A Warminster voluntary organisation is asking local people to share their views and experiences of volunteering.
Health and Wellbeing Warminster, a long-standing voluntary organisation dedicated to enhancing the physical and mental health of residents across the Warminster area, has launched a survey to better understand people’s experiences following a nationwide decline in adults volunteering.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of our communities,” said chair Deborah Gogarty. “From helping at local events and supporting community groups to befriending, fundraising, coaching, caring and simply being there for someone who needs a hand, volunteers make an enormous difference.
“In 2013/14, 45 per cent of adults in England said they had volunteered through an organisation or group at least once in the previous year. By 2023/24, that figure had fallen to just 28 per cent. Only 16 per cent were volunteering regularly, at least once a month. The latest figures show little improvement.
“Covid clearly played a part in the decline, but it doesn’t fully explain why volunteering hasn’t bounced back. And what happens nationally may not tell the whole story locally.”
The group aims to understand what motivates people to volunteer, what they get from it, what makes volunteering easy and enjoyable, and importantly, what might stop people from volunteering or make it difficult to continue.
“If you currently volunteer, have volunteered in the past, or have thought about volunteering but never quite got round to it, we’d really like to hear from you,” said Deborah. “We have launched a short, anonymous survey to find out more about the volunteering experience in our community.
“It takes only a few minutes to complete, and your answers could help us understand what could be done locally to encourage and support more people to get involved. Whether you give an hour a year or several hours every week, your experience matters.”
The survey is available to complete at https://healthwellbeingwarminster.org.uk/help-shape-the-future-of-volunteering-in-warminster/
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