Young People and Volunteering in Scotland

Young People and Volunteering in Scotland

TECHNICAL NOTE

INTRODUCTION

Volunteer Scotland (VS) included a set of volunteer questions in the Young People in Scotland (YPiS) Survey 2016. The purpose of collecting this data was to reflect on the current state of volunteering amongst young people in Scotland.

The YPiS is a school-based omnibus survey which is run by IPSOS Mori on a bi-annual basis.VS previously included a set of questions in the YPiS 2014 survey. To find out more about the YPiS survey please follow this link.

Data from the survey was received in November 2016 and VS hasanalysed and published the results in a PowerPoint presentation. The findings will help focus and guide future research and analysis in this area, alongside helping to inform policy and practice developments.

This ‘Technical Note’ has been produced to provide supplementary information to the findings presented in the PowerPoint presentation.

DEFINITIONS AND CLASSIFICATIONS

-Young People: the survey was issued to pupils in state-sector secondary schools in Scotland. The age range of pupils in secondary schools is 11-18 years, although a smaller proportion of young people are aged 11 or 18 years. This is due to pupils either still being in primary school at the younger age or having left school at the older age.

-Formal volunteering: formal volunteering is where unpaid help is undertaken through a group, club, charity or other organisation, to help other people or to help a cause. In contrast, 'informal volunteering' refers to unpaid help given as an individual directly to people who are not relatives.

-‘Total Yes’: refers to the total number of young people who have volunteered, regardless of whether they have volunteered in school time, spare time or both. For example, 27% of young people volunteered in school time in 2016 and 40% in their spare time. As this was a multiple choice question, 15% of young people had volunteered in both their school and spare time.If this double counting is removed, then the overall number of young people who volunteered in 2016 was 52%.

-SIMD – analysis of the results by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation is based not on the postcode of respondents, but the location of the school. Using the Scottish Secondary Schools Contact Database the 52 schools were classified as to what proportion of pupils in each school was in the lowest SIMD quintile. This enabled Ipsos-Mori to analyse the data against five categories:

• No pupils in lowest SIMD quintile
• 0- 20% of pupils in lowest SIMD quintile
• 20 – 40 % of pupils in lowest SIMD quintile
• 40 – 60% of pupils in lowest SIMD quintile
• 60 – 100% of pupils in lowest SIMD quintile

COVERAGE

The YPiS survey was completed by pupils in 52 schools from across 24 local authorities in Scotland:

Aberdeen City / 2 schools
Aberdeenshire / 4 schools
Angus / 2 schools
Argyll and Bute / 2 schools
Clackmannanshire / 1 schools
Dumfries and Galloway / 2 schools
East Ayrshire / 1 schools
East Lothian / 2 schools
East Renfrewshire / 1 schools
Edinburgh / 3 schools
Fife / 5 schools
Glasgow / 3 schools
Highland / 4 schools
Inverclyde / 1 schools
Moray / 2 schools
North Ayrshire / 2 schools
Orkney / 1 schools
Perth and Kinross / 3 schools
Renfrewshire / 2 schools
Scottish Borders / 1 schools
Shetland / 3 schools
South Ayrshire / 2 schools
South Lanarkshire / 2 schools
Stirling / 1 schools

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

1,550 pupils across the 52 schools completed the survey during September to October 2016. The survey was undertaken on a self-completion basis in mixed ability classes such as Personal and Social Education (PSE). See Annexes A and B for the questionnaires used in 2014 and 2016 respectively.

2014 2016COMPARISONS

The same set of core questions relating to whether young people volunteered and with what frequency were asked in both 2014 and 2016 to allow for comparisons across time. A different set of additional questions were asked in 2016 to those asked in 2014. See Annex A and B for a list of the questions included in the 2014 and 2016 surveys.

YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT COMPARISONS

The Scottish Household Survey (SHS) captures levels of adult volunteering in Scotland on an annual basis. The definition of an adult in the SHS is anyone aged 16 years and over. The SHS presents results using grouped age bands, with the youngest age band being those aged between 16-24 years. It is therefore important to note that the SHS and YPiS results both contain responses from those aged between 16-18 years. When comparing any findings between the 2 surveys, users should be aware of this duplication.

DATA SOURCES

The following data sources have been referred to in the analysis of the YPiS 2016 results:

• Young People and Volunteering in Scotland. This was produced by VS following the inclusion of a volunteering module in the YPiS 2014. This contains findings from the survey and also includes feedback from practitioners and key stakeholders.

• Being Young in Scotland (BYiS), 2009. VS included a set of volunteer questions in the BYiS omnibus survey of young people (aged 11-25 years) living in Scotland.

• The Scottish Household Survey (SHS), 2015. This is a National Statisticsrelease which is produced by the Scottish Government on an annual basis. More detailed information about the survey, including the survey methodology, can be found here.

