AN EVALUATION OF THE GREENSPACES

PROGRAMME

Evaluation Team

Hampton K; McDowell E and Caldwell K

January 2008

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Abstract

This document reports the evaluation of the Greenspaces Regeneration

Programme, funded by the Scottish Executive and delivered by BTCV

Scotland between 1 September, 2006 and March, 2007. The evaluation

examines the extent to which the aims of the programme have been met and

in the light of its findings, assesses the capacity of BTCV Scotland to deliver

the Scottish Government’s agenda for volunteering, environmental justice and

sustainable development. It makes recommendation for the integration of

Greenspaces within BTCV’s mainstream activity supported by a fully costed

business plan and more formal in-house monitoring and evaluation. It also

recommends a role for BTCV in developing a specialist volunteer referral

scheme for Scotland and in piloting innovative environmental projects.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

The evaluation team

Executive Summary page 7

Section 1 Introduction and policy context page 9

Section 2 Evaluation: methodology and purpose page 25

Section 3 The findings page 35

Section 4 Discussion of the findings: the role of BTCV

in the delivery of environmental justice and sustainability

page 66

Section 5 The way forward and recommendations page 78

Appendix 1: Survey Questionnaire

References

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Acknowledgements

The Evaluation team would like to express their gratitude to the Scottish

Executive and BTCV, Scotland for inviting us to evaluate and comment on

their work. More importantly, we would like to thank all those who participated

in this project. Despite their busy schedules, BTCV volunteers, volunteer

managers and volunteer officers made space to share with us their

experiences and perceptions, all of which have been extremely valuable for

our evaluation. Finally we would like to thank the Director of BTCV Scotland

and the Group Operations Director Ron Fern for commenting on earlier drafts

of this Report.

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The evaluation team

Professor K Hampton (PhD), FHEA, FRSA

Kay Hampton is Chair of Communities and Race Relations at Glasgow Caledonian

University. As Director of SEMRU (Scottish Ethnic Minorities Research Unit, GCU,

1994-2000) she researched widely in the area of racism and ethnic diversity

especially in relation to migration and asylum seeking within Britain and Europe. Her

key research interests are on issues relating to inequality, discrimination and social

justice both nationally and internationally. During her time at SEMRU, she was

involved with a large number commissioned research and evaluation, directed at

shaping and influencing public service policies within Scotland and the UK. A key

focus of her work continues to be in the area of influencing policy from an academic

perspective to ensure that government policy is grounded and supported by sound

evidence and research. She spent the last year (2006-2007) on secondment at the

Commission for Racial Equality, as Chair of CRE and was previously Deputy-Chair

(2003-2006) 2003 and Commissioner for Scotland (2002-2007). She continues to

work closely with the Voluntary Sector and held several board memberships and non-

executive posts over the past 10 years, including the Big Lottery Fund and Scottish

Refugee Council. She is currently a Commissioner and Board member of the newly

formed Equalities and Human Rights Commission, UK.

Dr Eleanor McDowell, BA (Hons.) PhD (Environmental Sociology)

Dr Eleanor McDowells an independent researcher in environmental policy and

practice. From 1995 to February 2008, she was a Lecturer in the School of Law and

Social Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University specialising in Environmental

Sociology. She is co-author of Sustainable Working Lives, a European study of

flexible work in Scotland, Denmark & Hungary (forthcoming, 2008). She has

contributed to various papers and international conferences on theme of

environmental justice in both urban and rural settings. She co-edited with James

McCormick Environment Scotland: Prospects for Sustainability (1999, Ashgate) and

she is currently writing on the theme of Environmental Sociology for an academic

textbook (forthcoming 2008). Contact: elnr.mcdowell@gcal.ac.uk

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Ms Kay Caldwell, M.A. (Hons.)

Kay Caldwell is a free-lance editor and communications consultant. Her career has

been spent principally in the voluntary sector where for ten years she ran a research,

information, training and support service for social and co-operative enterprises and

produced a range of publications on social enterprise and its role in community

economic development.

Until 2006 she was Head of External Relations at the Big Lottery Fund in Scotland in

which capacity she delivered training in methods of self-evaluation for community

organizations and their statutory support services.

Since then she has been engaged in editing a number of academic publications in

the field of social care policy and the philosophy of law.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

BTCV Scotland is a volunteering organisation which provides people with the

opportunity to become active in improving their environment. From 1 September

2006 – 31 March 2007, BTCV Scotland delivered a Greenspaces Programme funded

by a grant of £400,000 from the (then) Scottish Executive.

The aims of the Greenspaces programme were multiple: to deliver individual benefit

outcomes to volunteers, to stimulate volunteering in local environments, create

opportunities for urban groups to experience Scotland’s natural heritage, expand its

network of volunteer groups and to develop a structured approach to environmental

volunteering. In addition, through the Greenspaces programme BTCV Scotland

aimed to show how its work in could be sustained, strengthened and developed to

deliver multiple outcomes which complement a range of government policies and

strategies in relation to people and places.

This evaluation aims to establish the extent to which these objectives have been met

and to elucidate lessons that can be learned. In particular it seeks to determine the

role of BTCV Scotland in implementing government policy on volunteering,

environmental justice and sustainable development. The evaluation also explores

the possibility of developing a standard framework for future monitoring of this and

other programmes within BTCV Scotland and by BTCV externally. The methodology

approach was qualitative, supported by quantitative data. Data was collected over

the period 1 September 2006 – 31 July 2007 from face-to-face interviews and

questionnaires.

Findings

BTCV Scotland delivered all of the planned outputs of the programme within the

time-frame. A significant number of volunteer opportunities were created and a

diverse volunteer force attracted to the programme. A substantial number of sites

across Scotland were improved or regenerated.

The programme fully met volunteers’ expectations and delivered the desired

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outcomes in terms of improved self esteem, better sense of health and well being

and improvements to environmental awareness and behaviour. BTCV could,

however, do more to promote to volunteers the availability of formal training courses

and encourage their uptake. The programme was outstandingly successful in

involving groups of people who do not normally volunteer. This was especially true in

respect of gender, race, disability and social background.

The evaluators found BTCV’s reputation with its stakeholders to be very high, both

with those volunteer agencies and health service providers who referred volunteers

to the programme, and with those site owners or managers who provided sites for

regeneration activity. The programme consolidated existing relationships and

developed new partnerships with the commercial and health sectors.

Recommendations

There are two main areas for development. We recommend that the Greenspaces

programme is integrated into BTCV Scotland’s ongoing programmes of work,

financed by a discrete funding stream and supported by a fully costed business plan.

(Recommendations 1 – 5). We also believe that BTCV Scotland should take the lead

in developing a strategy for a specialist volunteer referral scheme. This would be of

immediate practical value to health service providers and other agencies concerned

with the welfare of people who have special volunteering support needs. BTCV

Scotland is also extremely well placed to collaborate with academics and researchers

in applied research. (Recommendations (9&11). Other recommendations relate to

widening access to its training courses, improving its internal monitoring and

evaluation processes and further development and promotion of the green gym

concept.

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SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION AND POLICY CONTEXT

“We believe that the environment belongs to everyone, and that

everyone has a right to a good quality environment. Conserving

and improving the environment is as much about social justice as it

is about enhancing biodiversity.”

BTCV (2006:2)

1 Introduction

With almost 50 years of hands-on experience in environmental volunteering, BTCV is

well versed in the notions of sustainable development and environmental justice.

Indeed, these principals form an integral part of the organisation’s ethos and

operations. Established as an organisation1 that initially focused mainly on

environmental conservation volunteering, BTCV has over the decades, broadened its

focus to include, training and education programmes pertaining to the environment.

Since the early 1990s BTCV has made a concerted effort to connect people to the

environment through major national volunteering projects including, amongst others,

Environments for All, Green Gym, CLAN and Conservation holidays (BTCV, Strategic

Plan 2004-2008).

A review of BTCV’s history reveals an organisation that has grown and evolved to

keep in step with rapid environment and social changes over five decades. From

being a reactive organisation in the 50’s, BTCV can best now be described as a

proactive, 21st century organisation, which takes into account contemporary global

and national environmental challenges while attempting to respond to local need by

finding local solutions for local environmental concerns. Tom Flood, Chief Executive

of BTCV, concurs:

1 Conservation Corps –re-launched itself as BTCV in the 70’s

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“ BTCV is a unique international volunteering organisation providing the

bridge between global environmental ideals and local realities…our

workday activities were spent on biodiversity, horticulture, habitat

creation, woodland management, education, community development

and Adult Learning.”

(In Annual Review 2006-2007: - 2007a: 2)

Local activities are delivered through BTCV’s four country offices2, nine regional

offices, 414 full-time staff, 148 part-time staff and 300 Volunteer Officers.

Nonetheless, its core activities would not be possible without the support of its

volunteers. In the current financial year (2006-2007) BTCV engaged with “over 287

000 volunteers on 15 000 conservation sites and involved 4 000 communities” (ibid:

2). It is worth noting that BTCV had set itself a target in 2004 to enrich the lives of 1

Million people by 2008, through involvement with BTCV.3 With relatively small

income of just over £ 26 Million during this financial year (2006-2007)4, BTCV’s broad

success is rooted in its ability to attract and manage the input of volunteers in a

strategic and effective manner.

1.1 BTCV in Scotland

Previously operating as Scottish Conservation Projects, BTCV in Scotland

restructured and re-branded itself as BTCV Scotland in 1998. Operating in a

completely devolved manner, BTCV Scotland has a network of local offices across

Scotland with staff and volunteers available to assist community groups undertake

preferred local environmental schemes5. Support, in its own words (Burns) varies

from project to project and include:

“ initial advice to help groups formulate their plans, through to 2 BTCV England, Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland, BTCV Scotland and BTCV Wales.

3 Volunteering opportunities, employment, improved health and life-skills enhancement

4 BTCV has no core funding and its income comes mainly from successful funding bids to charitable trusts, national lottery distribution bodies, private and public funders.

5 A BTCV Scotland volunteer team comprises 6-10 people who are fully equipped with an experienced project leader, a mini-bus or suitable alternative vehicle, necessary tools and equipment, a qualified first-aider, insurance cover and procedures to risk assess each activity- source: Burns, 2007: 47

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assistance on the ground to translate these ideas into action.”

(2007b: 46)

BTCV Scotland’s mission “to create a better environment where people are valued,

included and involved” resonates with present-day debates on sustainable

development, environmental justice, social justice and the notion of active citizenship

in Scotland (Scottish Executive, 2005, Scottish Executive 2006, DEFRA, 2005,

Dalgleish, 2006). Moreover their mission to

“create a more sustainable future by inspiring people and improving

places” (BTCV, Strategic plan 2004-2008)

is well demonstrated in a recent programme of activities6, undertaken by BTCV

Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Executive. Indeed, it is this programme of activities

that is central to the objectives of this evaluation report.

As will be noted in the following section, the strategic framework constructed by

BTCV, for delivery of the programme, appears to be strongly influenced by current

debates on sustainable development and environmental justice (See discussions in

1.2; 1.3). Moreover, BTCV Scotland’s strategic framework for this programme is

underpinned by principles of sustainability within the context of emerging Scottish

Government policies in relation to regeneration and the environment (See discussion

in SECTION 4). The need for a strategic approach to urban and rural regeneration

has long been recognized (Roberts and Sykes, 2000) yet it is only in recent years

that substantive local strategies and policies (Scottish Executive, 20027; Scottish

Executive, 20058) have emerged from the Scotland Government. Underpinned by

ideologies of sustainable development and environmental justice contemporary

policies make clear the interconnection between the physical environment and social

conditions, especially in relation to quality of life and equality. It may be useful at this

point to provide a brief insight into the notions of sustainable development and

environmental justice.

