# Global majority volunteers twice as likely to feel excluded, NCVO research finds - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/11/28/global-majority-volunteers-twice-as-likely-to-feel-excluded-ncvo-research-finds/ - Published: 2023-11-28T14:31:19+00:00 - Author: Melanie May **Global majority volunteers are twice as likely to feel excluded as volunteers overall (at 12% vs 6%), with feelings of exclusion particularly high among those who are disabled (21%), according to NCVO research, released today.** Global majority volunteers are also less likely to feel a sense of belonging to the organisation (77% vs 84%), the research found. And, while satisfaction of global majority volunteers is high, it is lower than volunteers overall (86% vs 92%). Younger and disabled volunteers from the global majority also report lower levels of satisfaction. The findings come from NCVO’s [Time Well Spent](https://www.ncvo.org.uk/news-and-insights/news-index/time-well-spent-2023-volunteering-among-the-global-majority/) research, which focuses on understanding the experiences and perspectives of people from the [global majority](https://www.ncvo.org.uk/news-and-insights/news-index/time-well-spent-2023-volunteering-among-the-global-majority/language-and-definitions/#using-the-term-global-majority). This is the term NCVO has adopted to cover all ethnic groups except white British and other white minority groups. ## Advertisement Amy McGarvey, Research and Insight Manager at NCVO, said:  > “Our latest Time Well Spent research finds volunteers from the global majority > feel less satisfied, more excluded and less likely to continue compared to volunteers > overall. Our findings help us to understand why this is, and what needs to be > done differently to ensure volunteering continues to be diverse, reflective and > inclusive. It also highlights the positives that we can continue to build upon. > This research is just the beginning. It’s important that we continue to learn > and explore the different experiences of the diverse groups and people who make > up the global majority, and look at these through an intersectional lens.”  However, the research also shows an ‘appetite for volunteering’ in the global majority. Just over two-thirds (69%) of global majority volunteers say they are likely to continue volunteering in the next 12 months, compared with 77% of volunteers overall. In addition, one in five global majority non-volunteers have looked into volunteering opportunities in the last year, compared to 12% of non-volunteers overall. The report includes recommendations for how to improve their experience. This includes: * **Considering motivations:** Global majority volunteers, it says, are most likely to be motivated by a cause that is important to them. The research found they are over twice as likely to volunteer for a religious cause (21% vs 10%). As well as religious motivations, career-related benefits are a stronger motivation compared with volunteers overall (14% vs 9%). * **Starting the journey ‘right’:** Global majority volunteers have higher expectations of the speed of the entry process. However, they are less likely to report a positive entry experience. NCVO says a quick and easy entry process is also a factor more likely to encourage global majority non-volunteers to take up volunteering compared to non-volunteers overall (16% vs 10%). * **Building belonging:** A culture of trust and respect, recognition, and a sense of belonging are particularly important to people from the global majority, influencing overall satisfaction with volunteering. * **Flexibility is key:** The main barriers reported by global majority non-volunteers relate to time and commitment (‘not wanting to make an ongoing commitment’ being the highest at 28%). Flexibility is the main factor that would encourage global majority non-volunteers to start volunteering. The volunteering opportunities which appeal to global majority volunteers and non-volunteers most are those they can dip in and out of (35%) or one-off opportunities (34%). Sarah Vibert, CEO of NCVO, commented on the findings:  > “This research is the first of its kind, and we’re proud to be adding to the body > of evidence that builds a better understanding of volunteering. The data tells > an interesting perspective on how people from the global majority experience volunteering, > and poses questions for how we apply the learnings and continue to build further > understanding in the future. It’s important that we continue to learn and explore > the experiences of people from the global majority. For now, though, this is an > important first step and we hope it will help organisations enhance the experiences > of volunteers from the global majority.”  NCVO surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults from the global majority population aged 18 years or older in Great Britain, alongside a nationally representative sample of 7,006 adults from the overall population containing global majority respondents. * **[Positive role for charities to play pre-election but NCVO also warns of culture wars](https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/02/22/positive-role-for-charities-to-play-pre-election-but-ncvo-also-warns-of-culture-wars/)**( 22 February 2024) * **[Underfunded public contracts leaving charities to fill shortfalls with own fundraising](https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/03/04/underfunded-public-contracts-leaving-charities-to-fill-shortfalls-with-own-fundraising/)**( 4 March 2024) * **[NCVO report warns of rising hostility and fear facing charities](https://fundraising.co.uk/2025/12/11/ncvo-report-warns-of-rising-hostility-and-fear-facing-charities/)**( 11 December 2025)