Volunteer Scotland has analysed the TSI Scotland Network’s Coronavirus Survey dataset for over 1,000 third sector organisations to draw out the findings most relevant to social enterprises.

1. COVID-19:
Volunteering in Scotland
- Social Enterprises
Debbie Maltman
deborah.maltman@volunteerscotland.org.uk
SENScot
30 October 2020

2. Structure
2
• Volunteering participation – before, during and after COVID-19
• Impact of COVID-19 by category of third sector organisation (including
Social Enterprises).

3. Impact of COVID-19 on total volunteering
participation: formal, mutual aid and informal
3
n = 1,014
Sources: Ipsos-MORI omnibus survey - June 2020; Scottish Household Survey 2018; OSCR COVID-19 impact on Scottish Charities Survey
45%
74%
SHS 2018
48%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Pre CovId During Covid
%ofadults(age16+)
Volunteering participation: before and during COVID-19
(March – June 2020)
• Growth in informal
volunteering & mutual aid
• But significant
contraction in charities’
formal volunteer
numbers:
o 41% decreased
o 7% have increased
• However, still a 26%
growth in volunteer
participation from the
SHS baseline in 2018

4. Volunteering activities during COVID-19
(Total volunteering)
4
n = 742Source: Volunteer Scotland survey - June 2020
22%
4%
7%
8%
9%
10%
11%
12%
13%
15%
23%
23%
30%
57%
68%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Doing something else
Helping to staff telephone or online support services
Making personal protective equipment such as face masks or hospital gowns
Collecting pensions/ benefits or organising bill payments on someone's behalf
Providing transport to medical appointments or hospital
Providing tutoring for children or adults
Walking dogs or providing other help with pets
Helping at organisations which support people's physical and mental health
Providing administrative or IT support to organisations, charities or…
Helping at organisations which support people who face challenges
Providing food support (other than shopping)
Collecting and delivering prescriptions
Helping with household tasks, such as cleaning and gardening
Doing food shopping
Befriending or keeping in touch with someone who is at risk of being lonely
% of volunteers

5. Impact of COVID-19 on volunteering
participation: before vs. after COVID-19
5
n = 1,014
Source: Ipsos-MORI omnibus survey - June 2020
• Good news: participation in all
types of volunteering are
predicted to increase: formal,
informal and mutual aid.
• But these are not ‘silos’ of
volunteering in the provision of
support, giving and kindness –
they are inextricably linked.
45%
59%
31%
47%
24%
37%
16%
32%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Before COVID-19 After COVID-19
(predicted)
%ofadults(age16+)
Predicted change in volunteering participation by type of
volunteering
Total volunteering
Informal volunteering
Formal volunteering
Mutual aid

6. TSI Scotland Network Survey
6
25%
61%
14%
Third sector respondents
Community groups Voluntary organisations Social enterprises
n = 1018
• Conducted online between April and May 2020
• 1,184 organisations
• Voluntary organisations, community groups,
social enterprises
• Representation from all 32 local authorities
Source: TSI Scotland Network Survey – June 2020

7. Impact of COVID-19 on operational activity –
by category of 3rd sector organisation
7
5%
11%
16%
18%
50%
8%
8%
17%
46%
21%
9%
12%
13%
22%
44%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Our activities are essential and continue roughly
as before but with additional safety precautions
Other
We have completely changed what we do to
support our community / service users
We are doing similar activity but have modified
our delivery model(e.g. using digital, telephone)
Our activities aren't able to be done right now
and have stopped any meaningful delivery
% of third sector organisations
Organisations' responses to COVID-19
Social enterprise Voluntary organisation Community group
44% of social enterprises
have stopped any
meaningful delivery as
their activities aren’t able
to be done right now.
n = 876
Source: TSI Scotland Network Survey – June 2020

8. Impact of COVID-19 on financial position –
by category of 3rd sector organisation
8
59% of social enterprises
have a worsening financial
position that will cause
challenges.
3%
46%
29%
23%
3%
28%
34%
35%
1%
14%
27%
59%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Improve
Remain broadly the same
Worsen, but within our capacity to handle
Worsen, and this will cause us challenges
% of third sector organisations
Likely impact on organisations' financial position
Social enterprise Voluntary organisation Community group
Source: TSI Scotland Network Survey – June 2020
n = 873

9. Positive and negative financial impacts of COVID-19 on financial position -
all 3rd sector organisations
9
27%
3%
10%
21%
28%
40%
15%
11%
9%
20%
35%
22%
53%
32%
3%
8%
12%
20%
27%
34%
80%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
None
Change in value of/income from
investments
Change in costs
Change in income from funding
applications
Change in income from
memberships/fees
Change in income from fundraising
Change in income from trading
% of third sector organisations
Negative effects organisations are
seeing/anticipating on their finances
Social enterprise Voluntary organisation Community group
1%
1%
8%
18%
18%
60%
2%
1%
9%
29%
27%
41%
2%
5%
9%
24%
30%
44%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Change in income from memberships/fees
Change in income from trading
Change in income from fundraising
Change in costs
Change in income from funding applications
None
% of third sector organisations
Positive effects organisations are
seeing/anticipating on their finances
Social enterprise Voluntary organisation Community group
n = 876n = 876
Source: TSI Scotland Network Survey – June 2020

