1. Volunteering & the Historic Environment
Photo © Historic Environment Scotland
Volunteer Management – the Opportunities & Challenges
Presentation to Heritage Volunteer Managers’ Conference
Matthew Linning – 21st September 2017

2. Presentation structure
Background to research
Volunteering – a ‘good news’ story
Challenges for historic environment sector
Good practice from case studies
Summing up and questions

3. Research project Funded & supported by Historic Environment Scotland
Conducted Jan – May 2016
Development of database of heritage bodies (1,040)
Online survey (182 responses)
Case studies (x 10)

4. Volunteering – a ‘good news’ story

5. Av. 7 days per volunteer p.a.
Key statistics
17,100 volunteers
121,000 volunteer days
Av. 7 days per volunteer p.a.
Staff to volunteers
1: 1.6
Economic value £17.5m

6. Trend in volunteering Actual change in volunteer numbers 2015
Desired change in volunteer numbers 2016
n = 179

7. Volunteering benefits

8. Volunteering – the challenges
Impact on volunteers
From ‘Whole Picture’ research
Volunteering – the challenges
n =

9. Challenges to increasing volunteering participation

10. Changing the volunteer profile
Current focus
“....predominantly female, aged 65+, retired & highly educated.”
New focus
Youth engagement – schools & tertiary education
Excluded individuals – deprived communities, mental
health, ex-offenders, immigrants, etc.
Changed practice
Flexibility in the volunteering offer – interesting, meaningful &
volunteer focused (timing, content, skills)

11. Improving volunteer management
Engagement
“Initial engagement is the part that needs work”
Communication
“People don’t know what opportunities are out there”
Recruitment
“Speak to volunteers & ASK what they want”
Problems & Solutions
Volunteer Status
“Greater appreciation at all levels in the organisation”
Skills
“Learning and gaining experience”
Management
“Posts dedicated to volunteer management”

12. The resource challenge
Volunteer engagers
Reduced core funding – less time for volunteer management
“....often it is the perceived luxury items such as volunteer projects
(which are cut).”
Funders & government
“....volunteering is not free.”
“....lack of understanding about how voluntary orgs. operate.”
Changed practice
Sector to make a more robust and evidenced based case
Capacity building for funding bodies & government

13. Volunteering case studies
Impact on volunteers
From ‘Whole Picture’ research
Volunteering case studies
n =

14. Community engagement Lessons learned Local ‘ownership’
Scottish Coastal Archaeology
And the problem of Erosion
Edinburgh Graveyards
Project
Scottish Redundant
Churches Trust
© SRCT
© SCAPE
© Susan Buckham
Lessons learned
Local ‘ownership’
Community led, but....facilitation and support
Clear project focus
Softly-softly
Flexible timeline

15. Scottish Waterways Trust Young Archaeologists Club
Youth volunteering
Dig It! 2015
© Dig It! 2017
Scottish Waterways Trust
© Scottish Waterways Trust
Young Archaeologists Club
© Katy Firth
Examples
Youth volunteers engaging youth beneficiaries
Supporting disadvantaged young people
16/17 year olds supporting primary school children

16. Innovative volunteering
National Museums
Scotland
© National Museums Scotland
National Trust
for Scotland
© National Trust for Scotland
Historic Environment
Scotland
© Historic Environment Scotland
© Creative Commons license, Scotland's Urban Past for HES
Scotland’s Urban
Past
Examples
Music and performing arts
Costume interpretation
Specialist & technical skills

17. Implications of research
Importance of volunteering to the sector
Strong development potential
Excellent examples of good practice
But......barriers have to be addressed
Are these surmountable?

18. Implications of research
Importance of volunteering to the sector
Strong development potential
Excellent examples of good practice
But......barriers have to be addressed
Are these surmountable?
“Volunteers want to participate in a worthwhile, well run organisation; they want a task they enjoy, where they help meaningfully; they need to be appreciated and thanked, as well as encouraged.” (survey respondent)

19. Feedback & questions W www.volunteerscotland.org.uk Matthew Linning
Volunteer Scotland, Research and Evaluation W
@VolScotland
Link to Report & Case Studies
Volunteering & the Historic Environment
Source: Micky Alridge