6 Greenspaces Regeneration Programme

7 Scottish Executive, 2000, Building a Sustainable Scotland

8 Scottish Executive, 2005,Choosing our Future: Scotland’s Sustainability Strategy

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1.2 Theoretical Context

Sustainable Development and Environmental Justice

‘Sustainable Development’ is a term now recognisable in environmental arenas

throughout the world. The term was first coined in the 1980 World Conservation

Strategy (IUCN/UNEP/WWF) but gained greater attention in the 1987 World

Commission on Environment and Development, commonly known as the Brundtland

Report. The concept introduced into the environmental debate an expression of the

interdependence between three systems identified as basic to development: the

economic system, the social system, and the environmental system. Sustainability

has thus become popular because it can be used to support various agendas –

economic, political, social and environmental. If society, economy and environment

are viewed as unrelated entities, this can give rise to piece-meal, short-term solutions

that produce opposing groups, for example, environmentalists vs business. Figure 1

(below) is useful in showing where the inter-relationships exist within the

environmental and socio-economic domains.

Figure 1: Three Spheres of Sustainable Development

(Adapted from Munasinge 1993; Serageldin 1993).

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‘Sustainable development’ is therefore one of the most compelling concepts to

emerge in recent decades. Central to its meaning is the principle of ‘futurity’ which

implies we should have a long term view of the environment. Thus, ‘we have not

inherited the earth from our parents we have borrowed it from our children’ (Selman,

1996:11). Following on from futurity is the notion of ‘inter-generational equity’ or

social justice underpinned by the widely adopted Brundtland definition of sustainable

development: ‘development that meets the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (WCED,

1987).

As a concept sustainable development has obvious strengths in harnessing diverse

interests towards a common cause - to advance the balance between social,

economic and environmental aspects of development. In practice however, the notion

of sustainable development is more difficult to pin-down. Redcliffe (1993) emphasises

the range in meaning that gives it so many applications. A wide variety of groups

ranging from business and government to international organisations have adopted

the concept of sustainable development and given it their own particular

interpretation.

Indeed, as soon as one starts to dig below the surface of public rhetoric, a number of

serious questions emerge about our general acceptance of these concepts. There

are concerns that ‘sustainability’ or ‘sustainable development’ is too vague or ill

defined to be of any practical use in decision-making and real life policy

implementation (Jacobs 1999:22). In the same vein, we hear the warning that aims

such as sustainability ‘are lightly professed in theory without looking at all at practical

realization’ (Achterhuis 1994: 198). Thus, like many other political concepts such as

democracy, liberty, equality and social justice, the meaning of sustainability and

sustainable development is essentially up for grabs (Dobson, 1999).

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1.3 Scottish Policy Context

The Challenge of Sustainability

In Building a Sustainable Scotland (2002) the Scottish Executive claimed that:

‘Sustainable Development is not an optional extra. Our social, economic

and environmental ambitions are interlinked and we must work to deliver

all three if we are going to deliver the quality of life we want for ourselves

and for future generations.’

Scottish Executive, ‘Building a Sustainable Scotland’ (2002)

The above quote and more recent documents such as ‘Choosing our Future:

Scotland’s Sustainable Development Strategy’ (2005) and the Scottish Executive’s

regeneration policy ‘People and Place’ (2006) emphasised the desire and

commitment to apply sustainable principles to current aspects of policy. At a national

level, sustainable development initiatives have become a key policy tool for ‘renewing

neighbourhoods’ enhancing community ‘livability’ and ‘empowering communities’.

However, the generality of the concept tends to obscure the complexity of working

out the true costs and trade-offs involved in implementing sustainable policy across

various spheres in society. In an effort to move towards a more pragmatic application

of sustainability, Jacobs (1999) identified six core themes associated with

contemporary debates on sustainability (See LIST BOX 1 below), that presumably

few government representatives would take issue with.

LIST BOX 1

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JACOBS 1999: CORE THEMES ASSOCIATED WITH SUSTAINABILITY

integration: of environmental considerations in economic planning

Futurity: concern about the impact of current decisions on future generations.

Environmental Protection: policies to reduce environmental damage

Equity: commitment to meeting the basic needs of the poor today and in the future.

Quality of Life: economic growth does not equate with human well-being.

Participation: sustainable development requires as much involvement as possible

by individuals and groups if it is to work.

Thus, sustainable development has many dimensions and if sustainability is to mean

anything, local people and communities must play an active part in shaping and

delivering sustainable initiatives aligned to the needs, aspirations, and circumstances

of their own communities. Requirements for sustainability also vary between

communities, over time. Thus, it follows that no static or prescriptive approach can be

fully employed to guarantee community sustainability. Nevertheless, it is vitally

important to develop systematic approaches in assessing how sustainability can be

promoted and in responding to issues that undermine it.

1.4 Bridging the Gap: Sustainable Development and Environmental

Justice

The movement for environmental justice grew as a reaction to the limitations of

mainstream environmentalism, which were viewed as being dominated by elitist,

white, upper-class environmental individuals that reflected a narrow range of views.

Further, many argued that the traditional environmental movement was not

adequately addressing issues such as race, power and inequality (Bullard, 1993).

Various studies alert us to the fact that when it comes to analysing distributional

consequences, both social and spatial, lower income groups are more prone to

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experience environmental problems, unwanted development, and a lack of

consultation in the overall decision-making process.

Despite significant improvements in environmental protection over several decades,

many people continue to live in unsafe and unhealthy physical environments. Over

the past decade there has been a substantial rise in evidence correlating the

proximity to environmental degradation with an individual or group’s social class,

ethnic status and geographical location (Bullard, 1993; Bullard and Johnson 2000;

Agyeman and Evans, 2004).

Many deprived areas in Scotland reveal the highest levels of pollutant concentrations

(Scandrett et al 2000; FoE 2001; Dunion, 2003). Other studies show that people

living in the most deprived areas, mostly but not exclusively in urban Scotland,

experience by far the worst environments, not just in terms of pollution, but with

respect to more general problems of litter, derelict sites, graffiti, gaps in amenity and

services. Often these are the most densely populated areas, with higher levels of

high-rise buildings and undefended open spaces (JRF, 2001; Hastings et al 2005).

Moreover, Agyeman and Evans (2004) note that Scottish communities located in the

worst environments are more likely to be those with least power, mainly caused by

their poverty, unemployment, long-term sickness, isolation or more likely a

combination of these.

The Scottish Executive affirmed its commitment to sustainable development and the

need to combine ‘economic progress with social and environmental justice’ (2002). It

is notable that one of the first major policy speeches by former First Minister Jack

McConnell acknowledged the growing importance of environmental justice:

‘Too often the environment is dismissed as a concern of those who are

not confronted with bread and butter issues. But the reality is the people

who have the most urgent environmental concerns in Scotland are those

who cope daily with the consequences of a poor quality of life, and live in

a rotten environment, close to industrial pollution, plagued by vehicle

emissions, streets filled with litter and walls covered in graffiti. This is true

for Scotland and also true elsewhere in the world. These are

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circumstances which would not be acceptable to better off communities in

our society, and those who have to endure such environments in which to

bring up a family, or grow old themselves are being denied environmental

justice’.

Extract from Speech by the then First Minister, Jack McConnell at ERM Environment

Lecture, Edinburgh, February 2002.

Despite this high-level commitment and a recognition that environmental justice could

play a role in existing policies for sustainability and social exclusion, evidence of

environmental inequalities draw attention to where sustainable polices could be more

effective. This highlights an emerging discourse around the key concepts of

environmental justice and sustainability - the ‘just sustainability’ nexus. Agyeman and

Evans (2004:5) contend that public policy (environmental or otherwise) must strive to

ensure it does not disproportionately disadvantage any particular social group and

affords opportunity to all as a precondition in pursuit of a just and sustainable future.

It is clear that with this approach, different aspects of social exclusion could be

addressed through environmental action, including poor housing, long-term

unemployment, ill health, restricted access to resources and weak participation in

decision-making. Local input is vital in order to relate local, parochial concerns to

more strategic questions, and by showing what is successful and where more work is

needed. Solutions for a just, sustainable future are also compelling because the

environment is one of the most important determinants of public health. Higher levels

of environmental monitoring, access to new resources, better use of existing

resources and the participation of local expertise, is essential to the benefit of the

community and the wider environment.

Thus, the environmental agenda is almost limitless and incorporates many of the key

issues facing contemporary society. The introduction of ‘sustainable development’

and more recently ‘environmental justice’ has clearly broadened the basis of

environmental concern to include among other things: education, poverty, welfare

reform, quality of life, inclusion, equity and public health as well as purely ecological

issues. When we unite ‘the environment’ with ‘civic and voluntary action’ we have the

potential to enhance personal and community capacity in wider aspects of public

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policy. However, strategies to support voluntary action must win the hearts and minds

of individuals and communities (not just the support of formal agencies) if they are to

work effectively in practice. In the next sub-section, we consider environmental

volunteering as one particular expression of voluntary action in this sphere.

1.4 Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Environmental Volunteering in

Scotland

“We will promote the expansion of environmental volunteering across

Scotland, to involve people more in improving their own communities,

and we will work with local authorities to maximise the opportunity for

everyone to be more active in safe, appealing environments in their own

communities’.

Scottish Government, Scottish Budget Spending Review

(November 2007)

Volunteering is often conceptualised as autonomous activity arising within civil

society, freely undertaken without payment. It is therefore unpaid work, given free

from coercion. Volunteering takes place in various settings across the UK, including

in the voluntary sector, but it is distinct from ‘voluntary sector work’, being paid

employment within a voluntary organisation. Volunteering may be driven by personal

development, service-giving and campaigning motivations, among others.

People volunteer for a variety of reasons and although there is an intrinsic value in

volunteering - questions are increasingly raised concerning: Who is or is not

volunteering? Why do people volunteer? What can be done to support wider

volunteering in society, especially for ‘difficult to reach’ groups? How can we measure

the impact and value of volunteering? Such questions are intrinsically difficult to

answer, for as Albert Einstein said ‘Not everything that counts can be counted, and

not everything that can be counted, counts’. Therefore, despite the growing political

emphasis on the role of the voluntary sector there is evidence of a lack of awareness

regarding the complex and contradictory realities of voluntary action. Thus, tensions

exist between internal values or aims and the external policy environment; varied

expectations from stakeholders and financial opportunities and constraints.

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Recent data from the Scottish Household Survey (2003) reveal a converse

relationship between those who would potentially have much to gain from

volunteering and those who actively volunteer. Although most people would benefit in

some capacity from volunteering, individuals who are on the lowest incomes (tending

to have fewer skills; few or no educational qualifications; be refugees or asylum

seekers; and/or live in the worst neighbourhoods) are least likely to participate. This

raises serious questions regarding why such large variations exist among those who

volunteer and those who don’t - and ultimately, what can be done in practice to close

the gap in volunteering rates.

1.5 BTCV Scotland Response to Ideological and Policy Changes

Developments in ideological thinking and policy shifts discussed in the preceding

sub-sections have had a huge influence on local thinking in regard to regeneration

and relationships between the physical and the social (Sutton, 2004). Subsequently,

environmental volunteering organisations like BTCV Scotland have taken a lead from

wider academic and political debates and have over the last decade attempted to

develop coherent frameworks for sustainability delivery of eco-social outcomes.

Nevertheless, years of improvised policies on regeneration and environmental issues

are reflected in the current nature of work in this area, including that of BTCV. Carter

in (Robert and Sykes, 2000) note for example that ad hoc funding has left behind a

trail of random projects which despite being excellent, are nevertheless not effectively

joined-up to make substantive or sustainable impact. They concede however, that in

recent years that there is a growing recognition that

“Successful urban re-generation requires a strategically designed, locally

based, multi-sector, multi-agency partnership approach”

Roberts and Sykes, 2000: 37

It is encouraging to note that BTCV Scotland galvanized opportunities presented by a

substantive grant to logically thread together its existing volunteering projects on

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sustainable development in a coherent manner to form a platform from which to

launch the Greenspaces Regeneration Programme.

