New report reveals benefits of volunteering
With volunteering rising in popularity*, leading volunteer organisations YouthNet and v have published the results of a study into what makes people volunteer and why volunteering is the new spare-time buzz word, challenging its dusty reputation.
The 'Volunteer Satisfaction' report is the result of a survey of 925 registered users of YouthNet's volunteering website, do-it.org.uk, which investigated volunteers' experiences of, and motivation for, volunteering. It found:
• The most popular reasons for volunteering amongst respondents were "to do something positive with spare time" (71%) and "to help other people" (71%)
• Two fifths of volunteers said the opportunity to improve and learn new skills had prompted them to volunteer, with spoken communication skills (44%), team working (42%) and problem solving (39%) as the most sought-after outcomes
• Over a third of all respondents cited their favourite volunteering opportunities as those linked to education (37%), involving children (36%), and those related to health, hospitals or hospices (32%)
• Administrative, advisory or roles that provide opportunities to work with individuals were chosen by over 40% of respondents as the most popular type of voluntary activity: administration (44%), offering advice, information or guidance (43%), and befriending, buddying or mentoring (38%)
Fulfilment was found to play a key role in why people volunteer. The survey reported:
• 77% thought the work they did made a real difference to society
• Most respondents (88%) felt valued by the organisation for which they volunteered
• Three in five (64%) volunteers found their role positively "challenging"
A myriad of voluntary roles are available from the mundane to the extraordinary, with opportunities as diverse as caring for city farm animals, becoming music events managers, mentoring online or providing training for homeless young people, among thousands of other options.
Fiona Dawe, Chief Executive of YouthNet, says: "Voluntary work has come a long way from soup kitchens and cake sales, and it's time for it to leave behind its dusty reputation.
"Whatever your interests or experience, there is a volunteering opportunity out there which will be challenging, engaging and valuable to both you and your community. We call upon anyone who has ever thought to make a difference to see for themselves what volunteering is really all about."
The report is published to coincide with National Volunteers' Week (1-7 June 2009), with which YouthNet and v are celebrating 25 years of rewarding, recognising and recruiting volunteers as partners. For more information about National Volunteers Week, visit www.volunteersweek.org.uk.
YouthNet and v have been conducting research into users' experience of the volunteering websites do-it.org.uk and vinspired.com. The research is intended to help the organisations assess and inform the development of their services.
do-it.org.uk is the UK's leading volunteering website, providing a searchable database of over a million opportunities to volunteer in charities and organisations across the UK. v is The National Young Volunteers Service inspiring a new generation of volunteers (aged 16-25) in England.
Ends
For further media information, a copy of the report or case studies, please contact Gabriella Jozwiak or Sarah Wilson at YouthNet on 020 7250 5716 or out-of-hours on 07766 660 755. Email media@youthnet.org
Notes to Editors
1. On November 6 2008, a questionnaire was sent to all those who had registered on do-it.org.uk between November 1 2007 and October 31 2008 and had said they were willing to be re-contacted. Respondents were asked about their experiences of and motivation for volunteering, as well as about the usability of the website and associated services. The survey was closed on January 3 2009, resulting in 925 responses
2. Age groups were evenly spread within the sample, of which 97% were aged between 18 and 64 years. Weighting was not applied to the data.
3. do-it.org.uk is volunteering made easy, providing a central place on the internet to find out about volunteering.
4. do-it.org.uk is underpinned by the National Volunteering Database (NVD), which is supported by V-Base, volunteering management software.
5. For more information on YouthNet, the charity which runs do-it.org.uk, visit www.YouthNet.org
6. YouthNet is an online charity – founded by broadcaster Martyn Lewis CBE in 1995. It aims to create a socially inclusive environment where all young adults are engaged, informed and inspired to achieve their ambitions and dreams through its two websites, do-it.org.uk and TheSite.org
7. v aims to inspire a new generation of volunteers (aged 16-25) in England. They do this by funding voluntary organisations all over England to create inspiring, diverse opportunities and by helping to overcome barriers that stop people from taking action to improve lives, communities and the planet. v's aim is to create a culture where volunteering comes naturally – and where the benefits of volunteering are understood and celebrated. v is an independent charity launched in May 2006 as a result of the Russell Commission report, A National Framework for Youth Action and Engagement. See vinspired.com for more information.
In January 2009, YouthNet reported a rise of 115% from 2007 to 2008 in the number of people applying for volunteering opportunities on do-it.org.uk, with the numbers of applications made in 2008 topping 60,000. The latest stats show a continuation of this trend with 38,592 and 40,143 applications made in January and February respectively - double the number of applications made for the same period last year (The number of applications to volunteer received by do-it.org.uk in January and February 2008 was 19,621 and 20,559 respectively)