The Young People in Scotland Survey is an annual school-based omnibus study run by Ipsos-Mori which captures the views, experiences and aspirations of young people in Scotland. It is a multi-client study which means the survey is made up of a range of questions purchased by a number of organisations.Volunteer Scotland has contributed 7 volunteering questions to the 2014 survey.
Young people and volunteering in scotland slide report
1. Young People and Volunteering
in Scotland
Slide Report
June 2015
Helen Harper and Gemma Jackson
Volunteer Scotland, Policy and Research
Helen.harper@volunteerscotland.org.uk
gemma.jackson@volunteerscotland.org.uk
www.volunteerscotland.org.uk @VolScot
2. Why did we carry out this
research?
• We want to grow volunteering participation
in Scotland.
• To know HOW to grow it, we need to learn
more about participation.
• Young people are the next generation of
volunteers....
• We know about adult participation...but not
young people.
3. Who took part?
• Our survey was included in the Ipsos
MORI Young People in Scotland Survey in
October 2014.
• Over 2000 young people aged 11-18 took
part
• They attended state sector schools
• They completed a paper survey at their
school during class time
4. What did we want to find out?
• To what extent young people participated
in volunteering (through a club, organisation, or group)
• Who helped or encouraged them to
volunteer
• What young people thought about
volunteering
• What would encourage them to volunteer
• What kind of volunteering they would like
to get involved in.
5. What happened next?
• Shared the results with practitioners such
as:
Youth Link Scotland, Young Scot, Education Scotland,
Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland,
Volunteer Scotland Learning & Practice Team,
Stirlingshire Voluntary Enterprise......
7. To what extent do young
people volunteer?
we
do
..school
time.
..but
we'd
like to
Don't
know
...our
spare
time.
..and
we
don't
want to
NA
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Yes we volunteer in No Other
Who volunteers?
45%
34%
20%
14%
18%
5%
17%
8. To what extent do young
people volunteer?
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
11 - 13yrs 14 - 15yrs 16 - 18yrs
Volunteering in spare time, differences by age
32%
31%
44%
9. To what extent do young
people volunteer?
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
No more than once a year
A few times a year
Five or six times a year
At least once a month
About once a week
A few times a week
Occasional
Regular
How often do young people volunteer?
19%
27%
13%
7%
19%
11%
10. I‘m more
likely to
volunteer
regularly, and
volunteer in
my spare
time.
I’m more likely
to say I don’t
want to
volunteer.
I’m more likely to
volunteer
occasionally.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in Scotland Survey
2014, Volunteer Scotland
11. We’re 11-13 yrs old We’re 16-18yrs old
We’re less likely to
volunteer now, but
we’re interested in
doing it in the
future.
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
during our
spare time.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in
Scotland 2014, Volunteer Scotland
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
regularly.
12. Practitioner responses....
Why don’t
young
people
volunteer?
Lack of opportunity?
(schools and orgs think
there’s more red tape
to involve young
people)
Young people have
negative perceptions
of volunteering
Maybe schools and
yp don’t know
what counts as
volunteering...litter
picks? School
committees?
13. Who helped or encouraged
young people to volunteer?
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
Neighbour
Someone at local job centre
Someone else
Did it on my own
Community organisation
Scheme Rep (DofE)
Other family member
Someone at a club/group
Friend
Teacher
Parent/guardian 41%
32%
30%
24%
18%
11%
10%
6%
2%
1%
14. Who encourages young people
to volunteer?
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
11 - 13yrs 14 - 15yrs 16 - 18yrs
Other family member(s)
Friend(s)
Teacher(s)
My parent(s) or guardian
Who encourages young people to volunteer, differences by age
27%
20%
6%
37%
29%
25%
24%
26%
45%
48%
40%
34%
15. Who encourages young people
to volunteer?
Boys Girls
Encouraged to volunteer by friends, differences between boys and girls
60%
40%
16. I‘m more
likely to
volunteer
regularly, and
volunteer in
my spare
time.
I’m more likely
to say I don’t
want to
volunteer.
I’m more likely to
volunteer
occasionally.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in Scotland Survey
2014, Volunteer Scotland
I ‘d like to volunteer with my friends
17. We’re 11-13 yrs old We’re 16-18yrs old
We’re less likely to
volunteer now, but
we’re interested in
doing it in the
future.
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
during our
spare time.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in
Scotland 2014, Volunteer Scotland
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
regularly.
Our teachers
are more
likely to get us
into
volunteering.
