Consultant: University of Sheffield

The Research:

The aims of this research are to:

• Quantify the contribution made to English sport by volunteers
  
• Identify the nature of volunteering in sport in England and the challenges faced by volunteers and volunteer managers
  
• Identify and evaluate the support provided to sports volunteers and volunteer managers
  
• Identify all of the benefits associated with sports volunteering.

The specific research objectives are to:

• Estimate the total number of volunteers active in English sport
  
• Identify the demographics of sports volunteers
  
• Estimate the total number of voluntary hours being given to English sport (per week / per year)
  
• Estimate this voluntary contribution to English sport in monetary terms
  
• Evaluate the awareness amongst sports volunteers, sports clubs and NGBs of Sport England's VIP programme and other related initiatives
  
• Identify (or estimate) the number of sports clubs, NGBs, and local authorities that have a volunteer strategy in place
  
• Identify (or estimate) the number of sports clubs, NGBs, and local authorities that have a volunteer co-ordinator in place
  
• Identify current issues / common problems facing sports volunteers and voluntary organisations
  
• assess the attitudes of young people (16 - 24) to sports volunteering
  
• assess the attitudes of sports clubs to accepting young people as volunteers
  
• identify any barriers to sports volunteering
  
• Identify issues around sports volunteer management
  
• Identify and document best practice approaches to recruiting, managing and developing sports volunteers
  
• Identify the benefits of sports volunteering - for the individual, the sports club, and the local community
  

The findings from the research will be used to:

• Promote volunteering in sport
  
• Raise the profile of voluntary roles in sport
  
• Raise awareness of the issues around volunteering in sport
  
• Provide improved support to volunteers in sport
  
• Promote the benefits of effective volunteer management
  
• Promote good practice with regard to the recruitment (particularly of young people), management, and development of sports volunteers.

Progress to date: The fieldwork for this project began in January 2002. The project is now completed.

Reports:

Summary report (2.1 Mb) PDF

Final report (3.6 Mb) PDF

Front page & contents (79 Kb) PDF

Main Report (kb) PDF

Appendix 1 (54 Kb) PDF

Appendix 2  (93 Kb) PDF