Using Data on Volunteering Helen Timbrell

University of DundeeMarch 1 2005

ESRC Case Studentship PTA-033-2003-00020

My researchHow does the nature, meaning and impact of volunteering vary between urban and rural locations?

Case study sites1. Rural deprived 2. Rural affluent3. Urban deprived 4. Urban affluent

QuestionnairesRandom sample of 20% of ward area

Interviews Current volunteers, volunteer coordinators, key local figures

• Extent of volunteering

• Types of volunteering

• Relationship between volunteering and social capital

• Policy impacts

• Sense of place

• Sense of self

Using SHS Data:Annual Reports

Q. Whether given up time to help as an organiser/volunteer in the past 12 months

77

1392512441687667143332964968Base

100100100100100100100Total

766370767580No

24373024252023Yes

ScotlandRemote Rural

Accessible Rural

Remote Small Towns

Accessible Small Towns

Other Urban Areas

Large Urban Areas

Source: SHS Annual Report 2003, p131

• Types of volunteering• Hours spent volunteering• Neighbourhood satisfaction

• Gender, Age, SEC etc.

• Limited info on urban/rural classification

Using SHS Data: SHS Lite (i)

• Can use urban/rural classification on additional variables

Table 1. Number of hours spent volunteering in the previous 4 weeks

  Percentage of those who have given time to an organisation/volunteer in

the past 12 months 

  Remote ruraln=569

Accessible ruraln=1101

 

0 – 4 hrs 

58.7 62.7

5 – 8 hrs 

14.2 14.7

9 – 12 hrs 

10.0 8.8

13 – 16 hrs 

4.0 4.0

17 – 28 hrs 

6.9 5.0

29+ hrs 

6.2 4.8

Total 100.0 100.0

• Can recode variables to facilitate comparison to my results

Using SHS Data: SHS Lite (ii)

Accessible ruraln=3392

Have given time as an organiser/volunteer in past

12 months 

  Yes No

Good 96.9 95.3

Poor 2.9 4.3

No Opinion 0.2 0.3

Total 100.0 100.0

Remote ruraln=1517

Have given time as an organiser/volunteer in

past 12 months 

  Yes No

Good 97.2 95.5

Poor 2.7 4.1

No Opinion 0.2 0.4

Total 100.0 100.0

Tables 2 and 3: How rate area as a place to live by whether given up time as an organiser/volunteer in past 12 months

• Can cross tab variables relevant to my research

• Can select cases only relevant to my own research

Ease of use

To a nervous quantitative researcher…

• Initially overwhelming BUT: Excellent User Guide

Crucial Variable list

• SPSS background useful but probably not essential

• Good range of variables covered

• Risk of wallowing in range of information available

• Remember: own data is primary focus