informed Youth Volunteering: Attitudes and Perceptions

Transcription

1 informed Youth Volunteering: Attitudes and Perceptions A report from v, the youth volunteering charity, exploring the link between volunteering and skills development

2 Published by v 5th Floor Dean Bradley House 52 Horseferry Road London SW1P 2AF Registered charity no: Issued January 28

3 Foreword v is an independent charity launched in 26 initially to implement recommendations of the Russell Commission on youth action and engagement. Among other things, the Commission recognised that one of the most powerful incentives for young people to volunteer is to improve their skills and employability. As this new research shows, young volunteers are overwhelmingly positive about the benefits of involvement and the positive effect that volunteering can have on career progression. This survey is an important contribution to the national debate on skills and participation. It reminds us that transferable skills such as team-work and communication are essential for young people entering the work-force and highly desired by employers. It also confirms that volunteering can be a highly effective way for young people, including those who are not in education, employment or training, to develop skills and suggests several key areas where more must be done in order to boost recognition of the role volunteering plays in developing these skills. v looks forward to working with a wide range of partners, including employers and those working in education, to ensure that everyone fully appreciates the benefits of volunteering. Attitudes are incredibly influential; we will only be successful in our mission to inspire a new generation of young volunteers if the image of volunteering is a compelling one. Terry Ryall, v Chief Executive 1

4 Introduction v commissioned the youth research and communications agency Dubit to carry out this survey in order to explore and contrast the views of different target audiences and stakeholders on youth volunteering. v will be using the findings to inform the development of its work promoting the benefits of volunteering to young people. The survey was also commissioned to examine the relationship between perception and action, especially amongst employers, and to consider the impact of volunteering on career progression. This report incorporates the findings of four separate on-line surveys carried out with the following four distinct target audiences. Most survey questions were identical across all four groups but some questions were adapted to be relevant to the target audience Young People (16-25 year olds) A total of 1, young people were surveyed, including young people who are not in education, employment and training (NEET), non-volunteers and young people who are already volunteering. 2. Human Resource Departments (Employers) This survey was conducted with 371 employers in England and the results can be analysed by the sector and size of operation. 3. Higher Education (HE) & Further Education (FE) colleges admissions departments 34 individuals responded to the survey, 65% from the Higher Education sector and 35% from Further Education. 4. Volunteering Organisations 177 volunteering organisations, from a range of voluntary sector networks, took part in the survey. The survey was also completed by members of the v2 v s youth advisory board. These responses are contrasted with other young people or other target audiences where significant differences exist. Segmentation and breakdown factors for each of the four target audiences are presented in some more detail in the report annex. This report identifies some of the survey s key findings and illustrates these with charts that compare and contrast responses across the different groups. Figures have been rounded to the nearest percentage. 1 On the subjects of access to employment and skills for success, this report looks at responses from three, rather than four, of the surveyed groups. The response from HE & FE admissions departments was not considered to be as relevant, particularly given the small sample size. 2

5 Executive Summary There is strong agreement among young people, employers, HE and FE admissions departments, and volunteering organisations, that volunteering is worthwhile and can help young people gain and develop transferable skills. All groups agree that communication skills are the most important for career success. Young people and employers both also strongly agree that volunteering can help young people develop communication skills and team-work. Some employers are acknowledging these transferable skills when considering job applications but others do not recognise the relevance of volunteering unless the experience is directly linked to their field of operation. All groups are positive about the effect volunteering can have on career progression, but those young people who are most likely to benefit from this (those who are not in education, employment or training) are slightly more sceptical about the advantages of volunteering. 3

