 Improving the Collection of Volunteering Data in Scotland LOUISE VIRDEE, Scottish Executive Social Research

 Background  Scottish Executive Volunteering Strategy  Launched in May 2004  Aim to embed a robust culture of volunteering in Scotland

 Defining Volunteering  “Volunteering is the giving of time and energy through a third party, which can bring measurable benefits to the volunteer, individual beneficiaries, groups and organisations, communities, the environment and society at large. It is the choice undertaken of one’s own free will, and is not motivated primarily for financial gain or for a wage or salary” SE Volunteering Strategy

 Measuring Volunteering  Not straightforward  Numerous definitions of what constitutes volunteering  Conceptual issues, differences in terminology and differences in research methods have led to different estimates of volunteering from past surveys

 SHS Data

 SHS Data  Regular collection of data on volunteering  Large sample size permits geographical breakdown of results and disaggregation by population sub-groups  But, earlier results may not reflect the full level of volunteering in Scotland

 Improving the Collection of Volunteering Data in Scotland  One of the aims of Volunteering Strategy to deliver better evidence  RDS Consulting commissioned to:-  Consult key stakeholders  Review methodologies adopted by other surveys  Develop and pilot a module of questions for subsequent inclusion in the SHS

 New SHS questions  New preamble  Undertaken any work or activities on a voluntary basis with any groups or organisations in past 12 months? (with showcard)  How frequently?  Number of hours per month?  Fields of activity?  What do people do?  Ever volunteered?  Why stopped?  Motivation to volunteer (again)?

 Conclusions  New module of questions on volunteering included in SHS from January 2005  No “right” figure for the number of volunteers  Generally agreed approach within the time and space constraints of a cross-cutting quantitative survey  Baseline against which to measure progress over time  High expectations => not possible to meet all through SHS alone

 The Future……?  Improving the Collection of Volunteering Data in Scotland, RDS Consulting, 7 March 2005, SE Website  Possible SHS Topic Report on Volunteering in 2006  Feed into SHS Review – volunteering considered as part of a wider module of questions on citizenship/social capital?  Further exploration of different methodologies (e.g. use of shuffle cards)?  Informal volunteering?  Qualitative research (e.g. to explore motivations)?

 Contacts  Louise Virdee, Voluntary Issues Research Team  Ellen Searle, Voluntary Issues Unit  Scottish Executive Volunteering Strategy