Through the research it became apparent that ex-offenders, disabled people and people from BME groups encountered a series of barriers to volunteering, and many of these barriers were the same for each group.

It became clear through the research that several key lessons need to be learnt if volunteering is to become more inclusive. The solution is not to narrow our focus to ensure equal opportunities for certain groups or in certain areas, but more broadly to ensure that diversity and inclusivity are valued and managed.

Volunteering for All? Exploring the link between volunteering and social exclusion

The report draws on findings from all stages of the research. It uses the experiences of individuals and organisations to show some of the barriers that prevent people from volunteering, how these barriers can be overcome and how people have benefited from their involvement. In doing so it hopes to answer the demand made by many of the people involved in the research not for “another good practice guide”, but for a chance to hear about other people’s experiences, practices, and ideas. It also draws out implications for practitioners, policymakers and researchers. It does so through the following themes:

What is social exclusion and why is it of relevance to volunteering?

Chapter two outlines some of the key definitions of social exclusion and how the social exclusion debate links to volunteering. It also introduces a number of philosophical and business reasons why inclusivity is of central importance to volunteer-involving organisations.

Is volunteering itself too exclusive?

Chapter three looks at the barriers to involvement in volunteering. It highlights how, for example, excluded people may be discouraged by the image of volunteering and the ethos of volunteer-involving organisations; by the attitudes of other people; and by a whole series of practical barriers.

Making it work – what organisations have done to overcome the barriers?

In chapter four, looks at practical measures that organisations have tried to encourage people to get into volunteering, and at what volunteers and non-volunteers said was need in order to make volunteering more inclusive.

Can volunteering reduce social exclusion?

Chapter five discusses the evidence on what volunteering can do to include excluded people. It highlights, for example, that volunteering can improve people’s skills and employability; moreover, it can show them that they too have a contribution to make to society, thus reducing their sense of dependency and isolation.

What wider issues are at play?

Chapter six discusses a number of issues and debates that emerged throughout the research with wider relevance for volunteering and social exclusion.

What can we conclude about the relationship between volunteering and social exclusion, and what are the implications?

Chapter seven draws together our findings to make a number of conclusion and subsequently provide recommendations on how volunteering can be made more inclusive.

Download the full version of Volunteering for All? Exploring the link between volunteering and social exclusion (PDF) published in 2004

Download a four page summary of the social exclusion report (PDF)

- View a MS Word version of the summary report

- View a large print MS Word version of the summary report