10. 10Source: TSI Scotland Network Survey – June 2020
n = 876
Impact of COVID-19 on volunteering recruitment and
management - by category of 3rd sector organisation
5%
2%
1%
11%
38%
10%
18%
11%
27%
29%
5%
9%
9%
11%
15%
19%
27%
22%
30%
51%
10%
11%
11%
16%
22%
27%
27%
29%
38%
70%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Advice on managing volunteers
Advice with HR
Able to recruit key staff
Volunteers
Don’t need any support
Networking and events
Advice with digital
Access to PPE
Advice with funding / fundraising
Money
% of third sector organisations
What would help you respond to current circumstances?
(Third Sector Organisations)
Social enterprises Voluntary organisations Community Groups
n = 876
1%
1%
1%
7%
7%
14%
6%
13%
54%
21%
2%
2%
6%
5%
7%
12%
15%
14%
44%
27%
3%
5%
5%
7%
9%
12%
16%
18%
34%
44%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Advice with HR
Advice on managing volunteers
Able to recruit key staff
Networking and events
Volunteers
Advice with digital
Access to PPE
Advice with funding / fundraising
None
Money
% of all organisations
Are there any of these you are struggling to access right
now?
(Third Sector Organisations )
Social enterprises Voluntary organisations Community Groups
n = 876

11. 11
7%
9%
11%
7%
15%
11%
9%
12%
16%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20%
Struggling to recruit volunteers
Have recruited more volunteers
Would like more volunteers
% of third sector organisations
Volunteer recruitment during COVID-19
Social enterprise Voluntary organisation Community group
1%
5%
2%
5%
5%
10%
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12%
Struggling to access advice
Would help in responding to COVID-19
% of third sector organisations
Advice on managing volunteers
Social enterprise Voluntary organisation Community group
Source: TSI Scotland Network Survey – June 2020
n = 876 n = 876
Impact of COVID-19 on volunteering recruitment and
management - by category of 3rd sector organisation

12. Negative impacts of COVID-19 on communities – now
(June 2020) – by category of 3rd sector organisation
12Source: TSI Scotland Network Survey – June 2020 n=843
What are the effects you are most
concerned about for your community
right now?
Social enterprise Community group Voluntary organisation
Mental health 85% 76% 91%
Loneliness 78% 83% 85%
Loss of income 70% 48% 51%
Increased poverty 57% 36% 59%
Missing out on opportunities 57% 40% 47%
Physical health 48% 45% 55%
Challenges accessing employment 44% 20% 31%
Access to digital 39% 26% 50%
Independence / access to support 36% 22% 45%
Safety / abuse / neglect 35% 22% 39%
Access to food 31% 28% 42%
Family relationships 28% 21% 31%
Increased use of alcohol / drugs 25% 15% 19%
Housing 11% 4% 7%
None 0% 4% 0%

13. Positive impacts of COVID-19 on communities – by category of
3rd sector organisation
13
6%
40%
46%
34%
79%
85%
3%
46%
44%
55%
74%
84%
3%
52%
45%
56%
79%
85%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
None
New connections and better relationships
More people looking to volunteer
Improved collaboration between organisations
People making the best of it
People looking out for each other
Positive impacts in your community
Social enterprise Voluntary organisation Community group
Source: TSI Scotland Network Survey – June 2020
n=866

14. Summary
14Source: TSI Scotland Network Survey – June 2020
• In Scotland overall volunteer participation has been increased by 26% during COVID-19. With almost three
quarters of Scottish adults (74%) giving time to volunteer.
• Befriending or keeping int ouch with someone who is at risk of being lonely (68%) and doing food shopping
(57%) are the most common volunteer activities undertaken.
• Post Covid-19 all types of volunteering (formal, informal and mutual) aid are predicted to increase from pre-
covid levels.
• During the survey period:
• 44% of social enterprises have stopped any meaningful delivery as their activities aren’t able to be
done right now.
• 59% of social enterprises have a worsening financial position that will cause challenges.
• 80% of social enterprises have seen or are expecting to see a negative impact on their income from
trading.
• 44% of social enterprises have not seen and are not expecting to see any positive changes in their
finances.
• 30% of social enterprises have seen or are not expecting to see positive changes in their finances from
funding applications.

15. Summary
15Source: TSI Scotland Network Survey – June 2020
• During the survey period:
• 70% of social enterprises would be helped by additional funds, with 44% struggling to access additional
funds.
• 16% of social enterprises would like more volunteers, 12% have recruited more volunteers and 9% are
struggling to recruit additional volunteers.
• 10% of social enterprises would be helped by advice on volunteer management, while 5% are
struggling to access advice.
• Social enterprises are most concerned about mental health, loneliness and loss of income in their
communities right now.
• Social enterprises have see positive impacts in their communities of people looking out for each other
and people making the best of it.