1.5.1 BTCV Greenspaces Regeneration Programme9

The Scottish Executive’s interest in building a sustainable Scotland as reflected in

preceding discussions (Scottish Executive, 2002) and more recently, their

acknowledgment of the benefits of involving local people and partnerships in the

delivery of their regeneration policy10 (Scottish Executive, 2006) inspired BTCV to

reorganise the delivery of their work so that it might be more closely aligned to that of

Scottish government agenda. Many years of development work with the then Scottish

Executive on projects relating to environmental improvement and sustainable action

resulted in a significant financial boost for BTCV Scotland to deliver the start of a

Greenspaces Regeneration Programme across Scotland.

In September 2006, BTCV Scotland11 received a grant of £400,000 from the Scottish

Executive to deliver elements of the government’s regeneration programme, through

environmental volunteering. In commenting on the grant, the Director of BTCV

Scotland noted the following:

“essentially the award is supporting what we do best, developing and

working with volunteers to improve the environment. However there is a

very important difference in carrying out this work in that there is

recognition, perhaps for the first time, that the benefits that accrue to

individuals is a paramount consideration whilst working in the

environment”

CLAN, (2007, pp: 3)

The programme of work, which is being delivered by all of BTCV Scotland offices,

engages local people with the overall aim of seeking both individual and

9 Hereafter referred to as Greenspaces

10 ‘People and Place’

11 BTCV Scotland operates from twelve locations throughout Scotland and delivers a range of projects tailored to suit locations across Scotland.

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environmental outcomes. For individuals, the desired outcomes include healthier

lifestyles, learning and skills development, inclusion, improved employability,

environmental awareness and building confidence. All of these are crucial

components for improved quality of life within enhanced living spaces. This in effect

is the overarching aim of the Greenspaces programme. In keeping with policy

developments within Scotland, through this programme BTCV Scotland attempts to

work where possible with people who suffer disadvantage through their cultural

background, social status, health, age or lack of numeracy and literacy skills. In sum,

Greenspaces sets out offer a package of environmental activities, which in practical

ways, bridge sustainable development with environmental justice through

environmental volunteering.

While the primary focus of the BTCV Scotland’s Greenspaces is the regeneration of

‘green spaces’, the projects within the programme evolved from the immediate social

and economic concerns of local communities. The Scottish Executive funding

allowed BTCV Scotland to dedicate substantive staff resources for significant time

periods during a six months period until March 2007. The main objective in doing so

was to invest in tangible outputs in regeneration sites and to maximise outcome

benefits for individuals in the communities (quality of life), volunteers (development)

and the broader locality (environmental regeneration).

In devising its delivery framework, BTCV Scotland sought to build on existing projects

and devise new activities based on locally articulated requirements. This inclusive

developmental approach not only compliments BTCV’s underlying ethos of

sustainable development but also ensures that the organisation’s expertise and

knowledge accumulated through years of local engagement is put to effective use. In

essence, BTCV Scotland’s extensive experience and expertise is being creatively

used to exploit the latent potential for regeneration that has hitherto not been

effectively tapped by other agencies, or indeed BTCV itself due to limited resources.

It fair so say that funding from the Scottish Executive has been crucial in allowing

BTCV Scotland the opportunity to co-ordinate existing activities associated with

regeneration in a more coherent manner. In doing so, BTCV Scotland is building on

its existing achievements and at the same time is developing additional areas of work

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with the intention of trialing new forms of activity and frameworks for the delivery of

environmental volunteering.

In Aberdeen, for instance, the team is researching the extent of Greenspaces

opportunities that exist in order to determine a long-term strategy for local

engagement and improvement. On the other hand, by building on an existing project,

the Green Gym, BTCV Scotland extends its current project to include a major new

focus on health and young people by piloting school Green Gyms at 7 Primary

Schools across Scotland. Moreover, this development has enabled BTCV Scotland

to expand its partnerships by working with new agencies across Scotland.

Indeed, as will be reflected in later discussion, the evaluation uncovered a number of

interesting partnerships between Local Authorities, Private Enterprise and

Community Groups. Partners are able to work with BTCV Scotland for mutual social

and environmental benefit. By bringing their own particular interests and expertise to

the project, both BTCV Scotland and its partners are able to make a wider, sustained

impact with their activities across Scotland. A prime example of this is the Braehead

Shopping Centre in Renfrewshire. This partner joined with BTCV in early 2007 to

develop Green Gym projects on Brownfield sites12 in the Paisley area. Similarly, in

Linwood a project has just been initiated as an introduction to what is likely to

develop into a Green Gym project run from within the local shopping centre. Thus by

broadening access to those who might not otherwise engage in healthy activities,

local shoppers are introduced to the notion of environmental volunteering in an

everyday context - the shopping mall.

In sum, the Greenspaces programme demonstrates how existing work can be

sustained, strengthened and developed to deliver multiple outcomes and at the same

time, can be complimentary to a range of government policies and strategies

pertaining to people and places without necessarily reinventing the legendary wheel.

A positive element of this project is that by carefully bridging a range of locally

targeted projects, from community gardening in South Ayrshire to woodland

regeneration in Inverness, from youth inclusion in Edinburgh to a “Peace of Mind

Garden” in Stirling, BTCV Scotland has demonstrated the possibilities of delivering

both local solutions for local concerns whilst maximising impact nationally. In this

12 A regeneration site

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respect, BTCV Scotland has shown that by the creative linking of in-house skills and

expertise to address contemporary environmental challenges, important links can be

established between its organisational goals and local, national and global agendas.

1.5.2 Aim and Objective of Greenspaces

The aim and objectives of Greenspaces are set within the ideological and policy

developments outlined in the preceding discussion. The primary aim of the project is

as follows:

To make a substantive contribution to the implementation of the

Scottish Executive’s policy agenda across a numbers of policy

areas, by focusing on the green space regeneration

Within the context of this overarching aim, the key objectives of Greenspaces are to

i) Deliver individual beneficial outcomes to volunteers in relation to healthy

lifestyles, learning and skills development, inclusion, employability,

confidence building and environmental awareness

ii) Stimulate volunteering in local environments as a means to generate

a sense of place and the capacity to influence regeneration through

self-help

iii) Create opportunities for urban groups to experience Scotland’s

natural heritage

iv) Expand the network of volunteer groups through BTCV Scotland

Community Local Action Network (CLAN)

v) Develop a structured approach to environmental volunteering which

provides a means to measure “the distance travelled” by individual

23

volunteers in terms of environmental and social development and

where possible the means to provide accreditation of individual

development.

Subsequently, the primary aim of this evaluation, which is discussed in the

following sections is to establish the extent to which these objectives have

been met, elucidate lessons that can be learned (in terms of volunteer

management) and to gain insights into the possibility of developing a

standard framework for future monitoring of this and other programmes within

BTCV Scotland and externally.

In the section that follows immediately (SECTION TWO), an overview of the

aim, objectives and methodological approach for this evaluation is given. The

importance of evaluation at an early stage of programme development is

highlighted given the particular benefits that this can have in terms of

learning, development, programme sustainability and strategic interventions

(Weiss, 2003).

SECTION TWO: THE EVALUATION

“The aim of formative evaluation is to provide descriptive and judgmental

24

information, leading to refinement, improvement, alterations, and /or

modification in the evaluand, while the aim of summative evaluation is to

determine impacts, outcomes, or results.”

Lincoln and Guba, (986b: 550 in Shaw 1999: 10)

2.1 Methodological Context

Shaw (ibid) draws on Lincoln and Guba to illustrate the multiple understandings that

people have of the concept, evaluation. Over the last four decades academic

evaluators (House 1980, Patten 1990, Scriven, 1997, Stake, 1997, Weiss, 2003,

2004) have deliberated the difference between research and evaluation, the link

between theory and practice, the nature of methodological approaches and the

purpose of research and evaluation.

Policy-makers and practitioners, on the other hand, look towards evaluation as an

exercise that can provide evidence on the merit and worth of initiatives, interventions,

practices or programmes (including action and applied research.) (Cabinet Office,

2003). Shaw (1999) explains that:

‘Merit’, as they [Lincoln and Guba, 1990 in Shaw]13 use the term, refers

to the intrinsic, context-free qualities that accompany the evaluand from

place to place and are relatively invariant…’Worth’ refers to the context-

determined value, which varies from one context to another.

Thus, while some attempt to establish the worth or value of an activity, plan or object

against certain criteria (McKie et al, 2002), others (Rossi, 2004) argue that evaluation

is a social science activity directed at collecting, analysing and communicating

information about the workings and effectiveness of social programmes. It is

therefore evident that evaluator’s approach to evaluation will be influenced

predominantly by who commissions the evaluation, the context within which it is

commissioned and the purpose for conducting the evaluation. These factors are will

invariably influence the design of the evaluation, methodologies used and

13 My insertion

25

interpretation of data collected.

It is worth mentioning that whilst during the 1960s evaluations were generally shaped

by positivistic ideologies (Shaw, 1999) which were underpinned mainly by

quantitative principles that sought to apply strict measurements of merit and worth,

the boom in qualitative methodologies since the 1970s shifted the focus of the

majority of evaluators. SenGupta (2004) concurs:

“ the past decade can be rightfully characterized as one where

qualitative methods, and consequently mixed-method designs, came of

age, coinciding with and contributing to a different understanding of what

evaluative endeavor means”

(In Weiss, Evaluation Exchange ix 4: 3)

Such developments in evaluation have made evaluators appear more empathetic

and humane. Previously seen as the enemy of practitioners, conducting their

business purely for punitive reasons (Shaw, 1999), evaluators are increasingly being

perceived in a more positive and constructive light. Similarly, the expectations of

those who commission evaluations are currently directed, more often, towards a

desire for knowledge and understanding of social processes, information on specific

areas of work to broaden understandings of issues and data on what works in

practical contexts (Weiss, 2003, 2004).

As a result of these advances in the evaluation world, the nature of contemporary

evaluations tend to be more closely connected with project planning, organisational

development, fit with government policies and overall policy planning processes

(May, 2002) with a view to positively changing behaviours and environments within

our societies (Weiss, 2003). The outcomes of evaluations therefore tend to focus

directly on what can be improved and what can be done to positively change society

(Weiss, 2003). It is therefore not surprising that in Britain and elsewhere, academics,

governments, policy-makers and voluntary sector practitioners are increasingly

encouraging the use of evaluation frameworks that are underpinned by qualitative14,

14 See the work of Shaw, 1999, Weiss, (2003, 2004)

26

participatory15 approaches (See Cabinet Office, Report, 2003) with quantitative data

being recorded mainly for benchmarking and monitoring purposes rather than

measuring worth or merit.

2.2.1 The Evaluation Methodology

The design of this evaluation is strongly influenced by the contemporary

methodological trends highlighted in the preceding discussions. Even though the

evaluation is qualitatively designed, some quantitative data was gathered to situate

the qualitative findings and point toward broad trends and patterns. Information was

collected on individual projects within Greenspaces, each of which revealed its own

distinctive patterns of success and challenge. Thus throughout the discussions that

follow, relevant comments are made on specific projects within the programme.

Notwithstanding this, in the final analysis, the evaluators considered the strengths

and weaknesses of Greenspaces in terms of the overall programme aim and

objectives and not individual project ones, which, in some instances were established

to address specific aspects of the programmes’ objectives. Consequently, the

ultimate design of the evaluation framework is shaped by aim and objectives of the

evaluation, which in turn reflects the overarching aims and objectives of

Greenspaces. An outline of the evaluation aim and objectives is provided in Sub-

Section 2.2.2 below:

2.2.2 Aim of Evaluation

The aim of the evaluation was to assess the extent to which BTCV Scotland’s

Greenspaces Programme succeeded in regenerating physical spaces and

improving the quality of life of individuals and communities, involved in the

project.