18. Practitioner responses...
Gatekeepers
to
volunteering
Helpful to see clearly
who could be ‘targeted’
to help grow
volunteering.
Parents & teachers
needed to be aware
of the different types
of volunteering, and
what counts as
volunteering
Young people tend
to be risk averse,
they want to do
what their friends
are doing.
19. What do young people think
about volunteering?
Responses....
Negative
perceptions
of
volunteering
Young people not
interested in something
that ‘didn’t pay’.
Sometimes friends and
family reinforced this
view.
Young people had a
traditional view of
volunteering – it means
giving up a lot of time,
regularly, over a long
period.
Is this view
perpetuated
by the awards
system (e.g.
DofE, Saltire) ?
Young people
struggled to see
the benefit of
volunteering
20. What do young people think
about volunteering?
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Positive
Negative
Is volunteering seen positively?
10%
15%
32%
43%
50%
56%
58%
9%
8%
78%
4%
21. What do young people think
about volunteering?
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
11 - 13yrs 14 -15yrs 16 -18yrs
Thinking of volunteering as a way to develop skills and experience differs by age
46%
57%
71%
22. I‘m more
likely to
volunteer
regularly, and
volunteer in
my spare
time.
I’m more likely
to say I don’t
want to
volunteer.
I’m more likely to
volunteer
occasionally.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in Scotland Survey
2014, Volunteer Scotland
I ‘d like to volunteer with my friends and
think of volunteering as a way to make
friends.
23. We’re 11-13 yrs old We’re 16-18yrs old
We’re less likely to
volunteer now, but
we’re interested in
doing it in the
future.
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
during our
spare time.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in
Scotland 2014, Volunteer Scotland
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
regularly.
Our teachers
are more
likely to get us
into
volunteering.
We think of
volunteering as
a way to
increase our
skills and gain
experience.
We’re more
likely to think of
volunteering as
a way to have a
good time.
24. What do young people think
about volunteering?
Responses....
How can we
ensure young
people
recognise the
positive benefits
of volunteering?
Raising awareness amongst
gatekeepers of the positive
benefits of volunteering beyond
‘CV’ building (e.g. Increased
confidence and wellbeing’)
Perhaps we should be
promoting the ‘impact’ of
volunteering (on
volunteers and
beneficiaries) rather than
the detail of the
opportunity itself
Young people are
more likely to think
of volunteering as
something to
benefit others, or
to enhance skills,
than to enhance
their own wellbeing
(make them happy,
help them make
friends) – how can
we change this?
25. What do young people think about
volunteering? (relative to other things they do in their spare
time)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Go to under 18s club/venues
Take part in youth groups (Scouts, Guides, youth clubs)
Volunteer with a local group or charity
Go to drama, music or singing groups
Help out your friends/neighbours
Go to sports clubs, gyms, exercise or dance groups
Top six activities young people want to do in their spare time
52%
24%
18%
16%
16%
15%
26. What do young people think about
volunteering? (relative to other things they do in their spare
time)
Spare time activities, differences between boys and girls
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Take part in campaigns or demonstrations
Take part in a computer club or group
None of these
Go to an art or crafts club
Go to under 18s club/venues
Volunteer with a local group or charity
Go to drama, music or singing groups
Help out your friends/neighbours
Go to sports clubs, gyms, exercise and dance groups
Girls
Boys
52%
54%
29%
20%
27%
8%
8%
25%
17%
18%
9%
4%
8%
12%
7%
16%
13%
5%
27. I‘m more
likely to
volunteer
regularly, and
volunteer in
my spare
time.
I’m more likely
to say I don’t
want to
volunteer.
I’m more likely to
volunteer
occasionally.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in Scotland Survey
2014, Volunteer Scotland
I ‘d like to volunteer with my friends and
think of volunteering as a way to make
friends.
I’d like to spend my
spare time doing sport
& exercise or
volunteering with a
group or charity.
I’d rather spend my spare time
doing sport & exercise or helping
out my neighbours, than
volunteering for a group or
charity.
I’m more likely to say my friends got me
into volunteering. I think of volunteering
as a way to make friends.
28. We’re 11-13 yrs old We’re 16-18yrs old
We’re less likely to
volunteer now, but
we’re interested in
doing it in the
future.
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
during our
spare time.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in
Scotland 2014, Volunteer Scotland
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
regularly.
Our teachers
are more
likely to get us
into
volunteering.
We think of
volunteering as
a way to
increase our
skills and gain
experience.
We’re more
likely to think of
volunteering as
a way to have a
good time.
