
Research and Evaluation Blog
The Research and Evaluation Blog is where the team provide their own observations and opinions on some of the latest research in volunteering.
Our latest blog posts

Youth Volunteering During Times of Crisis
Matthew Linning, Head of Research and Evaluation at Volunteer Scotland, discusses new evidence on the impact of the ‘perma-crisis’ on youth volunteering in Scotland.

Scottish Household Survey – 2021 Results
The SHS results for 2021 were published Tuesday 25 April 2023. Only formal volunteering is reported on odd-numbered years.
The SHS Team has cautioned against comparing their 2021 data with previous years due to changes in the research method, and representativeness of the sample.

Cost of Living Crisis: The Hard Facts
Matthew Linning, Head of Research and Evaluation at Volunteer Scotland, discusses new evidence on the impact of the cost of living crisis on volunteering.

Cost of Living Crisis: Testing our Resilience
Matthew Linning, Head of Research and Evaluation at Volunteer Scotland, discusses the implications of the cost of living crisis on volunteering and volunteers.

‘The Road to Recovery’ – New Research
Volunteer Scotland has published its report on the lessons learned from Scotland’s volunteering response to COVID-19, research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

Scottish Household Survey – 2020 Results
The SHS results for 2020 were published Friday 28, January 2022. The SHS Team has cautioned against comparing their 2020 data with previous years due to changes in the research method, sample size and timing.

The impact of COVID-19 in Scotland charities – the challenges and opportunities
It is exactly one year since Scotland entered its first lockdown, how has volunteering changed? Volunteer Scotland has examined the impact of formal volunteering using data from the latest OSCR survey.

A once in a lifetime opportunity for volunteering!
Matthew Linning, Head of Research at Volunteer Scotland, discusses the implications from the latest research on COVID-19 in Scotland.

Volunteering is helping Scotland to be happier and healthier
November 2019 saw Volunteer Scotland publish their report, “The Contribution of volunteering to Scotland’s Health and Wellbeing: Challenges, Opportunities and Priorities 2020-2040.”

Volunteer health and wellbeing: giving volunteering a sporting chance
The Scottish Sports Association (SSA) has greatly valued the opportunity through our involvement in the Scottish Volunteering Forum to engage with the latest Volunteer Scotland research on the contribution of volunteering to Scotland’s health and wellbeing.