2.2.3 Objectives of Evaluation

In terms of realising this aim our principal foci are the key aims and objectives of the

15 See the work of Patten, 1990, Hampton, (2001, 2004)

27

Greenspaces Programme. We set out to evaluate four aspects of BTCV Scotland’s

work in relation to Greenspaces:

i) The effectiveness of BTCV Scotland in delivering Greenspaces

ii) The nature and quality of relationships between volunteers, other

stakeholders16 and BTCV Scotland.

iii) The contribution of individual projects within the programme, in

terms of progressing environmental justice within the most

disadvantaged communities (individual and environmental

benefits)

iv) The overall achievement of the programme in relation to the

Scottish Executive’s policies on sustainable development,

environmental volunteering and regeneration

In pursuing the first three objectives, the evaluators paid particular attention to the

following factors:

(i) The challenges of starting up Greenspaces projects in the community

and prospects for the long-term sustainability of Greenspaces projects

beyond the initial involvement of BTCV Scotland.

(ii) The commercial value of the work carried out by volunteers on

Greenspaces

(iii) Additional benefits and leverage, if any, created by BTCV Scotland

involvement in Greenspaces

16 Reference to BTCV Scotland ‘stake-holders’ is to a range of external projects partners and other agencies that are influential in programme planning and delivery. These include site-holders, local funders, local authorities, voluntary sector partners, environmental agencies, UK and national government agencies (housing, health, employment and social welfare agencies).

28

(iv) Additional partnerships and inter agency activity, if any, created by the

programme

Likewise, in evaluating the effect of the programme in relation to current Scottish

government policies on environmental volunteering, regeneration and sustainable

development, the evaluators reviewed current literature on Scottish policy and

theoretical developments in the field and developed a framework against which the

work was is assessed. This is discussed in the final section of this report

(SECTION 4).

2.3 Purpose of the Evaluation

It was anticipated that the evaluation would provide information that;

i) Will determine whether the programme had achieved its primary aim and

objectives i.e. the programme outcome in relation to its effect on individuals

and communities - social, personal and environmental (impact)

ii) Will identify strengths and weaknesses in programme delivery and content

so that lessons can be learned in terms of strategic organizational

development and sustainability of programme activities (planning and

development)

iii) Will enable BTCV Scotland to communicate environmental messages to a

range of stakeholders, policy-makers, Scottish government, individuals and

community groups in a more confident and coherent manner (increase and

share knowledge and understanding)

iv) Will enable the development of an integrated mainstream, evaluation

framework within the programme to enable ongoing monitoring of progress

and systematic evaluation of outcomes in a consistent and sustained

manner, post this evaluation (embed long-term evaluation strategy)

In addition, the evaluators understand that the Scottish Executive and BTCV

Scotland are keen to know how well the programme fits with current developments in

environment policies so that further development opportunities might be identified

29

which build on this programme (delivering policy outcomes).

In sum, the overall purpose of the evaluation is therefore both formative,17 given its

early stage of development and implementation, and summative18 as it also sets out

to test initial strengths and weaknesses and early impact on individuals, communities

and physical spaces. The former (formative approach) evaluates how well the

programme has been managed and delivered and the progress made to date in

terms of the original proposal while the latter (summative approach), which is usually

done at the end of a programme, assesses the quality of the programme and the

impact of the fully implemented programme (National Science foundation, 2002). In

this case, the evaluators can only comment on short-term impact given the time-span

of the implementation phase (6 months) Accordingly, this evaluation will focus mainly

on the formative elements and comment briefly on the summative and will

recommend a more detailed impact assessment, building on this one, in a year’s

time.

2.4 Data Collection

One of the key difficulties experienced in gathering data for this evaluation was the

limited range of programme information which is currently recorded. While there is a

standardized system for recording quantitative data for BTCV and while each office in

Scotland records its own quantitative and qualitative information and this is

centralized in the management information system, the data collected does not fully

reflect the range of interests of this evaluation. The evaluators therefore felt it best to

draw from different data sources and to supplement this with a small number of

targeted interviews with key informants involved in the programme.

In order to obtain the necessary data from various sources, the triangulation19 (Flick,

2002) methodological approach was adopted. This involved textual analysis (current

17 Formative evaluation starts at the beginning of the project development stages and continue throughout its lifetime (National Science Foundation, (2002)

18 Summative evaluation is usually done at the end of programme implementation to assess overall impact, effective delivery of outcomes and quality of work (National Science Foundation, 2002)

19Triangulation is a techniques used by researchers that involves the use of multiple methods (both Qualitative and Quantitative, e.g.: observation, textual analysis and interviewing) (Silverman, 2000)

30

government policies on environmental volunteering, sustainable development,

Greenspaces regeneration and relevant documents published by BTCV. In addition

semi-structured interviews (See Appendix 1 for Questionnaire) were conducted with

key informants including Volunteers (N=39), BTCV Scotland Area Manager (N=1);

BTCV Senior managers (5); Project and Development Officers, (N=5), Green Gym

Coordinators (N=7), Clients and Stakeholders (N=8) and Volunteer Officers (N=2).

These interviews were in-depth with a view to establishing expectations (prior),

experiences (during) and attitudes (during and after) the programme, for exmple

i) What does the programme look and feel like to participants and other

stakeholders?

ii) How much is known about the programme outside the organization?

iii) Thoughts about programme operation, processes and outcomes

iv) Participants and stakeholders expectations

v) features of the programme perceived as important

vi) Impact/changes experienced as a result of involvement in the programme

In addition to the 67 targeted interviews (39 of which were postal questionnaires

completed by volunteers and the rest face to face) that were conducted, data was

extracted from the following additional sources:

- 10 Questionnaires completed by volunteers of the Green Gym project

from a research conducted by Oxford –Brookes University

- 70 Questionnaires completed by school children attending the six Green

Gym projects run by schools (Satisfaction Survey)

2.4.1 Questionnaire Design: Interviews with Key Informants

The questionnaire for the targeted interviews was based on a design that was

originally devised by Evaluation Support Scotland (2006) taking advice from a small

working group, comprising four volunteers and three members of BTCV Scotland

staff.

This working group discussed its expectations of evaluation and concluded it would

find it useful at this stage to establish the following:

31

i) whether BTCV Scotland volunteers enjoy their experience and have

their expectations been met

ii) whether BTCV Scotland Volunteers use knowledge they obtain from

volunteering

iii) whether BTCV Scotland has raised volunteers’ awareness and

attitude to the environment through volunteering

iv) to what extent volunteering enriched the life experiences and personal

development of volunteers.

The senior staff in Scotland on the other hand, were keen to know whether their

programme of activities was achieving the overall outcomes, the quality of the

relationships between volunteers and the organisation, whether the programme

delivered value for money and how to improve the programme.

In attempting to encapsulate both sets of expectations, the original draft

questionnaire, drafted by Evaluation Support Scotland, was circulated to the original

working group and BTCV Scotland managers, for feedback. The final version of the

questionnaire used during interviews appears in Appendix (i). It reflects the

amendments made to the original one drafted by Evaluation Scotland (2006).

2.4.2 Quantitative Data

Quantitative information came mainly from BTCV’s Management Information System

and from analysis of the frequency of certain types of responses in the questionnaire.

To reflect the lead-in time required to develop projects through Greenspaces and

since many of the projects were ongoing, numerical data was gathered right up to the

conclusion of the field work and the period covered by the evaluation is 1 September

2006 – 31 July 2007.

2.5 Sampling

32

A non-probability sampling technique20 (i.e. Purposive Sampling) was used for

selecting key informants as it was felt to be the most appropriate type of sampling for

this evaluation. Quoting Denzin and Lincoln 1994, Silverman concurs that

“many qualitative researchers employ…. purposive, and not random,

sampling methods. They seek out groups, settings and individuals

where…the process being studies are most likely to occur”

(2000: 104)

The approach to sampling was based on practical decisions around cost, time and

the type of information required. In doing so care was taken to ensure validity by

making certain that the method was theoretically grounded. So even though the

sampling method it is not statistically underpinned, it is nevertheless an acceptable

sampling method for qualitative evaluations as the sample is not based on ‘personal’

choice.

2.6 Analysis

Analysis of data from all the noted sources were classified, thematically ordered and

analysed using qualitative approaches. Drawing from desk-based studies,

testimonies and graphics from respondents, textual analysis and content analysis

were conducted. Key data were assessed within the context of the aims of the

programme and where relevant, case studies and direct quotations are used to

highlight major patterns in relation to the first three objectives, which in effect, relate

to the competence of BTCV as a programme deliverer and its relationship with

stakeholders and volunteers. With regard to the latter, particular attention is paid to

the impact of the programme on individual’s lives and to their communities. A

theoretical and policy framework was constructed to situate the Greenspaces

programme within current discourse and to assess its progress in line with current

developments in environmental work within Scotland.

20 This is a popular method of sampling used frequently in qualitative evaluation as the purpose of the evaluation is not to generalize but to seek the opinion of those involved in the programme (Silverman, 2000)

33

SECTION THREE: THE FINDINGS

PART ONE: PROJECTS WITHIN GREENSPACES REGENERATION: IMPACT ON

PLACES

34

“Everyone has a sense of place - somewhere they feel attached to and

care for. For almost 50 years BTCV has worked with people and

communities to protect and improve the places they value-their street,

neighbourhood, or wider locality, including the green spaces and wild

corners which flourish even in the densest urban setting”

Hampton, R in Burns (2007: iii)

The Director, BTCV Scotland (ibid) sums up the underlying principles underpinning

the projects described in this section. While the introduction provides a brief insight

into the work of BTCV Scotland, regarding its vision and mission, this section

describes the nature of the projects that comprise the Greenspaces Regeneration

Programme.

In their most recent publication (Burns, 2007), the core of BTCV Scotland’s

community activities and services is listed and explained. They list a range of

community activities that involving volunteers that are very young (under 10 years)

right up to those that are retired from formal work, it includes the able bodied and

disabled and people from diverse national and ethnic backgrounds. The activities are

primarily aimed at improving community spaces across Scotland and include the

following:

LIST BOX 2: BTCV SCOTLAND ‘GREEN’ ACTIVITIES

i) Turning sections of grass land (Aberdeen) into attractive green spaces,

ii) Allotment developments (Glasgow and Coatbridge)

iii) Village regeneration (East Ayrshire)

iv) Park repairs (Blackness)

v) Woodland and Wetland development (Creetown; Drumchapel, Angus, Alva

Glen, North East Dundee)

vi) Community and individual Garden improvement (North Ayrshire, Stirling)

vii) Landscaping in Stoneyburn;

viii) Environmental improvement (South Queensferry)

35

ix) Action breaks (Shetland); neighbourhood cleanups and

x) Creating wildlife habitats, environmental art (National Youth project).

xi) Green Gym

A central plank of the organisation’s work is the Green Gym project, the demand for

which is increasing right across Britain. This project combines formal health exercises

with environmental improvement activity. Recently, in a report prepared for South

Ayrshire Council (who part funded BTCV Scotland work in South Ayrshire), BTCV

Scotland note that:

“by far and wide, Green Gym has received the most interest and at

present there is the potential for three stand alone projects across South

Ayrshire”

BTCV (2007: 9)

It is therefore not surprising that BTCV Scotland chose to develop projects such as

the Green Gym to create the Greenspaces Programme. In essence, the

Greenspaces programme seeks to achieve its outcomes by introducing the following

new initiatives built on existing successful projects (LIST BOX 2, above) across

Scotland.

