Time Well Spent – Findings from recent Report reveal Changes in the Volunteer Experience, August 2022

A recent report from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) reveals how the volunteer experience has changed amid the Pandemic and what this could mean for volunteering in the future.

Time Well Spent was a research programme that focused on the volunteer experience. It was designed to offer detailed and practical insight which could start conversation within the sector based around its findings, and so strengthen the impact of volunteering.

The Programme’s report found that health was one of the main things that stopped volunteering during the pandemic, leading to activities moving across online.

The findings also indicated that although volunteers generally reported positive experience during pandemic-specific challenges, some volunteers did feel guilt because they were unable to help as much as they wanted, which led to emotional fatigue and burnout in volunteers.

It is from this indication that the NCVO is urging charities to make supporting and rebuilding the emotional wellbeing of volunteers a priority before asking them to continue or return.

To see other recommendations or to read the report in full visit the NCVO website.