Join Matthew Linning for a facilitated discussion on the future challenges, opportunities and priorities for intergenerational volunteering. Drawing upon the findings of his recently published report ‘The contribution of volunteering to Scotland's health and wellbeing’ this workshop will discuss the impact of demographic change, volunteering trends and health and wellbeing benefits by age group to understand the likely impacts on intergenerational volunteering.

1. Intergenerational
volunteering
Matthew Linning

2. Scope…
 Demographic change
 Health, wellbeing & volunteering
 Volunteering participation
 Intergenerational volunteering
 The challenges, benefits & opportunities

3. Scotland’s population
Source: National Records of Scotland – population projections, 2017
-2%
-8%
-3% -4%
17%
79%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Projected population change: 2016 - 2041
- 160,000
+ 86,000
+ 342,000
0-15 16-24 25-44 45-64 65-74 75+
Age

4. Health, wellbeing &
volunteering

5. Loneliness
23%
24%
20%
21%
18%
26%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
16-24 25-34 35-44 45-59 60-74 75+
%ofasults(age16+)
Age
Adults feeling lonely in the last week
- Some, often or all of the time -
Source: Scottish Household Survey 2018

6. Mental health
Percentage of adults with GHQ-12 scores of
4 or more, 2017, by age and gender Women
Men
Source: Scottish Health Survey 2017

7. 28%
24%
22%
17%
16%
24%
20%
16%
12%
14%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5
%ofadults(age16+)
SIMD Quintiles
Loneliness and mental health by
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation Quintiles
Feeling lonely
GHQ - score 4+
Sources: Scottish Household Survey 2018; Scottish Health Survey 2017
Impact of deprivation on
health & wellbeing

8. Health & wellbeing benefits
from volunteering
Improved life expectancy 
? ?
Reduced/alleviated:
• Anxiety/stress
• Depression
• PTSD
• Learning
disabilities
Mental
health
Physical
health
Benefits include:
• Active & fit
• Healthy behaviours
• Functional independ
-dence (older age)
• Coping with illness
‘Helper’s
high’
Social connectedness:
• Meeting people
• Making friends
• Getting out of the
house
• Feeling you belong
Social isolation
& loneliness
‘Helper’s
high’
?

9. Intergenerational volunteering
- The evidence -

10. Formal volunteering
participation
Sources: Young People in Scotland 2019; Scottish Household Survey (SHS) 2018
Young people
(11 – 18)
Adults
(age 16+)
% volunteering 49% 26%
No. of volunteers 140,000 1,200,000
No. of vol. hours 14 million 128 million
• Small pop.
• High vol.
engagement
• Large pop.
• Low vol.
engagement

11. 11%
4%
2%
4%
3%
4%
4%
6%
7%
8%
9%
15%
19%
23%
33%
37%
39%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
Don’t know / prefer not to say
Other
Trade Unions, justice and human rights
Politics
Emergency services, first aid and public safety
Online volunteering
Culture and heritage
Groups aimed at supporting older people
Religion and belief
Environmental protection
Animal welfare
Health, disability and wellbeing
Local community or neighbourhood
Hobbies and recreation
Children or young people (in schools)
Children or youth groups (outside school)
Physical activity, sport and exercise
% of young people volunteering
Supporting
young people
n=843
Supporting
older people
Source: Young People in Scotland, 2019
Youth volunteering – intergenerational

12. Adult volunteering –
intergenerational
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
16-24 25-34 35-44 45-59 60-74 75+
%ofadultvolunteers(age16+)
Age
Adult volunteering participation, 2018
Youth/children's activities outside school
Groups supporting older people
Source: Scottish Household Survey (SHS) 2018

13. Intergenerational volunteering
- the challenges, benefits
& opportunities -

14. The challenges
• Youth volunteering post-school is a ‘tipping point’
• Intergenerational volunteering is a minority
• Engaging deprived communities is difficult
• Yet, this is where the greatest benefits lie

15. The benefits
15
Organisation
Wellbeing of staff, volunteers &
beneficiaries – kindness & fun
Individual
Learning, skills, health and wellbeing
Community
Understanding, trust,
reciprocity, friendship,
community spirit

16. The opportunities
Volun-
teering
Young
People
Older
people
Community
benefits
Health &
wellbeing
Variables
• Youth engagement: primary,
secondary & tertiary education
(vs. those not in education)
• Older people engagement: pre
and post 75
• 1-2-1 vs. group volunteering
• Themed engagement
• Benefiting both young and old
• Deprived vs. non-deprived
communities
• What about the mid-life
generation?

17. Breakout exercise (30 mins)
• Share examples of intergenerational volunteering
(10 mins)
• What lessons can we learn? (10 mins)
• What is the most important priority for intergenerational
volunteering? (10 mins)

18. Further information
Reports:
• Volunteering, Health & Wellbeing - Full Report: Volunteer Scotland, Dec 2018
• The Contribution of Volunteering to Scotland's Health and Wellbeing – Volunteer Scotland, Oct 2019
• Scottish Health Survey - 2017 edition – Volume 1, Main Report, Scottish Government, Sept 2018
• Scottish Household Survey Annual Report 2018: Scottish Government, Sept 2019
• Scottish Household Survey 2016 - Volunteering cross-sectional analysis – Volunteer Scotland,
Oct 2019
• Volunteering Trends in Scotland: Scottish Household Survey 2007 - 2017: Volunteer Scotland,
Jan 2019
• Young People Volunteering in Scotland, 2016: Volunteer Scotland, Jan 2017
Contact:
matthew.linning@volunteerscotland.org.uk
www.volunteerscotland.org.uk @VolScot