3.1 .1 Building on the Green Gym

The Green Gym is a concept devised by BTCV, which has the intellectual property

rights over. It can be defined as a “voluntary sector health intervention initiative”

(Burns, 2007) and combines environmental or horticultural activity with warm up and

cool down exercises in a formal way. The benefits of open-air exercise are well

documented (Burns, 2007) and staff use the term “biophilia” to describe the greater

sense of well-being to be derived from that type of exercise. Volunteers are given a

brief health check using a questionnaire, at the outset of their participation and may

be referred to their General Practitioners to confirm suitability for this type of

exercise, should it be deemed necessary.

36

BTCV Scotland’s self-collected statistics show that the Green Gym Project attracts

individuals who are new to volunteering. 80% of people in Green Gym have not done

any previous environmental volunteering. The retention rate is high, with upward of

80% seeing the programme through to completion (BTCV, MIS21). In delivering this

project, BTCV works closely with those with medical interests, including, local GP

surgeries, health centres and charities such as the British Heart Foundation.

Green Gym activity had been established on around 16 sites in Scotland before the

Greenspaces Regeneration Programme was initiated. The programme allowed for

the expansion to twenty-three sites, and also allowed for the development of a model

short course, a twelve-week intervention that demonstrates how Green Gym works

and what it can achieve.

BTCV describe Green Gym as a project, which is about healthy people and healthy

places. They argue that traditional gyms and sports centres do not appeal to

everyone, so Green Gym offers an alternative ‘outdoor gym’. Run in partnership with

the health service, BTCV Green Gyms follow quality standards that ensure safety

and have proven health benefits (www.btcv.org)

In Green Gym, people meet once a week to improve local green spaces by doing

physical activities such as tree planting. Formal warm up and cool down exercises

are part of the activity.

The new developments to this existing project were as follows:

i) Development of a Green Gym Short Programme at Linwood in Renfrewshire

ii) Establishment of a Green Gym in Dumfries and Galloway

iii) Establishment of a Green Gym for Inverness city

iv) A pilot Green Gym in six schools

21 Management Information System

37

3.1.2 Greenspaces Regeneration Aberdeen

This project involved the planning and construction of a green space within a site

owned by Aberdeen city to function as a green gym. Unfortunately, a problem over

ownership and future use of the land occurred during the public consultation stage

and the project had to be stopped. Nevertheless, the Green Gym project is being

delivered elsewhere in Aberdeen involving a number of volunteers who had already

been recruited for this project.

3.1.3 Building on Conservation Holidays: Healthy Holidays – A New Model of

Healthy

This project provides an alternative to an already existing project called BTCV

Conservation Holidays. BTCV organises around 250 conservation holidays per year

throughout the UK. The activity includes tree planting, step and stile building,

restoration of drystane dykes, hedging and pond digging to name a few. BTCV

advertise this project as one that:

“our visitors leave a lasting legacy in places they visit - habitats protected,

natural heritage restored and positive relations built between towns and

country dwellers”

BTCV Conservation Breaks: www.btcv.org

Conservation Holidays are fairly demanding projects which involve volunteers

working on a site over a set period of weeks to accomplish significant regeneration

activities as described above. Greenspaces programme funding was to be used to

develop a model for a shorter break, which would permit volunteers to carry out a

satisfying piece of work in the open air but with the added value of a residential stay.

A residential weekend break was arranged to include the social aspects of

volunteering. BTCV targeted disadvantaged people, many of whom had not been

able to afford a short to break from home or to fully appreciate and enjoy non-urban

environments. By providing opportunities to volunteer away from home, this project

38

not only enabled them to visit a new place of cultural interest but also provided the

opportunity to participate in green gym activities on site while participating in a

regeneration activity.

The break, which is free of charge, includes structured urban and rural walks, a

regeneration activity, food and accommodation. This project therefore combined the

concept of Conservation holidays with that of Green Gym to create Healthy Breaks

for potential volunteers within disadvantaged groups.

3.1.4 Stirling “Peace of Mind” Garden

Based on the concept of the community garden, Greenspaces funding was allocated

to develop plans for a garden area within King’s Park in Stirling. The Garden was

developed in response to discussions between the Stirling Users Network and other

mental health organisations. The “Peace of Mind Garden’ is developed around the

notion that

“people love gardens for all sorts of reasons: their colours, aromas,

shapes and patterns, and for their ability to instill a sense of calm and

wellbeing”

Burns: (2007: 40)

The Peace of Mind Garden, BTCV Scotland claims, provides a focal place for people

with mental health problem to relax while the garden itself improves biodiversity,

through the planting of species of wildflowers that attract birds, bugs and ‘beasties’.

Involving volunteers with mental health problems, BTCV, Scotland undertook to

prepare the ground, construct the pathway and pergola and plant wildflowers.

3.1.5 Building on Environments for all: A Residential Induction Session for

New Arrivals in Glasgow

This initiative was also developed from the ideas of an earlier successful project,

Environments for All. That project was originally launched on evidence to show that

39

black and minority ethnic communities were generally under-represented in

environmental activities and volunteering. Launched in Glasgow, the project aimed at

encouraging people from marginalised communities to become involved with the

activities of BTCV Scotland which includes food growing, garden make-overs, arts

and crafts, tree planting and neighbourhood clean-ups. In order to reach a wider

audience, this project worked in partnership with other agencies including, the

Scottish Refugee Council, British Red Cross, Muslim network and Youth Counseling

Service in Glasgow.

The Environments for All project encouraged members of minority ethnic

communities to explore the physical and psychological space around them. Building

on this programme, the residential project was developed by targeting a different

group of people who rarely engage in environmental volunteering. The residential

induction sought to provide similar opportunities for new arrivals in Scotland – asylum

seekers and refugees – and to introduce them to rural environments.

3.1.6 A Youth Inclusion Project in Peripheral Estates in Edinburgh

Greenspaces funding was used to fund a new post of Youth and Community Worker

and the post-holder set up environmental volunteering schemes for young people in

four disadvantaged estates in Edinburgh. The first scheme was developed in the

Westburn Woodland area in Wester Hailes, with subsequent projects following in

Granton, Pilton and Drylaw.

It was intended that these schemes would enable local people to gain a better

understanding of the public space on their doorstep and adopt the space for

purposeful use. It was also intended that young people from an urban environment

would be given the opportunity to learn about nature and biodiversity by participating

in these schemes. Young people are involved from the outset in the projects, helping

to design improvements to local space and determine its use.

In delivering the above projects, BTCV Scotland planned to involve existing staff to

maximise expertise and provide opportunities for continuous professional

40

development. At the same time, BTCV Scotland set out to develop latent potential in

sites which had not been fully exploited for their volunteer potential due to limited

resources. Additional staff was recruited only in areas (Edinburgh and Renfrewshire)

where additional skills were required.

It is worth noting that new initiatives described above were all delivered within the

planned time span of the Greenspaces programme with the exception of the

Aberdeen regeneration project as explained above.

3.1.7 Environmental Outputs

These initiatives produced regeneration activity on 65 sites across Scotland. A total of

291 people volunteered during the life of the Greenspaces programme to deliver a

total of 4518 “volunteer days”, the unit in which BTCV Scotland computes its

volunteer activity.

Although the number of volunteers taking part in the programme is short of the target

of 2000 at 291, the average number of days spent by volunteers on the programme

far exceeded the anticipated 3. It was in fact just over 15.5 days per volunteer

indicating that commitment to and involvement with the projects was far higher than

anticipated. Thus the volunteers between them delivered 4518 volunteer days, short

of the target of 6000 but not proportionately so and far higher than would have been

expected from a volunteer base of less than 300. The total number of volunteer days

for all of BTCV programmes during this period was 8589.

Greenspaces aimed to deliver substantial regenerative work on public spaces. The

65 sites on which the initiative delivered work benefited from a range of types of

activity from path clearing to the pruning of invasive species, removing weeds from a

football pitch to building raised beds in a school playground.

It is useful to note that the actual extent of the regeneration activity in terms of

physical improvement has not been monitored and cannot therefore be quantified in

this evaluation. Nevertheless, in delivering Greenspaces, BTCV Scotland initiated a

41

number of new partnerships and cemented previous relationships. In all areas the

local office engaged with the local Community Planning Partnership. These

partnerships will be discussed later in this report, but it is fair to say that the

relationship with partner agencies – whether “clients” for whom work is being carried

out, or referral agencies that place volunteers with BTCV Scotland – is excellent.

All of stakeholders who were interviewed said they would certainly continue to work

with BTCV and all praised their attitude towards volunteers and their understanding

of volunteers’ needs. Those for whom work had been carried out were equally warm

in their praise. Although BTCV staff are very aware that work carried out by

volunteers cannot be made subject to the timetables and work output requirements

that would be appropriate with a commercial contractor, none of the stakeholders

interviewed said they would choose a commercial contractor over BTCV volunteers

for the work that volunteers were carrying out.

PART TWO: EFFECTIVENESS OF BTCV SCOTLAND AS A PARTNER AND

PROGRAMME DELIVERER

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can

change the world, indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has”

Margaret Mead, Social Anthropologist, in Burns, 2007: 1

Judgement on the strengths and weaknesses of programmes is influenced by a

number of factors, not least that these judgements are often based on the opinion of

others, many of whom have some stake in the programme either as funder, deliverer

or beneficiary. Moreover, as Weiss (2003) notes, there is now greater pressure for

results. Funded agencies are scrutinised more closely to ensure efficient spending of

resources and evidence of outcomes.

This part of the discussion on findings focuses on the effectiveness of BTCV in

delivering the Greenspaces programme, its relationships with stakeholders and

communities of interest and the impact of its work on individuals and communities.

(Objectives 1, 2 and 4).

42

3.2.1 Effectiveness of BTCV as Programme Deliverer

In assessing programme implementation, the evaluators considered the efficiency of

BTCV Scotland as a delivery agent by considering the initial challenges faced by the

organisation in starting up Greenspaces work. The evaluators attempted to assess

how likely it might be to sustain the programme beyond the initial involvement of

BTCV Scotland. In addition, the evaluators also sought to calculate the potential

financial value of the work carried out by volunteers in projects within Greenspaces

as well as the additional benefits and leverage, if any, created by BTCV Scotland.

Finally, with regard to this aspect we looked at additional partnerships and

interagency activities that were created in the process of programme implementation.

The latter included an assessment of the nature of relationships between BTCV,

volunteers and staff involved in Greenspaces.

3.2.1.2 The Challenges Involved in Setting up Greenspaces Projects

Interviews with BTCV Scotland Managers and Project Officers provided information

about the challenges in setting up the Greenspaces projects. Despite the major

challenges involved in setting up projects these were not uppermost in the minds of

those who were interviewed. In all cases staff displayed enthusiasm about the

projects and their outcomes. Sites on which to carry out work seem to be readily

available, there apprears to be no shortage in any part of Scotland of work to be

done, and with the exception of one category of volunteers, no shortage of people

wanting to volunteer for outdoor, environmental work. Indeed, two of those

interviewed stated that the demand for environmental volunteering work greatly

outstripped BTCV Scotland’s capacity to provide it. This is interesting given that the

Scottish Household Survey (2003) claims that only about a quarter of Scottish people

(23-27% since 2000) engaged in recent volunteering activities. The high demand for

environmental volunteering noted by BTCV Scotland is therefore something that

ought to be encouraged and supported.

In this respect, BTCV Staff felt that securing funding for management costs within the

Greenspaces programme was a major challenge. Staff reported that project funders

43

were willing to fund volunteering activity itself, training, protective clothing and

equipment, but less interested in funding the management costs of running the

programme or projects. Given that BTCV Scotland does not receive any core

funding, is clearly a factor that requires attention. This aspect has been noted

elsewhere. Dalgleish (2006) concurs that the capacity of environmental volunteer

organisations to manage volunteers is limited due to environmental managers

themselves not being fully supported and appreciated.

