Volunteers
Recent research demonstrates exactly how important to sport volunteers are and what a significant contribution the voluntary sports sector makes to volunteering activity as a whole.
- There are 5,821,400 sports volunteers representing 14% of the adult population.
- The sporting sector makes the single biggest contribution to total volunteering in England with 26% of all volunteers citing ‘sport’ as their main area of interest.
- In terms of the activities that young volunteers are engaged in, sports and exercise leads attracting 44 per cent, the largest percentage across the age range 18-24.
- They contribute one billion hours each year to sport, equivalent to 720,000 additional paid workers.
- Sports and ICT have been found to be particularly effective in engaging young men and more disaffected young people.
- The value of the time contributed by sports volunteers in England is estimated at over £14 billion.
Sport in England is dependent on its volunteers
Sport in England is dependent on its volunteers,as the following quotes bring to life:
- “It remains the bedrock of opportunity in many sports” (Sheffield Research Team)
- “Without volunteers there would not be so many choices for people to participate in sport”
(Young Volunteer) - “Without them all the activities we do would fail” (Local Authority Sports Development Officer)
- “Without volunteers, our clubs would not exist” (Badminton Club Member)
- “Without them we wouldn’t survive, there wouldn’t be any provision” (Local Authority Officer)
- “There is no economic substitute for volunteers in sport” (Sheffield Research Team)
Volunteering In Sport Report 2002
This Sport England Report provides an overview of sports volunteering in England