Research Publications

Browse our latest research or use the category search to find a publication in a topic of interest.

Check out our research index

We've been working hard to organise and publish a topic themed research to make it easier for you to find relevant VS research. The research index can be filtered by topic e.g. Age or searched by key word.

Access via Google Sheets here

Latest Research

The Cost of Living & Wellbeing Crisis: Quarterly Bulletin 9

Volunteer Scotland is tracking the impact of the crisis on Scottish adults and Third Sector Organisations (TSOs) to improve our understanding of the impact of the crisis on volunteering and volunteers. We have now published Bulletin No.9.

The State of Scottish Volunteering - Insights from our Research

Each year, Volunteer Scotland publishes a wide range of research and analysis on volunteering, drawing on national datasets and studies from our partners. We bring this evidence together to highlight the key headlines shaping the state of volunteering in Scotland today.

The social value of volunteering in Scotland

We partnered with social value specialists State of Life to quantify the difference volunteering makes to people’s wellbeing and put a monetary value on that increased wellbeing.

Category Search

Note: Research publications are sorted by alphabetical order of categories.

Community Volunteering

What We Do Together: Exploring Volunteering Using the Concept of Associational Life

David Bomark completed his PhD at the University of Strathclyde, researching volunteering as an associational activity and how it differs from other types of associational life.

Cost of Living

The Cost of Living and Wellbeing Crisis: Quarterly Bulletins

Volunteer Scotland is tracking the impact of the crisis on Scottish adults and Third Sector Organisations (TSOs) to improve our understanding of the impact of the crisis on volunteering and volunteers.

The Cost of Living Task Group - Survey Results

The Volunteering Action Plan Cost of Living Task Group, led by Volunteer Scotland, conducted a survey to identify areas most impacted by the cost of living crisis on volunteering involving organisations.

View Results here

Report to inform the work of the Volunteering Cost of Living Task Group

Analysis of polling evidence from Volunteer Scotland and Impact Funding partners. It examines the impact of the crisis on volunteering numbers and recruitment, the challenges faced by organisations and the support they require.

Testing our Resilience - The impact of the cost of living crisis on volunteering and volunteers

New analysis which examines the impact of the cost of living crisis on people, organisations and communities, and the implications for volunteering. It includes the ‘Top ten’ areas for action to help the voluntary sector address the crisis.

Covid-19

The Road to Recovery

Lessons Learned from Scotland’s Volunteering Response.The ‘Road to Recovery’ report explores the volunteering response in Scotland during COVID-19, from the perspective of volunteers, volunteer involving organisations, infrastructure organisations and the Scottish Government. The report identifies lessons learned to help inform Scotland’s response to future crises and to harness positive legacy outcomes for volunteering in the longer term.

Impact of COVID-19 on Scotland’s Charities

Analysis of volunteering data within both waves of OSCR’s "Impact of COVID-19 on Scottish Charities’ survey" - June and November 2020

Mutual Aid Volunteering

Understanding Mutual Aid volunteering in Scotland during Covid-19.

Impact of COVID-19 on Social Enterprises

Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on Scottish Social enterprises.

Impact of COVID-19 on Befriending

Understanding the increased importance of befriending during COVID-19.

Impact of COVID-19 on Volunteering Participation in Scotland

Summary analysis of volunteering participation from Ipsos-Mori’s COVID-19 survey of adults across Scotland – June 2020

Impact of COVID-19 on the Third Sector in Scotland

Summary analysis of volunteering data within the TSI Scotland Network Survey - June 2020

Mapping of research on COVID-19 and Volunteering

A 'map’of research studies across Scotland and the UK detailing research organisations, their research focus and links to any publications. Updated 25th September 2020.

Mapping of press and social media coverage

An Excel spreadsheet of articles, reports and media coverage relating to volunteering during COVID-19. This is being made available as an open-access public resource. Evidence has been logged daily since mid-March and an updated version of the spreadsheet will be posted to our website on a monthly basis. The latest version includes evidence up to September 2021.

Mutual aid groups in Scotland

A profile of the number, scale and location of mutual aid groups across Scotland – 20th April 2020.

Employer Supported Volunteering

Employer Supported Volunteering: Desk Review

To kickstart work on VAP Action 42 to develop a national approach to employer supported volunteering (ESV), Volunteer Scotland undertook a desk review of relevant literature. While this desk review is not exhaustive, we are confident that it will help inform our work on developing a national approach to ESV.