Pointing the finger at government, Dalgleish claims that there is no shortage of

people willing to take on the role of Volunteer Manager (a manager who is still a

volunteer but who takes on responsibility for managing a team of volunteers) within

organisations such as BTCV Scotland. However the development of the necessary

skill set is currently limited due to lack of focus on environmental volunteering on the

part of government. Dalgleish (ibid) also implies that with clear leadership from

government, and funding for management and training and infrastructure, the latent

potential identified here might be unleashed.

The issue of funding in BTCV Scotland appeared to be uppermost in the minds of

many who mentioned this as a major challenge in delivering the programme more

widely. In particular, staff frequently noted the difficulties involved in delivering

projects on tight budgets and noted that they were forced to fund projects using a

cocktail approach which involves meeting the requirements of different funders within

a single project.

This concern is reflected in a number of comments on the lack of required resources,

mainly in relation to the untapped potential within the Green Gym project. A staff

member delivering Green Gym activity went to great lengths to describe the nature of

difficulties. It transpired in this case, that the staff member had to make a three-and-

a-half hour journey in each direction to spend one hour running the gym since there

were no other staff available.

In addition, several staff commented on the way in which the lack of transport

restricted an ability to absorb new volunteers. Since many sites are in rural areas, it

is often necessary to transport volunteers to the site. License restrictions on driving

44

larger vehicles means that BTCV Scotland uses minibuses which will carry nine

people but as usually only one member of staff is deployed to run the project, the

number of vehicles available restricts the number of volunteers that can be involved

in any one project. BTCV Scotland is of the opinion that the availability of more

transport would expand the size of projects to include more volunteers.

Other challenges reported include the need (in the Highlands and Islands) to widen

the client base so that different types of sites with a greater diversity of activities

could be provided for volunteers. In this regard, staff felt that the involvement of more

local landowners could be a possible solution to this problem. Difficulties in obtaining

land for regeneration work was frequently commented upon as a barrier, given the

complexity involved in landownership. Often useful work, for example in Aberdeen,

has to be stalled or even cancelled due to the difficult negotiations around access to

land.

In addition, staff also felt that clients sometimes baulked at the idea of providing

materials for the project or funding the provision of materials despite buy-in to the

project and the willingness to use volunteers. This was sometimes a disincentive to

pursuing the opportunity.

A further challenge identified by one project worker was the need for a wide range of

skills on any one project, from the ability to build a nesting box to the planning and

design skills for constructing a garden area. This could, in part, be solved by having

more staffing resources dedicated to each project thereby bringing a relevant mix of

skills to the project. In terms of volunteer skills, this skill mix is a mixed blessing. One

project, for example, had in its volunteer team a former plumber, a painter and

decorator and several people who had never even hit a nail. The member of staff in

this case felt challenged in managing that range of abilities within the team of

volunteers.

A specific challenge faced by the team working with the inclusion of refugees and

asylum seekers is the difficulty in attracting refugees to the projects. Whilst asylum

seekers were keen to volunteer and welcome the opportunity to meet new people

and to make a return to their host communities during a period when they were not

45

able to work (while seeking asylum), it appears that once refugee status is achieved

people are less keen to volunteer. This would suggest that this group of volunteers

understandably view volunteering more as a first step to work rather than necessarily

for altruistic reasons.

Nevertheless, this becomes problematic where the funding for the project is directed

at refugees rather than asylum seekers, and staff involved in this work welcomed the

approach taken by funders such as the BIG Lottery Fund, which do not discriminate

between asylum seekers and refugees in projects and provide volunteer activity as a

route to inclusion.

Certain staff members reported personal challenges in learning to deal with people

with a wide range of abilities – and disabilities, a challenge which they found

rewarding to meet. Of the projects surveyed, the one that seemed to face fewest

challenges was the North Edinburgh Community Greenspaces initiative that targeted

marginalised young people in the 14-25 age group.

It would appear that this was the case because the right level of funding was in place.

This allowed ample start-up and development time during which a youth

development officer was recruited and potential inner city sites identified. In this case

the Greenspaces activity has been developed in conjunction with youth agencies and

youth workers in the designated areas meaning that investment by BTCV in

recruiting volunteers has been efficient and that support for young volunteers is

already in place. Likewise, the public involvement phase in determining what use to

make of local sites was made equally by close working links of this kind.

3.2.1.3 The Financial Value of Work Carried out Through Greenspaces

Programme

Given its underlying principles and ethos, BTCV Scotland chooses not to measure

project and programme outcomes in financial terms. Nevertheless, the evaluators

46

believe that it is important to note the commercial value of a day’s volunteering. This

is generally set at approximately £60 per day (SCVO rate). On that basis it can easily

be calculated that the value of labour provided in the course of the Greenspaces

programme was £271, 080 (4518 volunteer days X £60)22. Theses figure are simple

calculations made by the evaluators given that BTCV Scotland does not have a

formula or system for measuring the commercial value of their work which factors in

the value of the regeneration work carried out.

When asked why this was the case, staff stated that since BTCV does not compete

for business in the market place on the basis of value for money, it therefore does not

calculate the commercial value of what it does. Instead, staff measure real value of

Greenspaces work in terms of the qualitative, personal development outcomes for

the volunteers and impact on environment. In the case of Greenspaces, BTCV

Scotland will measure success in terms of the lifestyle improvement, skill

development, environmental awareness and positive changes in communities and

Greenspaces.

A majority of staff interviewed therefore felt they would not know how to calculate the

commercial value of the work undertaken. In this respect, one member of staff

remarked that it would be “relatively easy” to quantify the actual physical outputs of

the different projects: for example, the number of pathways built, the number of trees

planted, the acreage of forest land which is maintained. In practice, this information

although recorded is only considered in the context of benefits to people and physical

environment. In effect, the evaluators found that although the Management

Information System of BTCV does record the sites and the nature of the work done

for each day of activity, this is not translated into commercial terms.

In view of the vast amount of environmental work carried out by BTCV volunteers, it

may be that to overlook the financial value of their outcomes is to overlook an

important element in the value of BTCV Scotland programmes to clients, government

departments and to those developing policy frameworks. This is not to suggest that

BTCV schemes should ever been seen as ‘free labour’ to deliver environmental

improvements. Nor is it to suggest that environmental outcomes take precedence

22 These figures relate only to Greenspaces, during this time environmental volunteering in other projects not included in Greenspaces was ongoing

47

over the personal development goals, which are at the heart of BTCV’s volunteering

programmes. However, it might offer a significant added value, not least in funding

bids, to state the scale and value of the environmental work undertaken.

Some pioneering work has already been done in quantifying the economic benefits

of green space development. The report “Does Money Grow on Trees” produced for

CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) looks at options for

measuring changes, which arise from improving local green spaces. The report

recognizes that these beneficial changes may not be solely monetary ones, but can

include health benefits and behavioural changes to which a financial value can be

ascribed. There may be some merit in BTCV Scotland exploring some of the ideas

contained in this report.

3.2.1.4 Leverage and Match Funding

In terms of leverage or match funding, the programme has had significant success

with Green Gym proving popular and attracting a greater proportion of sponsorship

opportunities for local enterprises. The Green Gym activity in Renfrewshire, for

example, has attracted funding from a commercial source. The Braehead Shopping

Centre (through its parent company, Capital Shopping Centres) together with

Xscape, (through X-leisure Capital and Regional) has committed £70,000 to BTCV

Scotland to support and expand the Green Gym network throughout Renfrewshire.

The funding will be provided over three years and will enable BTCV Scotland to

reach its target of more than 30 Green Gym projects in the Renfrewshire area and

will pay for a staff ratio of one co-coordinator to three or four gyms.

Similarly, funding has also been secured from Falkirk Environment Trust over three

years to develop the wild flower nursery at Grangemouth, which is also the site of the

Green Gym. This site is owned by a local petrochemical company and is leased by

BTCV Scotland. The latter agreed to maintain the facility and runs it as a commercial

enterprise providing wild flowers to landscape architects, schools and to the public.

The nursery has a unique selling point for landscape architects in that it can supply

locally grown indigenous plants rather than imported species. Incorporating Green

Gym into a commercial planting scheme is indeed a unique feature of this project.

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Managers believe that one of the key benefits of the funding provided by the Scottish

Executive for Greenspaces, is that it allowed for a development phase in Green Gym

activity. Prior to the injection of Scottish Executive funding, Green Gym numbers had

been static at around 16 across Scotland. The funding immediately increased the

number of Green Gyms to 23 with many more in the pipeline. This injection of funds

allowed managers to introduce new activities, develop a new, short course of activity,

recruit volunteers from specific target groups (youth, refugees and immigrants, those

with mental health problems) and to implement the Green Gym activity in different

locations. It also allowed for the model to be thoroughly tested and its success to be

demonstrated, providing potential future funders with a replicable model. Further

funding for local Green Gym projects is being sought on the basis of the model, for

example from local housing associations.

3.2.1.5 Inter-agency and Partnership Activity

Inter-agency and partnership work is an integral part of the BTCV Scotland approach.

Those interviewed distinguished two groups of partners or stakeholders: the

organisations that refer volunteers to the projects and the client organisations that

provide the sites for volunteers to work on.

The Greenspaces programme built on and cemented existing relationships but also

encouraged the development of new ones. Volunteer groups are key partners in

delivering activities and, in some places Councils for Voluntary Service are actively

involved.

In particular, the expansion of Green Gym activity with its emphasis on improving

mental and physical health has led to closer working with NHS departments. For

example, health services in North Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire often refer patients

to Green Gym and similarly, specialist voluntary sector organisations such as the

National Schizophrenia Society refer clients who could benefit from the projects.

Local referral agencies such as Kaleidoscope, which provides outreach services for

the Crichton Hospital in Dumfries, are also active partners in referring volunteers with

mental health problems to BTCV Scotland. Similarly, the development of the Peace

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of Mind Garden in Stirling was developed through active co-operation with the Stirling

Users Network, a support network for people with mental health issues. This project

also benefited from building a good working relationship with the British Heart

Foundation. Elsewhere in Green Gym, BTCV Scotland staff involved doctors’

surgeries and health centres in recruiting volunteers to participate in Green Gym

activity.

Indeed, this close co-operation with health services and health referral agencies has

meant that BTCV Scotland has developed particularly good links in this field and

makes a positive contribution to the development of volunteering in the field of health.

Several of those interviewed claimed that BTCV Scotland had better links with health

bodies than many other volunteer agencies and several stakeholders who were

interviewed supported this claim indicating that BTCV had an extremely good

understanding of the needs of this type of volunteer.

The evaluators conclude that BTCV Scotland’s input as a partner in improving mental

and physical health demonstrates that the voluntary sector can show leadership in

improving health in Scotland an ambition reflected in the White Paper, ‘Partnership

for Care: Scotland’s Health White Paper, 2003 (www.scotland.gov.uk/publications).

Councils for Voluntary Services and local Volunteer Centres recognise BTCV

Scotland as a valuable source of opportunities for placement and expressed a

keenness to continue to work alongside them in the future. BTCV Scotland also has

regular contact with the Community Planning Partnerships across Scotland and in

many areas is funded by, or works directly with, different council departments,

especially the environment and planning ones.

The range of “client” relationships in the environmental field is equally impressive in

that BTCV Scotland regularly undertakes work for major environmental agencies in

Scotland. In addition to local authorities, clients include the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the

RSPB, the Forestry Commission, Loch Lomond National Parks Authority, Highlands

and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Natural Heritage. Similarly, a number of

community owned woodland and forest trusts regularly invite BTCV to deliver

volunteer activity on their sites.

