The document summarizes research from a national survey on volunteering in the UK. It finds that while formal volunteering declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, informal volunteering increased slightly. Willingness to help others is the top motivator for volunteering. However, paid work is a major barrier, and post-pandemic volunteers are experiencing burnout from increased workload and stress during the pandemic. The cost of living crisis may further impact volunteer satisfaction and participation going forward.

1. TIME WELL SPENT – OUR
RESEARCH OF VOLUNTEERS
AND VOLUNTEER
EXPERIENCE
REI KANEMURA
RESEARCH & INSIGHT MANAGER
REI.KANEMURA@NCVO.ORG.UK
NCVO

2. • National survey (GB, 18+) 10,103
respondents
• Employer-supported volunteering
• Public services
• Diversity
• Impact of the covid-19 pandemic
Reports focusing on key themes
BACKGROUND AND AIMS OF THE RESEARCH
Main Time Well Spent report Aims and methods of this
research
• To explore and understand the
experiences of volunteers in the UK

3. VOLUNTEERING SCENE
WHO, WHEN, HOW, WHY,
AND WHAT

4. FORMAL VOLUNTEERING DROPPED
SIGNIFICANTLY DURING COVID
There was a radio silence… I didn’t hear from my volunteering
group at all for a while.
Female, 25-34, continued volunteering

5. HOWEVER, INFORMAL VOLUNTEERING INCREASED
SLIGHTLY DURING COVID, WITH GAPS BETWEEN AGE
GROUPS ALSO NARROWING
The sooner all of us could get vaccinated, the sooner things
could get back to normal … That was one of the driving factors.
Male, 16-24, started volunteering

6. OF THOSE SURVEYED, MOST HAVE VOLUNTEERED
THROUGH AN ORGANISATION OVER THEIR LIFETIME
Around 7 in 10
Base: All respondents (10,103)

7. WILLINGNESS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS TOP
MOTIVATOR; OTHER REASONS TO START VOLUNTEERING
IS PERSONAL
42%
38%
38%
36%
28%
28%
28%
21%
17%
14%
13%
13%
10%
8%
6%
3%
2%
2%
Wanted to improve things/ help people
Had spare time to do it
The group/ club/ organisation was really important to…
The cause was really important to me
Someone asked me to give help
Need in my community
Chance to use my existing skills
Wanted to meet people/ make friends
Chance to learn new skills
Religious belief/ philosophy of life
Friend(s)/ family involved
Needs of my family/ friends
No one else to help the group/ club/ organisation
Previously helped by the group/ club/ organisation…
Career/ qualification
Other
Don't know/ can't recall
Not applicable
Base: 3,898 people who volunteered in the last 12 months | Time Well Spent, 2019
Thinking about why you FIRST started giving unpaid help to this group, club or organisation...Which FIVE, if any, of the
following were the most important reasons why you started giving unpaid help?
Age 55+
I’m early retired, so is the wife. In a way lockdown wasn’t such a
big change for us. We were just lounging around the house, doing
stuff.
Male, 65+

8. VOLUNTEERING JOURNEY
AND EXPERIENCE

9. OVERALL, THE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THE DYNAMIC
NATURE OF VOLUNTEERING
• 55% of those who have
volunteered move in and out
of lifetime involvement
• 23% of recent volunteers
exclusively dip in and out or
take part in one-off activities
• Only 7% of all surveyed are
consistently and heavily
involved throughout their life
Bases: Respondents volunteered at some point (7,026)
All recent volunteers (3,898) – main organisation (if more than one)
All respondents (10,103)

10. VOLUNTEERS ARE VERY POSITIVE OVERALL ABOUT
THEIR EXPERIENCE
96%
very or fairly satisfied
had or would recommend it
to family or friends
69%
80%
likely to continue in
the next 12 months
Base: All recent volunteers (3,898) – main organisation (if more than one)

11. MAKING A DIFFERENCE MATTERS
MOTIVATION
Wanting to help
people or
improving things is
the key reason
people get involved
IMPACT
90% of recent
volunteers feel they
make a difference
through their
volunteering
SATISFACTION
Feeling they make a
difference is
strongly associated
with being satisfied
and continuing to
volunteer
Base: All recent volunteers (3,898) – main organisation (if more than one)
38% of volunteers would appreciate
verbal/ written thanks from individual(s)
that they have helped

12. KEY FINDINGS
• UK has a dynamic volunteering scene with regular volunteers of 38% of
the population. Over 55s and higher social grades drive the volunteering
population. While formal volunteering levels have dropped over the
years, the public continue to volunteer informally in conjunction with or
separately from formal volunteering.
• The majority (>80%) give time locally, outside of work hours, not
supported by employers. Paid work is the main barrier to volunteering,
which explains higher levels of participation among older age groups.
• A great majority (96%) of volunteers are satisfied with their experience,
and the conversion rate is high at 80%. This however may change with
the cost of living crisis.
• Willingness to make a difference is the strongest motivator to start
volunteering, followed by time to fill and personal connection to the
group and the cause. This is strongly correlated to volunteers’ being able
to see the impact and higher satisfaction levels. Volunteer-involving
organisations must show the volunteers what difference they are
making.

13. CHALLENGES AND
BARRIERS TO
VOLUNTEERING

14. DESK RESEARCH SHOWS LARGELY POSITIVE NEWS

15. PAID WORK IS MAIN BARRIER, WHICH HELPED
WITH COVID VOLUNTEERING BOOST
I never considered doing [volunteering], never really had time
[before the pandemic]… But the pandemic hit me really hard… I
volunteered just to keep myself busy, more than anything else.
Male, 45-54, started volunteering

16. POST-COVID VOLUNTEERS STRUGGLE WITH EMOTIONAL
FATIGUE AND TRAUMA
I’ve loved [volunteering and working]. The burnout element…I
think I’m still pretty much there at the moment… Because for us,
[the pandemic] hasn’t stopped.
Male 35-44, continued volunteering
Stressful, if I’m honest. We had to change an awful lot of
plans… It was a fairly stressful time. A lot of parents and kids
asked us what we were doing, and we didn’t know. Because
government guidelines…there were a lot of question marks.
Male 25-34, continued volunteering

17. SOME VOLUNTEERING ACTIVITIES WILL BE
AFFECTED BY COL
39%
28%
27%
23%
22%
19%
16%
15%
10%
4%
Organised/ helped an activity or event
Secretarial, admin or clerical work
Raised money/ took part in sponsored events
Provided other practical help
Gave advice/ information/ counselling to people
Campaigned
Befriended or mentored
Provided transport/ driving
Visited people
Don't know
Activities of recent volunteers
Nat rep ABC1 C2DE
Base: 3,898 people who volunteered in the last 12 months | Time Well Spent, 2019
Reasons for stopping:
“I feel I’ve done my bit”
ABC1 … 25%
C2DE … 15%

18. AGM & MEMBER EVENT
PLEASE RETURN TO THE MAIN ROOM