some factors that were more likely to apply to certain demographic groups, although the key factors were broadly consistent across demographics regardless of whether they had been involved at some point or never.

The following points apply to those who felt they could be encouraged by something.

• Reflecting earlier findings on motivation among recent volunteers, younger respondents were more likely to be encouraged to volunteer by the prospect of gaining skills or benefiting their career; this was highest among 18–24s (30% skills, 38% career) but also common among 25–34s (24% skills, 25% career).
• Younger respondents were more likely to be encouraged by volunteering alongside friends and family (26% of 18–24s and 21% of 25–34s) than all other age groups (range between 13–16%).
• Flexibility around time was more likely to encourage women than men (52% vs 48%); similar differences were seen for being flexible about the way they volunteered (43% vs 36%).
• Disabled respondents were more likely to be encouraged by transport being provided than non-disabled respondents (20% vs 12%); this was the same for those who were unemployed or not working (25% and 21 vs 10% of those in full-time work).

Respondents were asked to select any opportunities that they would be interested in doing over the next 12 months (for those who had volunteered recently, this related to any organisation – not just the one they had given time to as their main organisation in the last year).

Current levels of participation indicate likely future interest.

As seen in Figures 54 and 56, those who had never volunteered were the least likely to be interested in any of the listed ways of giving time (53%) or getting involved (51%); this contrasted most with recent volunteers (9% and 11%). There was also a higher proportion of ‘don’t know’ responses among those who had never volunteered.

However, reflecting earlier findings on what would encourage people to get involved, there was some interest even among those who had never been involved (27% selected at least one of the ways of giving time and 28% for ways of getting involved).

Also reflecting earlier findings, older volunteers (aged 55+) were less likely to be interested in the listed future opportunities (than younger volunteers). Disabled people who were not recent volunteers were less likely to be interested in future volunteering opportunities, but recent volunteers were equally likely to be interested, whether they were disabled or not.

Among recent volunteers who had reported being unlikely to volunteer for their main organisation in the next year (see section 7.3), there was still some interest in future opportunities that related to volunteering for ‘any’ organisation, indicating a wider interest in continuing to volunteer more generally. As seen in section 3.2, many volunteers were already volunteering for more than one organisation.

8.4.1 Future opportunities – ways of giving time

More volunteers are interested in dipping in and out and one-off activities than giving time on a regular basis.

As seen in Figure 55, among those who were interested in at least one of the listed opportunities (they could select more than one), the opportunities of most interest were focused on casual, low-commitment ways of giving time, namely: being able to dip in and out (53%), giving time for a one-off event (49%) and carrying out activities at a time/and or place of their choosing (39%).

A lower proportion (30%) were interested in giving time on a regular basis; those who had volunteered recently (ie in the last 12 months) were most likely to be interested in volunteering on a regular basis (38%). This was even higher for recent volunteers who had volunteered frequently for their main organisation (46%). Comparatively, those who had volunteered less recently, or never, showed less interest in this kind of regular involvement (with only 18% of those who had never volunteered saying they were interested).

Some opportunities are more appealing to certain demographic groups.

Excluding people who had said they would not be interested in any of the opportunities listed, there were some demographic differences in the types of activity that people find appealing. These included the following.

• Opportunities to dip in and out, to participate in one-off activities or volunteer seasonally were more likely to appeal to younger volunteers than volunteers aged 55+ (54% vs 50% dip in and out, 54% vs 44% one-off, 26% vs 15% seasonal). Older volunteers, conversely, were more likely than younger one to be interested in opportunities that involved carrying out activities in a time and place of their choosing (43% vs 34%).
• Women were more likely than men to be interested in the flexible ways of giving time, such as one-off events (51% vs 47%), or opportunities that allowed them to dip in and out (55% vs 51%).
• Men were more interested than women in ongoing projects (27% vs 22%).

8.4.2 Future opportunities – ways of volunteering

The opportunity of most interest was one where they could make use of existing skills or experience.