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3.2.1.6 Profile of Volunteers Involved in Greenspaces

The effectiveness of an agency as a programme deliverer is not only determined by

its ability to identify objectives for the programme and design project work that will

fulfill those objectives, but also by its ability to attract a diverse range of volunteers

who will benefit equally from the programme. To assess whether BTCV Scotland was

able to effectively stimulate volunteering in local environments and its capacity to

influence regeneration through volunteering by creating opportunities for urban

groups to experience Scotland’s natural heritage, the evaluators considered the

profile of volunteers attracted to Greenspaces. While different local environments

attracted different types of people, the overall broad representation of volunteers by

sex, social class, disability and ethnicity is interesting and worth commenting on.

It is clear from the General Management Information System that Greenspaces is

targeting and attracting volunteers from a range of diverse background and localities

giving urban volunteers, in particular, access to rural environments in Scotland. The

latter is significant, especially given the evidence that disadvantaged communities in

urban areas (low income, disabled, and minority ethnic people) are less likely to

access the countryside:

“For many this is a rare and welcome opportunity to escape the city and

appreciate Scotland’s natural beauty. These activities can vary from a day

trip to the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond to a five day’s ‘residential’ to the

highlands. However these are not just passive outings simply to admire

the scenery but are activity based, form hill walking programmes to

practical conservation work, chances to fully experience and make a

positive contribution towards Scotland’s natural heritage.”

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Burns (2007: 77)

Greenspaces statistics reveal diversity amongst the volunteers and successful

inclusion. Of all volunteers registered for the period September 1, 2006 – July 31,

2007, 11.2% described themselves as having a disability. This pattern is similar to

that identified by the Scottish Household Survey in 2003 (13% of those who were

permanently sick and disabled had volunteered). In terms of gender 62.1% were

male and, 37.9% female. This is an interesting finding given the pattern with regard

to the gender of volunteers which is reflected in the Scottish Household Survey. In

terms of volunteering in general, this study noted a relatively modest difference in

terms of gender (25% female; 22% male: source Scottish Household Survey, 2003).

Despite targeting both male and female volunteers equally, BTCV Scotland appears

more successful in attracting a significantly higher number of male volunteers than

female in their Greenspaces programme. While one simple explanation here could

be the appeal of the nature of volunteering opportunities on offer, the evaluators

believe that this is an interesting pattern that warrants further investigation as it might

point to a clearer understanding of what motivates volunteers.

With respect to ethnicity, 10.8% indicated that they were from black and minority

ethnic communities. Again the latter is especially significant given that the 2001

census found that the black and minority ethnic community in Scotland is relatively

small (2%) compared to that of the UK (approximately 10%). This higher

representation of minority ethnic people in environmental volunteering activities is

interesting, especially given evidence elsewhere that this group is traditionally not

attracted to volunteering (Research done by organizations such as BEN-Black

Environmental Network).

Here again, it might be possible that this positive pattern is due to the approach taken

by BTCV Scotland. In addition to taking a mainstreaming approach to diversity, an

approach prompted by research it also took steps to address under-representation by

developing specific projects to attract those likely to face barriers to volunteering. For

example, the Peace of Mind Garden, although working with a cross-section of

volunteers, is tailored to attract those with mental health problems. Similarly,

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Environments for All (the Induction of refugees and Asylum Seekers) is a response

to the increasing number of Refugees and Asylum Seekers being settled in Glasgow

more recently and studies (Hampton 2003, Refugee Council, 2003) that indicated

that certain ethnic communities feel excluded from aspects of society, including the

environment. In this respect, BTCV Scotland claims that

“This is particularly true of the black and minority communities who are

generally under-represented in environmental activities and the personal

benefits which can be gained by those involved. BTCV Scotland has

been working to break down these barriers, particularly in Glasgow with

its rich cultural mix’

Burns (2007: 76)

The percentage of Greenspaces volunteers coming from the 15% most deprived

areas in Scotland was high at 25.1%. If we look at the 20% most deprived areas, this

figures goes up to 30.7%. This is encouraging to note especially in light of the

Scottish Household Survey (2003) which found that respondents with incomes of less

than £15,000 a year were two and a half times less likely to have volunteered than

those with an income more than £40,000. And while the Scottish Household Study

(2003) found that those unemployed or seeking work are less likely to volunteer

(12%), the pattern noted in Greenspaces is more positive. Nevertheless, only 9.5%

of the directly managed sites on which volunteers were working belonged to the top

15% most deprived areas, but by working in rural areas as well as urban, BTCV

Scotland was able to fulfill its objective to provide a rural experience for people from

urban environments.

3.2.1.7 The Views of Stakeholders on the Delivery of Greenspaces

Clearly, clients who provide land or space for regeneration, and the agencies that

refer volunteers, have an interest in the successful delivery of the programme. The

stakeholders’ views on relationships with BTCV Scotland and the benefits of

Greenspaces are important to consider in this evaluation. With this in mind the

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discussion that follows draws on the interviews that were conducted with a selection

of stakeholders. In this regard, the sample included site providers and referral

agencies and one commercial interest, which had provided follow-on finance for a

Green Gym.

Site Providers

The site providers interviewed had all provided sites for Green Gym activity. The work

carried out on the sites included fence removal, clearing of gorse from woodlands

and land clearance in preparation for laying access paths to enhance access to

woodland areas. None of the site providers had any negative comments to make

about their working relationship with BTCV and instead identified some important

benefits from their involvement with BTCV Scotland as reflected in the following case

studies.

CASE STUDY ONE: SITE PROVIDER ONE

Site Provider One saw working with BTCV Scotland being beneficial as a means of

“getting the physical job done” but equally important, by engaging with BTCV

Scotland, Site Provider One felt that it was fulfilling its mission to be as inclusive as

possible in the management of its community woodland. Since BTCV Scotland is

able to provide volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds, Site Provider One was

able to meet its own objectives in terms of providing equal opportunities for those

seeking personal development goals through environmental work. Site Provider One

plans to develop the community woodland as a social enterprise and community

benefit is a strong driver in its work. In this case BTCV Scotland represented the

community, facilitating community involvement through its volunteer network.

CASE STUDY 2: SITE PROVIDER TWO

Site Provider Two claimed that by bringing volunteer effort to the regeneration of

green spaces, BTCV Scotland enabled many local community groups to complete

initiatives that they were previously unable to. Site Provider Two is a statutory

department within a local authority area and is charged with a ‘green’ development

remit. Site Provider Two indicated that as a result of BTCV Scotland’s work on the

54

authority’s Greenspaces, it intends to build BTCV Scotland’s volunteer programmes

into its environmental development plan for the next two years. Site Provider Two

welcomed BTCV Scotland as a strategic partner.

Agencies Referring Volunteers with Special Requirements

Other stakeholders interviewed were referral agencies, two of which aimed to match

general volunteering enquiries to volunteering opportunities, and three of which

specialised in finding volunteering opportunities for people with special needs or who

required support in volunteering.

CASE STUDY 3: SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: AGENCY ONE

Agency One had referred ten people to a local Green Gym in the previous twelve

months. All of the volunteers had varying forms of learning difficulties and felt unable

to participate in certain types of volunteer activity generally available to the wider

community. Agency One described BTCV Scotland’s Green Gym as the first project,

in its experience, to be “very, very inclusive…where “members of the public and

service users were treated equally.”

An important benefit reported by Agency One was that the service users established

genuine friendships through Green Gym activities and that exposure to other people

in this safe environment was invaluable. According to Agency One, service users

tend only to make friends within their own immediate circle. Since taking part in

Greenspaces the behaviour of the volunteers had changed. An example offered was

the behavioural change displayed by volunteer “Jim” who suffers from autism and is

usually extremely introverted. Whilst volunteering in the Green Gym, ‘Jim’ learned to

recognize people and started referring to them by name, becoming more

communicative and more confident in his day-to-day actions. Agency One also

reported improved health and weight loss as side benefits of the Green Gym

experience and said they would “certainly” continue to refer people to BTCV

55

Scotland.

CASE STUDY 4: SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AGENCY TWO

Agency Two places people with disabilities in volunteering opportunities. It referred

four people to the local Green Gym and had “a long list” of others that it would refer

to BTCV Scotland if more Green Gyms existed. Agency two indicated that it used the

Green Gym as a placement opportunity because of BTCV Scotland’s “accessibility,

awareness and understanding of the needs of volunteers.” Agency Two believes that

volunteering with BTCV encourages the development of personal skills and enables

people to take the next step towards a work placement. Agency Two believes that

BTCV Scotland promotes independence, which for disability organisations is an

important ethos. Agency two stated that two of the most recent volunteers have

“developed significantly” in terms of self-confidence and have begun looking for

employment whilst a third has found a job and is now working.

Other Referral Agencies

In addition to people with disabilities, some of the volunteers referred to BTCV by

agencies include those that suffer from additions and substance abuse, as reflected

in CASE STUDY FIVE below:

CASE STUDY FIVE: AGENCY THREE

Agency Three provides support for people who have had treatment for drug or

alcohol abuse and addiction. Agency Three referred seven people to the Green Gym

and have a further four or five people to introduce to the Green Gym as soon as

places are available. Agency Three believes that their volunteers would find

placements in an office or warehouse less attractive and less appropriate since

particular skills or a certain level of skill might be demanded and the work might be

56

routine and repetitive. For these volunteers, Green Gym provides a challenge and a

changing activity every week whilst accommodating the range of skills and abilities

within their volunteers. Agency Three reports “significant development” in its

volunteers. It notes that one volunteer who started in the project doing very basic

gardening on a voluntary basis felt confident enough to apply for a job in his local

garden centre and has managed to hold down the job. A second recovering addict

has now gone to college to study and is hoping to work with the Forestry

Commission. Agency Three indicated that it would “certainly” continue to use BTCV

Scotland for placements. Agency Three nevertheless commented on the problems

with the provision of transport. Agency Three felt that it could refer more people but

was not able to do so due to transport limitations. BTCV Scotland can only provide a

limited number of transport places and therefore the numbers attending the Green

Gym are restricted. Agency Three also suggested that volunteers would benefit from

a pre-training session when they first arrive on site, rather than immediately

beginning work where some of the tasks might have safety risks attached.

The two non-specialist volunteer agencies interviewed shared a common view on

BTCV Scotland and the opportunities it provides. They believe that BTCV Scotland

is one of very few agencies that can provide volunteer opportunities out of doors and

in the area of conservation, and that there is high demand for these opportunities.

Both agencies refer people with a range of abilities and some with extra support

needs and praised BTCV Scotland’s inclusive approach, stating that the organisation

is “openly welcoming of different types of people” and that there is “ a supportive and

friendly environment.” Both claimed that BTCV Scotland is valuable to them in that it

provides an immediate source of volunteering opportunities, “there is always work to

be done” and in that it can accommodate a range of skills “and none”, as well as a

range of volunteer commitment. The work of BTCV Scotland is highly regarded and

agency feedback indicates a keenness to continue a working relationship with BTCV

Scotland.

Moreover, a partner that sponsors the work of BTCV Scotland indicated it does so

because BTCV Scotland’s work in Greenspaces delivers community involvement on

their behalf and because Green Gym activity has inspired people to improve not only

their health but their local environment at the same time. As a local business this

sponsor is conscious of the negative impact its business activity has on the

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environment and feels BTCV helps it to compensate for this with environmental

repair.

From the evidence presented it is clear that those who collaborate with Greenspaces

view their relationship as positive and beneficial both for themselves as agencies as

well as for their beneficiaries. It is also apparent that if BTCV Scotland had the

resources to develop the programme further there are people waiting to come

forward as volunteers to make use of the additional opportunities offered.