6 Key Findings Attitudes to and Perceptions of Volunteering Respondents across all four audiences were asked how much they agreed with the following list of statements about volunteering, as presented below: 1. Volunteering programmes make a positive difference to the lives of young people who take part. 2. Volunteering encourages young people to use their skills in a way that benefits society. 3. Young people can gain and develop transferable skills through volunteering. 4. Volunteering adds value to a young person s skills or experience. 5. Volunteering improves skills when done through well organised / renown charities Young people were presented with two more statements: 1. Volunteering could be enjoyable 2. Volunteering might make me feel I am giving something back to society Overall, the level of agreement with these statements was high, demonstrating very positive views of volunteering. The most highly rated statement across all groups was Young people can gain and develop transferable skills through volunteering and the following chart illustrates the average approval rating for this statement across all four audiences. 1 Mean approval ratings Young people HE/FE Admissions Volunteering organisations Employers Young people can gain and develop transferable skills through volunteering 4

7 Closer analysis of the results relating to this statement also reveals the following: Young People Higher approval ratings amongst young women compared with young men, 8.3 compared with 7.5 Higher approval ratings amongst young volunteers compared with young people who are not volunteering, 8.4 compared with 7.4 An above-average approval rating of 8.6 was given by Black young people compared to Asian young people who rated the statement slightly lower than average at 7.7 Employers Employers were overwhelmingly positive about the statement with an average approval rating of 8.2 across all HR departments Small public organisations revealed the most positive views on volunteering and gave this statement an average rating of 8.8 Higher and Further Education The slightly higher approval rating of 9.1 was given by respondents in FE compared to those in HE who gave an average approval rating of 8.6 Volunteering Organisations Volunteering organisations gave very high approval rating to this statement, an average rating of 9.2 with little variation across networks Access to Employment Respondents across three target audiences were then asked whether they thought volunteering experiences and an associated improvement of skills had the potential to facilitate access to employment. Young people and employers were asked how much they agreed with each of the following three statements 2 : 1. Volunteering is a valuable activity that could have a positive effect on career progression. 2. When considering a job application, it is irrelevant whether or not a young person has volunteered 3. Volunteering experience is only relevant if directly linked to what business/ organisation does 2 With some minor wording changes adapted to the context of each audience. 5

8 6 % 7 % Young People Contribution of volunteering to chances of employment / access to education: perception of young people 18 % 22 % 26 % 76 % 7 % 23 % 51 % Volunteering is a valuable activity that could have a positive effect on my career progression If I volunteered, the experience would give me an advantage over other candidates when applying for Higher Education / Further Education or a job Volunteering will only be an advantage for some types of jobs / degrees, so it depends on what I might be applying for Agree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Overall, a very high proportion of young people, 76%, thought that volunteering could have a positive effect on career progression and a slightly lower percentage, 7%, agreed that volunteering experiences provide an advantage over other candidates when applying for jobs or courses. However, it is important to note that over half of all respondents, 51%, also thought that volunteering would only be an advantage for specific types of jobs and degrees. Further analysis also shows that: Volunteers are more likely than non-volunteers to see volunteering as useful and advantageous Young women expressed more positive views than men about the benefits of volunteering Young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) were slightly more sceptical about the benefits of volunteering 6

9 Employers Contribution of volunteering to chances of employment: HR departments (% of respondents) Percentage of respondents % Volunteering is a valuable activity that could have a positive effect on career progression When considering a job application, it is irrelevant whether or not a young person has volunteered Volunteering experience is only relevant if directly linked to what our business/organisation does Agree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree The results from HR departments were particularly revealing, with 87% of employers agreeing that volunteering can have a positive effect on career progression. However, when asked about the impact of volunteering on access to employment, nearly three in ten said that when considering a job application it is irrelevant whether a young person has volunteered. A further 27% were uncertain, and only 13% strongly disagreed with the statement. Over 3% also felt that volunteering experience is only relevant if linked to the field of operation of their organisation. 7