We’d rather spend
our spare time
helping out
neighbours, going to
drama or singing
groups, guides or
scouts than
volunteering with a
local group.
30. What would encourage young
people to volunteer?
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
If someone asked me to do something
If I could try volunteering to see if I liked it
If I could volunteer close to where I live
If it would improve my skills
If it would improve my career/job prospects
If I could volunteer with my friends
Top six things which would encourage young people to
volunteer
56%
37%
29%
29%
21%
19%
31. I‘m more
likely to
volunteer
regularly, and
volunteer in
my spare
time.
I’m more likely
to say I don’t
want to
volunteer.
I’m more likely to
volunteer
occasionally.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in Scotland Survey
2014, Volunteer Scotland
I’m more likely to say my friends got me
into volunteering. I think of volunteering
as a way to make friends. I ‘d like to
volunteer with my friends.
I’d like to spend my
spare time doing sport
& exercise or
volunteering with a
group or charity.
I’d rather spend my spare time
doing sport & exercise or helping
out my neighbours, than
volunteering for a group or
charity.
32. We’re 11-13 yrs old We’re 16-18yrs old
We’re less likely to
volunteer now, but
we’re interested in
doing it in the
future.
We think of
volunteering as
a way to
increase our
skills and gain
experience.
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
during our
spare time.
Our teachers
are more
likely to get us
into
volunteering.We want to
volunteer in our
local area.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in
Scotland 2014, Volunteer Scotland
We’d rather spend
our spare time
helping out
neighbours, going to
drama or singing
groups, guides or
scouts than
volunteering with a
local group.
We’re more
likely to think of
volunteering as
a way to have a
good time.
Our families and
friends are more
likely to get us
into
volunteering.
We’d like to
volunteer with
our families.
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
regularly.
33. Practitioner reflections.....
Young people
are risk averse,
they want to do
what their
friends are
doing.
Can we increase the number of
social, group based opportunities,
and the chance to ‘bring a friend’
along to try out volunteering?
34. What areas do young people
want to get involved in?
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Girls
Boys
Top six areas young people want to get involved in
43%
(of all
boys)
26%
(of all
girls
15%
38% 30%
14% 18%
27%
29%
10%
35. What areas do young people
want to get involved in?
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Not stated
I don't know
Other
None of these
Religious groups
Local community or neighbourhood groups
Environmental protection
Political groups
Justice and human rights
First aid or safety
Older people/the elderly
Health or disabilities
Wildlife protection
Areas young people were less interested in
15%
14%
14%
12%
11%
7%
5%
4%
4%
3%
1%
12%
7%
36. I‘m more
likely to
volunteer
regularly, and
volunteer in
my spare
time.
I’m interested in
volunteering that
involves younger
children (in or out
of school), animal
welfare and sport.
I ‘d like to volunteer with my friends and
think volunteering is a way to make new
friends.
I’m more likely
to say I don’t
want to
volunteer.
I’m more likely to
volunteer
occasionally.
I’m interested in
volunteering in
sports related
activities.
I’d rather spend my spare time
doing sport & exercise or helping
out my neighbours, than
volunteering for a group or
charity.
I’d like to spend my
spare time doing sport
& exercise or
volunteering with a
group or charity.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in Scotland Survey
2014, Volunteer Scotland
37. Practitioner responses....
Young
people
stick to
what they
know
Areas of interest
reflect their current
experience – young
people’s choices
might be driven by
the context of an
award.
Young people might
need more
exposure to ‘what’s
out there’ before
they can make
decisions about
what they want to
be involved in Is there potential for
local authorities to
consider linking
volunteer involving
services to schools to
create opportunities
for young people?
38. I‘m more
likely to
volunteer
regularly, and
volunteer in
my spare
time.
I’m interested in
volunteering that
involves younger
children (in or out
of school), animal
welfare and sport.
I ‘d like to volunteer with my friends and
think volunteering is a way to make new
friends.
I’m more likely
to say I don’t
want to
volunteer.
I’m more likely to
volunteer
occasionally.
I’m interested in
volunteering in
sports related
activities.
I’d rather spend my spare time
doing sport & exercise or helping
out my neighbours, than
volunteering for a group or
charity.
I’d like to spend my
spare time doing sport
& exercise or
volunteering with a
group or charity.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in Scotland Survey
2014, Volunteer Scotland
We think
volunteering is a
good thing.
We’re more likely to
volunteer than
adults.
We’d be up for
volunteering if it
improved our skills
and job prospects,
and if we could
volunteer with our
friends.
