Understanding local patterns of volunteer activity during COVID-19

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport commissioned The Young Foundation to undertake an initial scoping study to identify some of the ways in which volunteers were mobilised at local levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the research was:

• to identify some of the ways in which volunteer groups operated and developed responses to local challenges during the pandemic
• to identify what infrastructure enabled these responses
• to better understand local experiences of volunteer mobilisation in England at the start of the pandemic

The research included a review of relevant literature and qualitative research with volunteers, volunteer-involving organisations, and voluntary sector stakeholders, who were involved in local voluntary responses to the pandemic. Additionally, quantitative data on the distribution of registered mutual aid groups were analysed.