10 Volunteering Organisations Volunteering organisations were asked how strongly they agreed with the following two statements and results are presented in the chart below: 1. Volunteering is a valuable activity that could have a positive effect on career progression 2. Our experience has shown that volunteering can impact favourably on a young person s chance of getting a job or progressing into further/higher education Contribution of volunteering to chances of employment / access to education: perception of volunteering organisations (% of respondents) 1 Percentage of respondents Volunteering is a valuable activity that could have a positive effect on career progression Our experience has shown that volunteering can impact favourably on a young person s chance of getting a job or progressing into further/higher education Agree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree The chart shows that a very high percentage, 97%, of the respondents across volunteering networks strongly agreed with the statements that volunteering was beneficial for young people with regard to career progression. Similarly, 93% reported that volunteering has a positive impact on access to employment and/or educational opportunities. 8

11 Skills for Success Finally, a series of skills were presented to the groups and they were asked to identify which of these they perceived to be important for employment. Respondents were then asked which of the skills they believed could be acquired via volunteering. The charts below show the findings across the four target audiences. Young People Perceived importance of different skills (mean score) 1 Mean importance Communication Taking responsibility Self management Listening skills Team work Self confidence Knowing how to plan work Problem solving Self awareness / reflection Leadership skills Understanding of social and cultural issues Skills that respondents think can be gained through volunteering (% of respondents) 1 Percentage of respondents Team work Communication Self confidence Taking responsibility Understanding of social and cultural issues Listening skills Self awareness / reflection Managing your own time Problem solving Leadership skills Knowing how to plan work None of these 9

12 Employers Perceived importance of different skills (mean score) 1 Mean importance Communication Team work Listening skills Taking responsibility Self management Knowing how to plan work Problem solving Self confidence Self awareness / reflection Understanding of social and cultural issues Leadership skills Skills that respondents think can be gained through volunteering (% of respondents) 1 Percentage of respondents Team work Communication Self confidence Listening skills Taking responsibility Understanding of social and cultural issues Problem solving Self awareness / reflection Self management Leadership skills Knowing how to plan work None of these 1

13 Volunteering Organisations Perceived importance of different skills (mean score) 1 Mean importance Communication Teamwork Taking responsibility Self management Listening skills Self confidence Problem solving Knowing how to plan work Self awareness / reflection Understanding of social and cultural issues Leadership skills Skills that respondents think can be obtained through volunteering (% of respondents) 1 Percentage of respondents None of these Teamwork Communication Self confidence Taking responsibility Listening skills Self management Understanding of social and cultural issues Self awareness / reflection Leadership skills Problem solving Knowing how to plan work Across all groups, skills identified as most important for career progression are also seen as being obtainable through volunteering experiences. In particular, team-work and communication skills, both cited as highly desirable by HR departments, are also considered by all groups to be the skills most likely to be obtained through volunteering. 11

14 Conclusion This survey clearly shows that volunteering is a worthwhile activity and can help young people gain and develop transferable skills. It also reveals that volunteering can have a positive effect on career progression and confirms that young people see the improvement of skills as a powerful incentive to volunteer. v has already developed a targeted youth marketing campaign that emphasises the link between volunteering and skills development. At the end of 28, v will also launch a new resource aimed at boosting recognition of volunteering. This will allow young volunteers to reflect on the skills they have developed through volunteering, and enable them to keep a record of their achievements. In order to strengthen the link between volunteering and skills development, we also recommend the following actions: Recommended Actions we call upon employers to give due consideration to volunteering experiences and the role they play in developing key skills for the work-place; we recommend that all schools, HE and FE establishments, offer young people designated time to volunteer in their communities, and signpost young people to volunteering opportunities accessible through and through local vinvolved teams; we urge Government to ensure that volunteering opportunities play a significant role, alongside formal education and training options, in the post-16 offer; we encourage all concerned to promote the benefits of volunteering to young people who are not in education, employment or training; we encourage all those offering young people volunteering opportunities to help young volunteers to identify and articulate the skills they have developed as a result of their experience; and we urge young people to make the most of volunteering opportunities and encourage young volunteers to recognise the skills they have developed as a result of their experiences. Find out more about volunteering opportunities at To find out more about v, visit 12