Of those who selected at least one future opportunity of interest from those listed (Figure 57) the most appealing was ‘giving unpaid help in a way that makes use of my existing skills or experience’ (52%).

This confirms earlier findings that highlight this as one of the most common motivations for starting volunteering (section 4.3.1) and as something that some volunteers wanted to be doing more of within their volunteering (section 5.3.11).

Recent volunteers, in the context of their main organisation, were also asked whether they preferred to use skills and experience that were similar to those they used day to day (the skills used in work, at university etc) or different skills. There was not much difference in these preferences (33% and 30% respectively) and a similar proportion (30%) said neither of these.

Across different working statuses, however, those working full time were most likely to say they preferred to use different skills and experiences from their day to day (39%). These findings indicate that volunteers are interested in using a wider range of the skills and experience they have.

Other opportunities of interest reflect how people want to spend time in ways that reflect their interests.

Aside from using their existing skills or experience, people were interested in unpaid activities that look fun and enjoyable to be part of (50%), combining time with an existing hobby or interest (44%) and activities where volunteers can meet new people (38%). These show the enjoyment and social elements of volunteering, as highlighted previously.

Among those who had never volunteered through an organisation, volunteering opportunities that looked fun and enjoyable were of most interest across all the different options listed (42%).

Across all groups, opportunities of less interest included giving unpaid help that is supported by employers or giving unpaid help with their family – these are likely to appeal to more limited groups. For example, employer-supported volunteering was of more interest among 18–24 year-olds and 25–34 year-olds than other age groups.

For recent volunteers, interests for the future largely reflect recent participation.

Among recent volunteers, the types of opportunities they selected were similar to some of the ways they were already participating. For example, those who were volunteering online already were more likely to be interested in giving unpaid help mostly or all online than those who were rarely or never online, and those whose recent volunteering experience rarely or never involved volunteering with others were more likely to say they were interested in giving unpaid help on their own than those who had volunteered alongside others.

This may reflect the fact that many (80%) are likely to continue with volunteering with their main organisation.

Those who have previously been less engaged are more interested in online-based volunteering than those who have volunteered in recent years.

Overall, future opportunities of most interest were consistent, regardless of past involvement.

Notably, however, those who had volunteered three or more years ago (27%) or never (26%) were more likely to select opportunities to volunteer mostly or all online than those who had volunteered in the last three years (22% of recent volunteers and 19% of lapsed volunteers). This suggests that this type of volunteering may appeal more to volunteers who have not been engaged recently or at all.

This is supported by the findings in section 4.2.5, which showed that recent volunteers who had given time exclusively online for their main organisation were more likely to have started volunteering with the organisation in the last year.

There are some differences in interest across demographic groups.

These included the following.

• Among younger volunteers (aged 18–34), enjoyable and fun opportunities (55%) and those that combined volunteering with an existing hobby or interest (51%) appealed most.
• Interest in employer-supported volunteering declined with age, with 36% of 18–34-year-olds interested, compared with 3% of those aged 55+.
• Those from higher social grades and with a higher level of educational qualification were more likely to be interested in using existing skills (56%) than those from lower grades and with lower qualifications (47%).
• Reflecting earlier findings about the ways recent disabled volunteers gave their time (section 4.2.5), disabled respondents were more likely to be interested in opportunities that could be done all or mostly online than non-disabled people (28% vs 21%).

The findings highlight how perception of time and commitment associated with volunteering matters. This suggests the need for organisations and groups not only to provide a wide range of volunteering opportunities, but also to show people how volunteering can fit in their lives and be time well spent.

We found that the more recently someone has volunteered, the more likely they are to volunteer again. However, there is potential across all groups for future engagement, although as suggested previously, caution should be taken to not overburden those who are already giving a lot of time to volunteering.

This raises questions about where people are currently on the spectrum of engagement that we outlined in section 3 (and shown here in Figure 58), where they could be in the future and where there is most potential for change.

There are indications that some groups may be easier to engage than others, however, if we are to address the diversity issues highlighted in section 3.5, efforts to engage potential volunteers need to be applied to all and not just specific groups of people.