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CHAPTER THREE PREVALENCE OF VOLUNTEERS AND COMPARISON WITH VDS DIGEST OF STATISTICS

Summary

3.1 Our analysis of SHS data found a similar relationship between rates of volunteering and certain demographic factors as Volunteer Development Scotland (VDS) statistics.

3.2 Both SHS and VDS statistics identified raising money, committee work and helping to organise or run an event as three of the most common types of volunteering. However, there were differences between SHS and VDS respondents in the number of hours spent volunteering in an average month.

Age

Table 3.1: Prevalence of Volunteering by Age

3.3 VDS data shows that the age bands with the highest proportion of volunteers are 35 to 44, 45 to 59 and 60 to 74, similar to the SHS findings.

Gender

Table 3.2: Prevalence of Volunteering by Gender

3.4 Our analysis of the SHS found that a slightly higher proportion of females (20.7% of whom volunteer) are more likely to volunteer than males (18.5% of whom do so) in Scotland. However, there was no significant difference between these proportions.

3.5 VDS found that an equal proportion of males and females volunteer.

Economic Status

Table 3.3: Prevalence of Volunteering by Economic Status in Scotland - SHS

Table 3.4: Prevalence of Volunteering by Working Status in Scotland - VDS

Note: The latest data available from VDS regarding volunteering by working status was collected in 2003.

3.6 Scottish Household Survey data suggests that those in self-employment (24.4% of whom volunteer) and part-time employment (25.4%) are more likely to volunteer than the general sample population (19.8%).

3.7 A similar pattern was found by VDS.

Income/Socio-Economic Group

Table 3.5: Prevalence of Volunteering by Income in Scotland - SHS

Table 3.6: Prevalence of Volunteering by Socio-Economic Group in Scotland - VDS

3.8 SHS findings illustrate that the higher the level of household income, the higher the propensity to volunteer. VDS findings support this, as it can be seen that the proportion of volunteers is higher in those socio-economic groups with higher incomes.

Area of Residence

Table 3.7: Prevalence of Volunteering by Area of Residence in Scotland - SHS

Table 3.8: Prevalence of Volunteering by Area of Residence in Scotland - VDS

3.9 SHS data indicate that the highest proportion of volunteers live in the Highlands and Islands. VDS have found similar results, with the highest proportion of volunteers living in the north of Scotland.

Type of Volunteering Activity

Table 3.9: Type of Volunteering Activity in Scotland - SHS

Table 3.10: Type of Volunteering Activity in Scotland - VDS

3.10 Tables 3.9 and 3.10 display the five most common volunteering activities identified through the Scottish Household Survey and Volunteer Development Scotland's survey.

3.11 SHS and VDS surveys both found that three of the most common volunteering activities in Scotland are raising money, helping to organise or run an event and committee work.

Intensity of Volunteering

Table 3.11: Number of Hours spent Volunteering per Month

3.12 Whereas 24.4% of people in the SHS survey say they spend fewer than 5 hours a month volunteering, this figure is higher for VDS, at 53%. This may imply that the respondents in the SHS survey spend longer volunteering than the respondents in the VDS survey. However the "no regular hours" category accounts for 21.4% of respondents and it is not possible to say how many of those individuals volunteer for less than 5 hours per month.

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