• High Level Summary of Statistics Data for School Education. This contains information on the number of pupils in state schools, special schools and school exclusions. NOTE: There is no available breakdown of special schools between primary and secondary school ages. We have therefore assumed 50% of pupils in special schools to be of secondary school age.

• Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS):Pupil Numbers and Demographic Trends, 2016. This presents information on the number of pupils in independent secondary schools.

• Skills Development Scotland (SDS): participation measure for 16 – 19 year olds in Scotland, 2015. This publication contains experimental statistics on the learning, training and work activity of 16-19 year olds in Scotland.

DEMOGRAPHIC COVERAGE

Although entitled ‘Young People in Scotland’, the Ipsos-Mori research only includes young people in state secondary education who are attending school. This amounts to c. 70% of the total population of young people aged 11 – 18. The other 30% includes those in private education, pupils excluded from school, those in special schools and those who have left school.

Data category / No. of young people1 / % / Year/data source
No. of secondary pupils in state schools / 281,000 / 69.6% / 2016
Proportion of pupils excluded from state schools (secondary) / 14,098 / 3.7% / 2014/15
Proportion of pupils excluded from state schools (special) / 854 / 2014/15
No. of pupils in private secondary schools / 17,786 / 4.4% / 2016
No. of pupils in special schools2 / 3,350 / 0.8% / 2016
No. of 16 - 18 year olds 'not participating' / 10,138 / 2.5% / 2015
No. of 16 - 18 year olds in higher/further education / 38,295 / 9.5% / 2015
No. of 16-18 year olds in employment or training / 29,547 / 7.3% / 2015
No. of 16-18 year olds 'status unknown' / 5,478 / 1.4% / 2015
Total3 / 403,896 / 100% / -
Notes:
1. ‘Young people’ are defined as being in secondary education or who have left secondary education up to the age of 18.
2. Secondary school figure for special schools estimated to be 50% of the total no. of pupils in special schools (6,700)
3. The total number of young people is an approximate figure due to timing variations between data sources.

The consequence of this demographic focus on young people in state secondary education is that the actual volunteering participation, frequency, etc. may be higher or lower that stated in the Ipsos-Mori data.

TABLES AND CHARTS

Please note that the figures provided in the charts have been independently rounded, so they may not always sum to the relevant sub-totals or totals. Some tables and charts may also include multiple responses or exclude ‘don’t know’ or ‘other’ categorises.

Also, there may be marginal variations in the ‘Total Yes’[1] figures for volunteering, where the results have been cross-tabulated with demographic variables such as gender, disability and rural/urban. This is due to the classification data questions including non-response options such as: “not stated”, “prefer not to say” and “don’t know”. The analysis has had to exclude these responses in comparing these binary results against the total number of volunteers (803 weighted total out of 1,550 = 52%).

ACCESS TO DATA

For those who wish to undertake their own analysis access to the Ipsos-Mori tabulated results has been provided – this link gives access to the data.

CONTACT

Our aim is to provide relevant and reliable information, analysis and advice. If you have any questions or comments regarding the content of these findings, then please contact Gemma Jackson or Matthew Linning on 01786 479593 or email .

ANNEX A: YPIS 2014 – SURVEY QUESTIONS

Section 1: Helping Out

These next questions are about helping out an organisation or individual who is not a family member, without being paid; for example, helping other people in your neighbourhood or helping out with local clubs or charities. Sometimes we forget about all the helping out that we do. So please take a few minutes to think about these things before answering the questions.

Q1 / Thinking back over the last 12 months, have you given up any of your time to help out with things like clubs, campaigns or organisations without being paid?
PLEASE TICK  ALL THAT APPLY
 / Yes, in school time /  / No, but would consider doing so (Please go to Q5)
 / Yes, in my own spare time /  / No, and would not consider doing so (Please go to Q5)
 / Don’t know (Please go to Q5)

If you’ve said yes to helping out, then you’re volunteering. These next questions are about your volunteering.

