Who contributes the most to Scottish volunteering?
Volunteer Scotland has analysed the Scottish Household Survey 2018 data for formal and informal volunteering to provide new evidence on ‘volunteering intensity’ across key variables such as gender, age, deprivation, income, education and health.
Average hours per volunteer are compared to the adult volunteering participation rate. The analysis challenges our current understanding of volunteer engagement and who contributes the most.
Findings are based on the average number of volunteering hours per adult volunteer in the last four weeks:
- Men contribute more hours volunteering formally than women, but fewer hours informally.
- The oldest age group (75+) contribute more hours volunteering formally than any other age group.
- Volunteers living in the 20% most deprived areas of Scotland contribute more informal volunteer hours compared to any of the other quintiles – and a similar number of hours for formal volunteering.
- Those looking after the family/home volunteer informally an average of over 22 hours per volunteer every four weeks – by far the highest of any employment status category.
- Those educated to Standard Grade level volunteer more hours compared to those educated to higher levels – for both formal and informal volunteering.
- Volunteers with long-term health conditions volunteer more hours compared to those without a long-term health condition – for both formal and informal volunteering.
Related downloads
Volunteering Data and Graphs
(Excel File)
Discussion points from Volunteer Midlothian Seminar
(Word Document)
Watch the Midlothian TSI Seminar discussing the findings
Access Passcode to view: KWD.L6^P