Employer Supported Volunteering: What we learned from The Gathering 2025

Volunteer Scotland hosted an interactive workshop at SCVO’s The Gathering, called ‘A national approach to employer supported volunteering’. The purpose of the workshop was to share Volunteer Scotland’s work to date on Action 42 of the Volunteering Action Plan (VAP) to establish a national approach to employer supported volunteering (ESV) and to kickstart the conversation about what the sector needs from a national approach.

Health and Wellbeing

The Contribution of Volunteering to Scotland’s Health and Wellbeing

We’ve evidenced the health and wellbeing impact of volunteering in Scotland and the challenges, opportunities and priorities: 2020 – 2040.

The Effect of Volunteering on Health & Wellbeing

We’ve worked with the University of Stirling’s Business Consulting Group to investigate the relationship between volunteering, health and wellbeing and how this has changed over time.

Volunteering, Health and Wellbeing

We’ve undertaken a critical appraisal of evidence to understand the contribution of volunteering to volunteers’ health and wellbeing.

Volunteering on Prescription

We’ve worked with GPs to create a better understanding of the role GP Practices can play in signposting patients to volunteering as a form of local preventative care.

VEnable

We’ve worked in partnership with NHS Tayside to identify the key needs and gaps in support for older people where volunteers can potentially play a vital role.

Historic and Natural Environment

Volunteering in the Historic Environment 2016

We’ve carried out a study of volunteering across the historic environment sector on behalf of Historic Environment Scotland

Volunteering and the Historic Environment 2008

We've carried out a study of volunteering across the historic environment sector on behalf of the Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland.

Inclusive Volunteering

Volunteering and Disability

We’re carried out research into the experiences and perceptions of volunteering from disabled people and organisations.

Volunteering by Age

Faith in Older People - The Gift of Age

Faith in Older People have published a new research paper ‘The gift of age, Older people, Faith communities, and volunteering’. Read the full report and Volunteer Scotland’s analysis and blog via the buttons below.

Young People in Scotland 2022 – Volunteering Report

Based on Ipsos survey data this report examines how youth volunteering in Scotland has changed during the ‘permacrisis’ years 2020-2022.

Youth Volunteering in Deprived Areas

James Davis is a PhD student at the University of Strathclyde who has been studying youth volunteering in some of the most deprived areas of Glasgow.

Being Young in Scotland 2010

We carried out a survey of young people (aged 11-25) in 2010 to explore their involvement and interest in volunteering.

Volunteering Landscape

OSCR Charity Survey 2016 – 2022

We’ve been analysing OSCR’s Charity Surveys to provide new insights on volunteering in the charity sector, with a particular focus on volunteer engagement and recruitment.

Volunteer Participation

The State of Scottish Volunteering - Insights from Volunteer Scotland’s Research

Each year, Volunteer Scotland publishes a wide range of research and analysis on volunteering, drawing on national datasets and studies from our partners. We bring this evidence together to highlight the key headlines shaping the state of volunteering in Scotland today.

Volunteer Experience - Analysis of the SCVO Workforce Survey

Our new analysis of the 2025 Scottish Voluntary Sector Workforce Survey offers the most detailed picture to date of who volunteers are, what drives them, and the conditions that help them thrive.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) Health and Wellbeing Survey: Cross-Sectional Analysis

Volunteer Scotland analysed the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Adult Health and Wellbeing Survey to explore the relationship between volunteering and a range of social indicators in a number of geographies across the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

The social value of volunteering in Scotland – Technical Report

New ground-breaking research on the social value of volunteering in Scotland. We partnered with social value specialists State of Life to quantify the difference volunteering makes to people’s wellbeing and put a monetary value on that increased wellbeing.

Scottish Household Survey (SHS) Results

The Scottish Household Survey (SHS) is an annual survey conducted since 1999 (with a revised volunteer question set added in 2007). Volunteer Scotland analyse the SHS results on an annual basis. The level of analysis we do depends on whether the SHS dataset has the short or long question set.

Who contributes the most to Scottish volunteering?

New analysis of formal and informal volunteering hours across key demographic groups in Scotland.

Scottish Household Survey: Cross-Sectional Analysis

Volunteer Scotland analysed the Scottish Household Survey to explore the relationship between formal volunteer participation and a range of social indicators.

NCVO Time Well Spent – Scottish Analysis

New Scottish analysis of NCVOs’ Time Well Spent survey, providing important new insights into the Volunteer Experience in Scotland.

UK Volunteering Participation Rates

We’ve carried out a review of participation rates for formal volunteering across the UK.

Informal Volunteering in Deprived Urban Scotland

We’ve explored the concept of informal volunteering in deprived urban areas.

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