Understanding the role of volunteering in social care
This report helps us better understand how volunteering contributes to social care in Wales.
We commissioned the research study in 2024 to gather insight from volunteers, social care staff and other stakeholders around their experiences of volunteering.
The focus of the research was volunteering in residential care homes supporting older people in Wales. The team used different methods to gather evidence, including a rapid evidence review, qualitative case studies and an online survey.
The findings set out in the report help us understand more about things like:
- the scale of volunteering in residential care homes in Wales
- who volunteers and why
- different roles volunteers play
- how to recruit, train, manage and support volunteers
- the benefits and challenges of volunteering
- what needs to change in policy and practice to enhance the value of volunteering.
The research was funded by Welsh Government's Volunteering Wales Strategic Grant, administered by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA).
It was carried out by the University of South Wales, the Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care and the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at Bayes Business School.