Research and analysis

Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in volunteering

This research explores the effectiveness of different interventions and practices in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across a range of different sized volunteer-involving organisations (VIOs), with an emphasis on smaller organisations.

• From: Department for Culture, Media and Sport
• Published: 3 February 2025

Applies to England

Documents

Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in volunteering

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Details

This research was conducted by a consortium led by Basis Social alongside London Economics and New Philanthropy Capital, as part of the Volunteering Research Managed Service.

The research explores the effectiveness of different interventions and practices in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), with an emphasis on smaller volunteer-involving organisations (VIOs) and those led by minority or minoritised communities. It aims to identify what types of interventions government and wider stakeholders should champion and support others in the sector to implement.

Key findings include:

The effectiveness of different interventions and practices in EDI varies across different sized VIOs. It is dependent on the following themes:

1. Relatability: when volunteers connect with the EDI cause, and when leadership and teams reflect and represent the community.
2. Commitment and resource: investment of time, money and skills in EDI - in particular from leadership.
3. Inclusive culture.
4. Wider context: factors like the pandemic, cost-of-living crisis and decline in supportive infrastructure.

Published 3 February 2025