European Championships Glasgow 2018: survey of volunteer applicants

This report presents findings from a study of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships ‘Team 2018’ volunteering programme, drawing predominantly on learning from a survey of volunteer applicants issued after the event. 

Building on our study of the 2014 Commonwealth Games Clyde-sider volunteer programme, findings show that some progress has been made in attracting a more demographically diverse pool of applicants. These applicants were motivated for a variety of reasons, but these could typically be categorised as either making a ‘contribution’ to the event or being a ‘consumer’ of it. 

In keeping with findings from the clyde-sider volunteer study, most volunteers described their role in positive terms, such as being fun, enjoyable, sociable or a unique opportunity. For a minority the experience was less rewarding, and this was often attributed to being under-used or due to a lack of communication. 

The report concludes that although this volunteering programme provided a rewarding experience for most and efforts were made to ensure that social and financial barriers did not prevent participation, further effort is needed at a community level to enable and encourage participation from people in the most deprived areas, those not currently in employment and people from ethnic minority groups.