Are We Seeing a Turning Point in Volunteering? The Latest Evidence from Scotland

One of the clearest signs of change comes from the SHS data, which shows formal volunteering rising from 18% in 2023 to 25% in 2024. This is the strongest year‑on‑year increase since before the pandemic and reflects the improvements many organisations are beginning to see. Data from the latest wave of SCVO’s Third Sector Tracker (Wave 12, Spring 2026) reinforces this trend: 24% of organisations reported an increase in active volunteers, compared with 15% reporting a decrease — the strongest net position since the Tracker began in 2021.

Volunteer recruitment and retention pressures are also easing. Between Wave 11 (Autumn 2025) and Wave 12 (Spring 2026), the proportion of organisations experiencing recruitment difficulties fell by six percentage points (from 62% to 56%), while retention challenges dropped by five points (from 42% to 37%). These are the lowest levels recorded in over a year. However, challenges remain substantial: almost a quarter (24%) of organisations still describe recruitment as a significant challenge, and over half (56%) continue to face moderate or significant recruitment pressures. Retention is less acute but still notable, with 37% of organisations reporting ongoing difficulties.

This recovery is not being felt equally across Scotland. The SHS data highlights widening inequalities in participation. Disabled adults and people living in Scotland’s most deprived areas saw only modest increases in volunteering participation. The SHS data uses the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintiles, where SIMD Q1 represents the most deprived areas and SIMD Q5 the least deprived. Participation rose sharply in SIMD Q5 but only marginally in SIMD Q1, signalling that the benefits of recovery are not reaching all communities.

Alongside these trends, the cost of living crisis continues to shape people’s lives. Recent data from Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker (May 2026) shows that 30% of adults report a negative impact on their mental health due to financial concerns, 54% have cut back on leisure activities, and 62% cite the cost of living as a top concern for Scotland’s economy. These pressures inevitably influence people’s capacity to volunteer.

Leisure activities are often an important pathway into volunteering — whether through sports clubs, arts groups, community events or local social spaces. When people reduce their spending on these activities, they may also lose some of the connections, confidence and community ties that can lead to volunteering. A contraction in leisure participation therefore risks narrowing one of the key pathways into volunteering, particularly for groups already under‑represented.

Taken together, the evidence points to a fragile but meaningful turning point. Volunteer participation is rising, and organisational pressures are easing — yet inequalities persist, and many organisations continue to face significant challenges. Ensuring that this recovery is inclusive, sustainable, and supported across all communities will be critical.