We recently invited our volunteers to complete an survey designed to assess the impact volunteering with us has had on them. 53 individual volunteers, across all volunteering roles, completed the survey. The response rate and the results have blown us away and as the results demonstrate, volunteers universally agreed volunteering with the Youth Adventure Trust has had an incredibly positive impact.
Volunteering with young people has improved my management skills, my self confidence and I get a huge sense of achievement from seeing the impact on the young people.
Three-quarters of the respondents reported having volunteered with us for a year or more. This speaks volumes about the commitment of our volunteers but also of the longevity of our volunteering roles. It demonstrates that for many, volunteering is not just a short-term activity, but that it has become a sustained, rewarding and enjoyable part of their lives.
It has been an absolute privilege to work with the young people and to see their confidence and resilience grow. There is a real sense of shared community and support across the volunteers and staff. You really can make a difference.
With regards to wellbeing, a staggering 92% of the respondents agreed that volunteering has helped them to feel happier and 88% agreed that volunteering has improved their overall wellbeing. 75% of the respondents strongly agreed that volunteering gave them purpose, whilst 50% said volunteering had improved their health and fitness.
When it came to measuring the impact of volunteering on their interpersonal skills and mental toughness, we once again saw an overwhelmingly positive response across all areas. 98% of the volunteers surveyed said that volunteering gave them a sense a purpose, and the same number again said that volunteering helped them to gain new knowledge. 96% of the volunteers surveyed agreed that they had met like-minded people, 83% agreed that volunteering had improved their communication skills and 78% agreed volunteering improved their resilience and mental toughness. 79% agreed volunteering had increased their self confidence, 83% agreed volunteering had improved their communication skills and 79% agreed volunteering had improved leadership skills and teamworking skills.
And finally 100% of the volunteers surveyed stated that volunteering has had a positive or very positive impact on their lives and 100% of the volunteers said that they would recommend volunteering with the Youth Adventure Trust to others.
Volunteering with the Youth Adventure Trust has become one of the most meaningful things I do. It’s given me a deeper sense of empathy and helped me understand just how much some young people have to cope with.
Our survey has unequivocally shown that volunteering with the Youth Adventure Trust improves mental and physical wellbeing, happiness, resilience and social connections, whilst supporting a cause that resonates. It offers personal, emotional, and social benefits, is engaging, interesting and rewarding and is something that can certainly be recommended to others.
If you’d like to learn more about volunteering or know someone that might be interested please email Jon Rich, Volunteering Lead, at jon@youthadventuretrust.org.uk