Olympics 'has boosted volunteers by 3.4 million'

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Olympics 'has boosted volunteers by 3.4 million'6

Governance | Jonathan Last | 3 Sep 2012

The London 2012 Olympics has inspired 3.4 million people to volunteer, according to a recent survey of UK adults.

The research, carried out by ICM Research for the Community Service Volunteers’ (CSV) Make a Difference Day campaign, saw 7 per cent of respondents say that the games have inspired them to volunteer, which when weighted to the UK adult population gives the 3.4 million figure.

A nationally representative sample of 2,033 adults were interviewed online between 10 and 12 August for the survey.

The most popular form of volunteering was informal ‘acts of kindness’, for example helping an elderly neighbour with their shopping or a young person write their CV, chosen by 34 per cent of respondents.

This was followed by 16 per cent for ‘practical activities’, such as creating a community garden, and ‘help an organisation by using your professional experience and skills’, such as designing a website, with 13 per cent.

The largest single reason given for people not volunteering or volunteering more was a reluctance to commit to anything long-term, which was chosen by 21 per cent of respondents. Seventeen per cent said they simply were not interested, followed by issues revolving around their financial situation (15 per cent).

Games caused ‘radical shift’ in perception

This year’s Olympics saw 15,000 volunteers help out at the opening and closing ceremonies in London, as well as 70,000 volunteer “Games Makers” giving their time throughout the 17-day event, and a further 8,000 Team London Ambassadors, who took care of visitors to London.

"If you could bottle the enthusiasm of the Olympics and the Paralympic volunteers you could change the world," says Lucy de Groot, chief executive of CSV. "They have put down a major challenge to everyone who values the contribution that volunteering can make to society and the difference it can make to the lives of the volunteers. This includes the voluntary sector, the private sector and the government.

"We need to recognise that the investment by the Olympics in recruiting, training and support for their volunteers paid off, and to ensure we replicate this in volunteer programmes in future."

De Groot is one of the trustees of a new £2m government-backed Olympic volunteering legacy charity, set up by Prime Minister David Cameron.

She continued to say that the Olympics have “radically shifted” the perception of volunteers in our society, and that 18 to 24-year-olds are more inspired than any other age group to volunteer due to the Olympics.

CSV’s annual Make a Difference Day, which encourages people to try out volunteering in their local area, takes place this year on Saturday 27 October.

Directory: Community Service Volunteers

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Michael Hodgson
6 Sep 2012

As someone who was often told "you should be setting up volunteer groups to do x and y in your area", I think Bab and Victoria are seeing two sides of the same issue.

Managing volunteers (in every sense) is costly, time consuming and difficult - if you want to get it right. If you get it right, it can be beneficial and rewarding to both. I don't think anyone really apreciates the cost - financial and in time of managing volunteers (and I don't mean 'micro-managing', I mean as 'simple' as making sure that expectations and roles match, that needs and opportunities match).

The difficulty comes from so many charities having so little funds available, and seeing volunteers as a way of getting things done more cheaply.

Volunteers for the games ( it seems to me), wanted to be a part of something amazing and once in a lifetime - so even the mundane was special. Volunteering long term for a charity is amazing and lifechanging, but can be mundane - and making this feel special and rewarding takes investment that few charities can manage.

[Reply]

Victoria Wright
Finance Manager
City & Hackney Mind
6 Sep 2012

Goodness me, as per usual another barrage of negativity on Civil Society, what a surprise!

I have been to various Paralympic events and the attitude and energy of the Games makers was absolutely wonderful and made the event even more enjoyable. That in itself is worthy of praise but I know many people who volunteered at the Games and found it a very positive experience and this is much more likely to lead to future volunteering. Also, the general respect people I know who have attended the Games feel for the volunteers and their contributing is bound to have positive effects and no not every one of them will go on to volunteer but it has done a lot to raise the profile of volunteering and I am sure will lead to more people being aware of and wanting to take up volunteering opportunities.

The main problem will be that many charities are just not very good at developing and promoting volunteer opportunities. I have volunteered in several charities over the last few years and most of them manage this process very badly and don't value the contributions of their volunteers highly enough, that is the real challenge to overcome.

[Reply]

Bab
6 Sep 2012
Response to [Victoria Wright]

About shame and disgrace of volunteer management - absolute truth.
Additionally (a bit negativity about sector - ...again... - and its accessibility) if one is working full-time and - God forbid! - commute a couple of hours daily on top of that, it's actually worse that being a lepper, no opportunities whatsoever. It partially answers popular question of 'why these people set up these groups, for God's sake? isn't there enough of them?' Well, not enough indeed.
People will volunteer if they want and they will find a way to do it (e.g. note above). No social engineering or post-Olimpic hype would help or hinder this process. It would be great to have a high-class management in place but hey, it costs money. Surely nobody expects people to volunteer and pay for it? Well, except participants of government scheme for young people that is...

[Reply]

Carl Allen
3 Sep 2012

Happy volunteers having fun and excitement at the Olympics!

And that is where the story ends.

By way of note, each volunteer did get a oyster card for the entire Olympic period allowing unlimited travel.

Will government help in this way?

[Reply]

Bab
4 Sep 2012
Response to [Carl Allen]

Ha! Oyster card? This is not the whole (horror) story - I know cases where existing volunteers have become militant 'because on Olimpics they can spend their expenses how they want and how come they have to give receipts here, he?' There you go, legacy for the nation.
One thing puzzles me: these people surely must know (or do they?) that volunteer management is much more challenging, time consuming and overall costly than employee management - what's the point of building momentum if it won't be used anyway?

[Reply]

Sharon Shortland
Fundraising Manager
Thera Trust
3 Sep 2012

Let's just wait and see - it is likely that many of the people questioned will have said they are inspired but will not actually do anything about it and lets see if the 3.4m are still there in a years time - i amy be cynical but I doubt it.
I hope I am proved wrong.

[Reply]

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