15 Annex: Sample Characteristics Young People (16-25 year olds) This survey of young people was carried out with 1, year olds, representative of the population breakdown in England in terms of major demographic/social factors as presented below: Gender Age Ethnicity Educational/professional activity Responses to the survey can also be analysed by: Volunteering experience (as defined by v): volunteers/non-volunteers (5/5 split) The charts below present the main characteristics of young people responding to the survey. Chart 1: Gender split of respondents to Young Persons survey 58 % Female 42 % Male Chart 2: Age split of respondents to Young Persons survey 4 % 35 % % 1

16 Chart 3: Ethnicity split of respondents to Young Persons survey 4 % 12 % 4 % 4 % 77 % White Black Asian Mixed Other Chart 4: Educational and work-related status of respondents to Young Persons survey 28 % 44 % 33 % 8 % College University Working NEET 1 1 Not in Education, Employment or Training 2

17 Human Resources Departments (Employers) This survey was completed by 371 Employers in England and results can be analysed by: sector of operation: public or private organisation dimension: small (up to 499 employees) or large (5+ employees) This is illustrated in the chart below. Chart 5: Split of Employers captured by survey 27 % 3 % 3 % 13 % Public - Small Public - Large Private - Small Private - Large Higher Education (HE) & Further Education (FE) Admissions Departments This survey was completed by 34 1 individuals from Further 2 and Higher Education establishments in England. Results can be analysed by: Type of establishment (FE or HE) This is illustrated in the chart below. Chart 6: Split of educational establishments captured by survey 35 % 1 The number of respondents is low, which means that results have to be analysed with caution. Over 5 FE institutions were targeted. 2 Including 6th form colleges. 65 % Higher Education Further Education 3

18 Volunteering Organisations This survey was completed by 177 individuals from the Volunteering sector working with organisations in England. The following charts present further information about the sample. Chart 7: Volunteering network affiliation (% of respondents) 1 Percentage of Respondents NVCO NCVYS Volunteering England Don t know None of these Other This chart shows that a significant percentage of respondents reported membership of NVCO (36%) and/ or Volunteering England (31%) while 18% were unsure and 28% reported affiliations to networks other than those listed. 4

19 Chart 8: Percentage of respondents who reported they were part of a volunteer centre (broken down by network affiliation) 1 Percentage of Respondents Total NVCO NCVYS Volunteering England Don t know Other None of these Volunteer Centre Organisation other than a Volunteer Centre Chart 9: Percentage of respondents that reported they received funding from v (broken down by volunteer centre). 1 Percentage of Respondents Volunteer Centre Organisation other than a Volunteer Centre Received funding Applied recently Never applied Applied unsuccessfully 5

20 Chart 1: Percentage of respondents that have received funding from v (broken down by network affiliates) Overall, 42% of the sample had received funding from v and the following chart analyses the sample on the basis of network affiliation. 6 Percentage of Respondents Total NCVO NCVYS Volunteering England Don t know Other None of these Received funding Applied recently Never applied Applied unsuccessfully 6

21 Chart 11: Work with young people (% of respondents) 1 Percentage of Respondents Total NCVO NCVYS Volunteering England Don t know Other We work with young people but also other groups None of these We work exclusively with young people We do not currently work with young people but availability of specific funding for this might allow us to do it We do not work with young people We do not currently work with young people but are planning to do this in the near future Examining the total sample it can be seen that the majority of organisations (66%) work with young people but also other groups. There was some variation according to network affiliation, with those organisations affiliated to Volunteering England, less likely to work exclusively with young people. 7

22 Chart 12: Work with young people volunteer centres and other organisations (% of respondents) 1 Percentage of Respondents Volunteer Centre Organisation other than a Volunteer Centre We work with young people but also other groups We work exclusively with young people We do not currently work with young people but availability of specific funding for this might allow us to do it We do not work with young people We do not currently work with young people but are planning to do this in the near future Chart 13: How respondents heard about the survey 59 % 14 % 1 % 8 % 4 % 6 % Other Word of mouth Phone contact from Dubit Through NCVYS Volunteering England VS magazine (NCVO) 8