Q2 / How often have you volunteered in the last 12 months?
PLEASE TICK  ONE BOX ONLY
 / A few times a week /  / Five or six times a year
 / About once a week /  / A few times a year
 / At least once a month /  / No more than once a year
Q3 / Did any of these people help you to begin volunteering? They might have done this by telling you about things that you could do to help, showing you how to get started, or just by encouraging you.
PLEASE TICK  ALL THAT APPLY
 / My parent(s), or guardian /  / Someone at a club or group I go to
 / Other family member /  / Someone at a local community organisation (e.g. library)
 / Friends /  / Someone at my local job centre
 / A teacher /  / Someone from a scheme (e.g. Duke of Edinburgh, Saltire)
 / Someone else /  / No, I did it by myself
Q4 / Which of these things would encourage you to do any/more volunteering in the future?
PLEASE TICK  NO MORE THAN FIVE BOXES
 / If I could volunteer with my friends /  / If someone asked me to do something
 / If I could try volunteering to see if I liked it /  / If someone could help me find out about volunteering activities in my area
 / If I could volunteer close to where I live /  / If I could volunteer in school time
 / If I could be in charge of my own volunteering /  / If it would improve my skills
 / If I could do the same type of volunteering at the same time every week /  / If it would improve my career/job prospects
 / If I could volunteer outside school time (such as at evenings or weekends) /  / None of these
 / If I could volunteer with my family
Q5 / In which of the following areas would you say you would be most interested in volunteering with?
PLEASE TICK  NO MORE THAN 3 BOXES
 / Children or young people (in school) /  / First aid or safety (e.g. Duke of Edinburgh)
 / Children or young people’s groups (outside school) /  / Justice and human rights
 / Sport or exercise /  / Local community or neighbourhood groups
 / Religious groups /  / Hobbies/arts/recreation/social clubs
 / Political groups /  / Environmental protection
 / Older people/the elderly /  / Wildlife Protection
 / Heath or disabilities /  / Animal welfare
 / I would be interested in another area /  / None of these areas
QA / When you think about volunteering, which of these words and phrases comes to mind?
PLEASE TICK  ALL THAT APPLY
 / Being a good citizen /  / A chance to do something you’re interested in
 / Helping people out /  / A way to make a difference
 / Using up too much of my spare time /  / It’s a bit ‘goody-goody‘
 / A way to develop skills or experience /  / Old fashioned
 / Boring /  / A way to have a good time
 / A way to make friends /  / None of these things
QA / Which of these activities would you most like to do in your spare time?
PLEASE TICK  NO MORE THAN FIVEBOXES
 / Take part in youth groups (Scouts, Guides, youth clubs) /  / Go to sports clubs, gyms, exercise or dance groups
 / Go to drama, music or singing groups /  / Help out your friends /neighbours
 / Volunteer with a local group or charity /  / Take part in computer club or group
 / Go to a church/other religious group /  / Take part in campaigns or demonstrations
 / Go to under 18s clubs/venues /  / Go to an art or crafts club

ANNEX B: YPIS 2016 – SURVEY QUESTIONS

Section 1: Helping Out

These next questions are about helping out an organisation or individual who is not a family member, without being paid; for example, helping other people in your neighbourhood or helping out with local clubs or charities. Sometimes we forget about all the helping out that we do so please take a few minutes to think about these things before answering the questions.

Q1 / Thinking back over the last 12 months, have you given up any of your time to help out with things like clubs, campaigns or organisations?
PLEASE TICK ALL THAT APPLY
 / Yes, in school time /  / No, but I’d like to do this in the future (please go to Q5)
 / Yes, in my own spare time /  / No, and I’d not consider doing so (please go to Q5)

If you’ve said yes to helping out, then you’re volunteering! These next questions are about your volunteering.

Q2 / Which of these areas have you been volunteering in?
PLEASE TICK ALL THAT APPLY
 / Children or young people (in school) /  / First aid or safety
 / Children or young people’s groups (outside school) /  / Justice and human rights
 / Sport or exercise /  / Local community or neighbourhood groups
 / Religious groups /  / Hobbies/arts/recreation/social clubs
 / Political groups /  / Environmental protection
 / Older people/the elderly /  / Wildlife protection
 / Health or disabilities /  / Animal welfare
 / Other (please say what) /  / I don’t know
 / Prefer not to say
Q3 / How often have you volunteered in the last 12 months?
PLEASE TICK  ONE BOX ONLY
 / A few times a week /  / Five or six times a year
 / About once a week /  / A few times a year
 / At least once a month /  / No more than once a year
 / I don’t know /  / Prefer not to say
Q4 / Have you experienced any of the following as a result of volunteering?
PLEASE TICK ALL THAT APPLY
 / Having fun /  / Increased confidence
 / Learning new skills /  / Finding a paid job
 / Feeling appreciated /  / Feeling I’ve improved my study prospects
 / Feeling I’ve improved my job prospects /  / Increased understanding of what I can achieve
 / Making new friends /  / Feeling part of a team
 / Feeling I’ve made a difference /  / Increased trust in others
 / Feeling happier /  / Feeling better about myself
 / Learning how to overcome challenges /  / None of these
 / I don’t know /  / Prefer not to say
Q5 / Would you be more likely to volunteer if it helped you achieve any of the following?
PLEASE TICK ALL THAT APPLY
 / Having fun /  / Improved confidence
 / Learning new skills /  / Finding a paid job
 / Feeling appreciated /  / Feeling I’ve improved my study prospects
 / Feeling I’ve improved my job prospects /  / Increased understanding of what I can achieve
 / Making new friends /  / Feeling part of a team
 / Feeling I’ve made a difference /  / Increased trust in others
 / Feeling happier /  / Feeling better about myself
 / Learning how to overcome challenges /  / Nothing would make me more likely to
 / I don’t know /  / Prefer not to say

[1] See definition of ‘Total Yes’ on page 1 of the Technical Note