Publications

Catalysts for Change: Understanding the motivations of volunteers in Scotland

Volunteers play a vital role in supporting the work of charities across Scotland. Their contribution, big or small, can make a huge difference to individual lives and the reach and impact of organisations.

Given the importance of volunteers to Inspiring Scotland’s vision and mission, we commissioned research to capture the latest insights on volunteering and to help us understand how our programmes, which are dependent on volunteers, may need to evolve and develop. 

Whilst there has been a notable reduction in volunteering rates in recent years due to Covid and the rising cost of living, a sizeable number of people are willing to volunteer to support a cause or community close to them. 

This research report outlines what makes people volunteer and how to attract, recruit, and retain volunteers. It considers the characteristics of people who are most likely to volunteer, the key motivations and barriers to volunteering, and critical success factors in a volunteer recruitment campaign. Understanding these can aid in targeted advertising and better matching of volunteer opportunities to those most likely to take them up. 

We are sharing this research publicly in the hope that it is of use to others and as part of our collective effort to continue to support and nurture volunteering in Scotland. 

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