The Value of Volunteering
Volunteering is one of the largest forms of civic participation in the United Kingdom, though its scale is often underestimated. Research suggests that around 16–17 million people formally volunteer each year, while many millions more contribute informally within their communities. Together, they provide an enormous reservoir of time, knowledge and commitment to charities, schools, hospitals, sports clubs, museums, festivals, heritage organisations and local initiatives across the country.
The value of this contribution is usually measured in terms of the organisations and communities it supports. Increasingly, however, research suggests that volunteering benefits those who give their time as much as those who receive it. What begins as an act of service often becomes an opportunity for learning, connection and personal growth.
One of the clearest findings concerns skills development. Volunteering places people in situations that require responsibility, initiative and collaboration, allowing them to acquire experience through practice rather than formal instruction. Studies consistently report gains in communication, teamwork, leadership, organisation, project management and problem-solving, while some research suggests that more than 70 per cent of volunteers believe they have developed new skills through their involvement.
These experiences can have lasting professional value. Employers increasingly view volunteering positively because it demonstrates commitment, reliability and practical experience. For young people entering the workforce, individuals changing careers or those returning after time away from employment, volunteering can provide opportunities to build confidence, expand professional networks and gain experience that might otherwise be difficult to obtain.
The effects are not confined to career development. Volunteers frequently report increased self-confidence, stronger self-esteem and a greater sense of purpose. Research has also linked volunteering with higher levels of wellbeing, stronger community attachment and greater life satisfaction. By bringing people together around shared goals, volunteering creates opportunities for friendship and belonging that can help counter loneliness and social isolation.
These benefits appear across all stages of life. For young people, volunteering can provide early opportunities to develop leadership, communication and workplace skills. For older adults, it can offer continued engagement, social participation and purpose after retirement. In both cases, volunteering creates a connection between individual development and community contribution.
The cultural sector offers a particularly vivid example of this relationship. Museums, galleries, libraries, archives, festivals and heritage organisations rely heavily upon volunteer support. Volunteers assist with visitor services, research, collections management, events, administration and community engagement, contributing thousands of hours each year. In many cases, they help make cultural activities possible that would otherwise be difficult to sustain.
For The Spiritual Arts Foundation, volunteering is understood in the same spirit. Volunteers contribute to publishing, journalism, interviewing, research, fundraising, event management, marketing, social media and community engagement while gaining practical experience and developing new capabilities. The relationship is collaborative rather than transactional: the organisation benefits from their contribution, and volunteers benefit from the opportunities participation creates.
This reciprocity may explain why volunteering remains such a durable feature of civic life. It creates value that cannot be easily measured in financial terms alone. Communities gain energy, knowledge and commitment; individuals gain experience, relationships and confidence. The exchange enriches both.
At its best, volunteering demonstrates that contribution and personal development are not opposing goals but complementary ones. People often discover that in helping to build something larger than themselves, they also expand their own capacities. That is why volunteering continues to matter—not simply as a source of support for organisations, but as one of the ways individuals become more connected to their communities and to one another.
Key Findings
- Around 16–17 million people formally volunteer in the UK each year.
- Some studies report that more than 70% of volunteers gain new skills through volunteering.
- Volunteers frequently develop communication, teamwork, leadership and organisational skills.
- Research links volunteering with higher wellbeing, stronger social connections and reduced loneliness.
- Volunteering can improve employability, workplace confidence and professional networks.
- Young people often gain valuable experience and transferable skills through volunteering.
- Older adults benefit from increased purpose, participation and community engagement.
- Arts and heritage organisations depend heavily upon volunteer support.
Sources & Further Reading
National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
https://www.ncvo.org.uk/about-us/our-impact/volunteering-statistics/
UK Government Community Life Survey
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/community-life-survey
Volunteer Scotland – Research and Evidence
https://www.volunteerscotland.net/policy-and-research/research-and-evidence/
Centre for Ageing Better – Volunteering and Healthy Ageing
https://ageing-better.org.uk
National Lottery Community Fund – Volunteering Research
https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/insights
Arts Council England – Arts Participation and Volunteering
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk
National Lottery Heritage Fund – Volunteers in Heritage
https://www.heritagefund.org.uk
Volunteering Matters
https://volunteeringmatters.org.uk
Institute for Volunteering Research (archived research resources)
https://www.ivr.org.uk
What Works Wellbeing – Volunteering and Wellbeing Evidence
https://whatworkswellbeing.org/resources/volunteering-wellbeing/