We want to
volunteer in our
local area.
Think about letting
us try it out first,
before we commit.
39. We’re 11-13 yrs old We’re 16-18yrs old
We’re less likely to
volunteer now, but
we’re interested in
doing it in the
future.
We think of
volunteering
as a way to
increase our
skills and gain
experience.
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
during our
spare time.
Our teachers
are more
likely to get us
into
volunteering.
We want to
volunteer in our
local area.
Source: Young People and Volunteering in
Scotland 2014, Volunteer Scotland
We’d rather spend
our spare time
helping out
neighbours, going to
drama or singing
groups, guides or
scouts than
volunteering with a
local group.
We’re more
likely to think of
volunteering as
a way to have a
good time.
Our families and
friends are more
likely to get us
into
volunteering.
We’d like to
volunteer with
our families.
We think
volunteering is a
good thing.
We’re more
likely to
volunteer than
adults.
We’d be up for
volunteering
if we could
volunteer with
our friends.
Think about
letting us try it
out first, before
we commit.
We’re more
likely to
volunteer
regularly.
40. What have we learned?
• No other age group in Scotland has such a high
rate of volunteering.
• A significant proportion don’t currently volunteer,
but are interested in volunteering.
• Young people are diverse. Older, younger, boys
and girls volunteer differently, want different
things and have different interests.
• Gatekeepers are critical. They can encourage or
limit young people’s involvement.
41. How can we grow young people’s
participation in volunteering?
1. Raise awareness with ‘gatekeepers’
(schools, parents and young people)
– ‘Traditional’ volunteering isn’t the only way.
– It’s not just about CV building.
– Volunteering could be a way to broaden
experience – tackle gender stereotypes and
increase exposure to potential new areas of
interest.
42. 2. Explore potential of youth awards to focus
on the benefits of volunteering for young
people in terms of their own confidence
and wellbeing.
How can we grow young people’s
participation in volunteering?
43. How can we grow young people’s
participation in volunteering?
• Create more group based opportunities
• Create more family opportunities
• Let young people ‘try it and see’
• Tailor opportunities to the needs and interests of different
young people
• Create opportunities to the needs and interests of different
young people
• Create opportunities that are flexible, rather than requiring
long term, high level of commitment
• Ask young people to volunteer.
Encourage volunteer involving groups, clubs and organisations
to:
44. What’s next?
Read our Report
Download our infographics
http://www.volunteerscotland.net/policy-and-
research/research/young-people-and-volunteering/
Get in touch to join the conversation – we’d love to hear
your responses to the research, and ideas for growing
young people’s participation.
Helen.harper@volunteerscotland.org.uk
Gemma.jackson@volunteerscotland.org.uk
Notas del editor
We think volunteering is a good thing.
We’re more likely to volunteer than adults.
We’d be up for volunteering if it improved our skills and job prospects, and if we could volunteer with our friends.
We want to volunteer in our local area.
Think about letting us try it out first, before we commit.
We think volunteering is a good thing.
We’re more likely to volunteer than adults.
We’d be up for volunteering if it improved our skills and job prospects, and if we could volunteer with our friends.
We want to volunteer in our local area.
Think about letting us try it out first, before we commit.
We think volunteering is a good thing.
We’re more likely to volunteer than adults.
We’d be up for volunteering if it improved our skills and job prospects, and if we could volunteer with our friends.
We want to volunteer in our local area.
Think about letting us try it out first, before we commit.
We think volunteering is a good thing.
We’re more likely to volunteer than adults.
We’d be up for volunteering if it improved our skills and job prospects, and if we could volunteer with our friends.
We want to volunteer in our local area.
Think about letting us try it out first, before we commit.
We think volunteering is a good thing.
We’re more likely to volunteer than adults.
We’d be up for volunteering if it improved our skills and job prospects, and if we could volunteer with our friends.
We want to volunteer in our local area.
Think about letting us try it out first, before we commit.
We think volunteering is a good thing.
We’re more likely to volunteer than adults.
We’d be up for volunteering if it improved our skills and job prospects, and if we could volunteer with our friends.
We want to volunteer in our local area.
Think about letting us try it out first, before we commit.
We think volunteering is a good thing.
We’re more likely to volunteer than adults.
We’d be up for volunteering if it improved our skills and job prospects, and if we could volunteer with our friends.
We want to volunteer in our local area.
Think about letting us try it out first, before we commit.
Gatekeepers are getting them involved, so they can also influence them about how they think about volunteering.