All the data suggests that BTCV Scotland is perceived to be effective in its

programme delivery. And despite the many challenges faced initially in getting the

programme up and running, BTCV Scotland has designed and implemented a

programme efficiently within a tight timetable to the satisfaction of its stakeholders

who have fully “bought in” to the programme. The organization has demonstrated its

ability to work effectively with partners and to lever funding for the development of the

programme. It is now seeking to develop a systematic framework for future

monitoring of work in Scotland and a strategic framework for impact assessment

based on the findings of this evaluation.

PART 3: IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES

The extent to which these outcomes have been achieved is discussed below.

Evidence relating to the above is drawn from questionnaires returned by volunteers

and focuses on the impact of the programme on individuals and communities.

3.3.1 The Impact of Greenspaces on Individuals Involved in the Programme.

The researchers looked at the impact of the programme in relation to certain key

benefits for the volunteers: personal development and learning and skills

development, improvement in their environmental awareness and environmental

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behaviour, their integration and employability, and improvement to health and

wellbeing.

The vast majority of those taking part in the evaluation agreed or strongly agreed that

they had benefited from the experience (94.5% overall). All but one participant felt

they had got some exercise with volunteers being unanimous in their view that they

had done something worthwhile for the environment. In this respect, comments such

as the following were commonplace:

“I feel that I’ve helped the environment my clearing up and tidying, so that

people can feel happier when they are out walking.”

Moreover, a number of volunteers commented on how the projects they were

involved in had influenced their personal attitudes towards the environment and

environmental conservation. The comments that follow reflect the nature of

comments made in this respect:

“I don’t throw the rubbish straight to the floor. I always bin it (now).”

“Volunteering with BTCV has given me a knowledge and understanding

of our environment and the confidence to carry this on to new projects. I

have a great sense of achievement at the end of the day.”

I think more about the environmental impact of my everyday actions.”

Indeed, a substantial majority (69%) of the volunteers who responded to our

questionnaire said they had actively found out more about the environment as a

result of volunteering with BTCV Scotland. 71% said that they had given advice to

others about being environmentally friendly and the same percentage said that they

had increased the amount of household waste that they recycled. Of those who had

gardens, 63% said they had used their new skills in the garden and seven had

started an environmental project of their own. The type of new knowledge about the

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environment gained through volunteering is reflected in the comment made by one

volunteer, who claimed that she had:

More appreciation of native and non-native species and how our

introduction of alien plants affects the environment.”

In relation to more personal issues, a majority of volunteers discussed how their self

confidence had grown since participating in the programme:

“More confident about meeting new people and trying new things that I

did not think I could do. This had made me feel better about me!”

“My confidence has grown enormously since joining BTCV as it was at an

all-time low. It has taught me responsibility.”

And how volunteering had increased their sense of self-worth and esteem:

“Volunteering has given me a new lease of life. Out and about, meeting

new friends and learning new skills.”

A small proportion of respondents (11%) still did not feel they had the confidence to

do new things since volunteering. Nevertheless, a large proportion of respondents

(74%) indicated that their volunteering experience gave them a greater sense of

responsibility.

A majority of volunteers in the programme (77%) believed also that volunteering with

BTCV Scotland through the Greenspaces programme has given them more options

in life, while 75% felt that they had developed better social skills. In discussing this

further, a volunteer made the following remark:

“I have built up experience of practical environmental/conservation work

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and this widens the range of jobs I can apply for. Meeting new people

always have the potential to open avenues of possibility.”

The value of volunteering in terms of overcoming isolation is reflected in the

comment below:

“When I never worked with BTCV I never used to go out as much, but

when I started working with BTCV I went out a lot more.”

Almost half the volunteers (49%) felt that since becoming involved with the

programme, ideas about their future careers become crystallized in that volunteering

provided the space to reflect on how best to use their skills in the future:

“Feel open to new ways of living, not driven by salary. Definitely going to

pursue a career in wildlife conservation”

Promisingly, 100% of those interviewed indicated that they would consider

volunteering again. In responding volunteers mentioned certain benefits more often

that others. For example, well over 90% mentioned that they met new people,

learned to work well in a team, developed a better understanding of people different

from themselves and had a personal sense of achievement as a result of their

volunteering activity.

An equal proportion (over 90%) indicated that they felt happy and valued and had

found out more about BTCV Scotland as a result.

It is clear that BTCV Scotland is popular with its volunteers and that they perceive

clear and important benefits derive from volunteering with the Greenspaces

programme in terms of changing attitudes to the environment, boosting a sense of

self esteem, health and wellbeing. There can be no doubt that BTCV Scotland is

meeting all its programme objectives in this respect.

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3.3.2 Cross-Cutting Volunteer Benefits

Because the Greenspaces programme consisted of several distinct projects,

volunteers were often exposed to the benefits arising from more than one. For

example, a volunteer might sign up for an action break, but teams involved in other

projects, such as the green gym, contributed elements of their own project to the

programme of activities to be taken while on break. In this way volunteers

experienced a wider range of activities and the benefits associated with each

different activity.

The following two case studies provide an insight into broader impact that the

programme had on the lives of two individuals.

CASE STUDY 6

G is an asylum seeker from Zimbabwe. He is a married student with two children. He

started volunteering with BTCV in 2004. At the time he was involved with another

project at his local community centre in Glasgow who referred him to BTCV. His initial

tasks mainly involved outdoor work during which time he spent four days on an

action break in Arran, cutting back rhododendrons. Although the cutting of alien

bushes was a central activity to the action break, BTCV included several other

environmental activities so that volunteers might obtain maximum benefit from the

activities on offer. Subsequently, G was able to participate in activities including walks

with other volunteers (gaining the benefits of fresh air and exercise and social

networking) and more importantly, keeping a video diary (enhancing his photography

skills). Both these activities are central to other projects (Green-gym and an earlier

multi-media project).

As it happened, G had previously filmed weddings in Zimbabwe, and the new project

refreshed his skills and accelerated his learning as he adapted to a new environment

and to new equipment. When that project came to an end he undertook further

studies in media – he indicated that he felt “attached to the activity”, “If it wasn’t for

BTCV I would have remained a jack-of-all trades,” he said. He is currently studying

for an HND in TV Production, a course that he will take more than four years.

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G enthusiastically comments, “I fell in love with the equipment and have been able to

do lots of other things in the video editing field for BTCV.” His activity with BTCV is an

important outlet for him when he is not studying, given his family responsibilities. On

the day of our interview G had found a child-minder for his sons so that he could

come to the Glasgow office and finish off some film editing. His view on BTCV is very

touching and sums up just how profoundly it impacts on people: “I was ‘born’ here, so

the relationship has to continue!”

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CASE STUDY 7

M arrived from Burundi in 2002 and almost immediately undertook voluntary work

through the Volunteer Centre and with the local church. She was keen to undertake

some outdoor activity and was referred to BTCV’s Glasgow office that runs the

Environments for all Project, in March 2007. Although her main reason for volunteering

with BTCV initially was to get involved with outdoor activities and she developed a keen

interest in horticulture, her interests soon broadened. She is currently working at the

North Glasgow Allotment but informed us that she is nevertheless willing to undertake

any kind of project work suggested to her by BTCV. As a result of her newly developed

interest in horticulture, M is presently taking a brush cutting and strimming course and

looking forward to gaining her qualification shortly. Having been involved with the

Environments for All Project, which is focused on broadening access to the

environment, M is impressed with BTCV’s commitment to equality and inclusion.

Indeed, she believes that this is their key strength and comments that despite the

range of backgrounds and abilities amongst volunteers, everyone is treated equally. On

a personal level, M commented that she was previously not accustomed to working

with people with disabilities and that a personal outcome for her is that she could now

happily working alongside them and has an understanding of the difficulties that they

face. M plans to have garden in the future and having actively sought further

information about the environment, since volunteering she has been giving advice to

people on environmental issues.

The above cases are just two among several that tell similar stories. A significant number of

respondents appeared to be aware of most projects run within the programme and were able

to access activities offered in different projects whilst being predominantly involved in a

project run from a specific centre.

3.3.3 Training

BTCV runs more than 100 training courses, all of them certificated. Volunteer officers

(selected from amongst volunteers and having responsibilities in relation to the other

volunteers) may take LANTRA23 or NPQC qualifications, which are important stepping-stones

towards employability. These courses may be generic, or have specific relevance to

23 LANTRA is an agency that provides accredited, formal training in environmental studies

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environmental work: first aid at work, drystane dyking, brush cutting and strimming, for

example. These courses normally cost £120 for members of the public and are offered free

of charge to volunteer officers in BTCV.

During the period surveyed, the number of volunteers from all programmes taking these

training courses was as follows:

MONTH NO. Volunteers

September 06 32

October 25

November 17

February 07 22

March 21

April 16

May 21

June 22

July 72

TOTAL 248

Judging from these figures, the training programme on offer is clearly well supported. Despite

the significant number of volunteers being involved in training and development, a small

number of the Greenspaces questionnaire respondents (18%) indicated that they did not

access any training or development, although a large percentage was aware of them (75%).

Moreover while there was general awareness of training programmes, at least a quarter of

those interviewed (25%) said they were not aware of the specific training opportunities that

were on offer, especially those in relation to certain skills development and formal courses

which would enhance employability. This finding points to a need for more explicit information

on the nature of training on offer which should encourage greater take-up of training and

development opportunities. Notwithstanding this, all respondents said they were clear about

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what was expected of them as volunteers and 95% felt effectively supported while

volunteering.

SECTION FOUR

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

“The potential impacts of and outcomes from environmental volunteering reach

into many policy areas. It is integral to the social and environmental justice

agendas with community regeneration, improved confidence and skills, better

health and increased employment opportunities for all as primary objectives in

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the Scottish Executive’s major commitment ‘Closing the opportunity Gap”

(Dalgleish 2006: 20)

One of the initial triggers for Greenspaces was the Dalgleish report (ibid). Believing that its

work is closely related to Scottish Government’s key policy areas, BTCV Scotland sought

and successfully obtained funding to develop a programme that would assist in the

development and regeneration of Greenspaces in key urban areas across Scotland.

According to BTCV Scotland, a primary reason for creating Greenspaces was to

demonstrate its ability to deliver practical sustainable outputs on the ground that link to

Scottish Government’s key social and environmental agendas.

By investing key resources over a 6 months period, BTCV Scotland (2006) set out to

demonstrate how they could

“produce tangible immediate outcomes and set processes in motion that will

produce sustainable outputs with opportunities for additionality in the years to

follow”

BTCV Proposal to Scottish Executive

Through the engagement of local people within local communities BTCV Scotland is keen to

illustrate how self-help through environmental volunteering delivers regeneration outcomes

both for the environment and for people. With Greenspaces, BTCV Scotland intended to

embed cross-cutting benefits for volunteers, including healthy lifestyles, learning and skills

development, inclusion, employability, confidence building and environmental awareness. A

primary objective of this evaluation is to establish how successful BTCV Scotland was in

delivering these outcomes.

By drawing on the findings reported in the previous section (SECTION 3), this part of the

report provides a commentary on the extent to which Greenspaces achieved its aim and

objectives. By highlighting the major findings in the context of contemporary discourse, the

evaluators hope to illustrate just how far BTCV Scotland progressed in meeting its aim to

influence Scottish policies on regeneration and sustainable development.

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4.1 Measuring Success.

Measuring the success of any community development programme is difficult (Weiss, 2003)

but the task here is made more complex by a number of factors, not least the timescale of

the programme implementation (6 months). Apart from the obvious difficulties involved in

measuring programme impact in the short to medium term, this evaluation had to grapple

with the difficulties associated with measuring impact/influence of a programme that is in

itself contributing to a long term strategy i.e. ‘Sustainable Development’. Moreover,

acknowledging the vagueness around the definition and the variations in the interpretation of

sustainable development, it was felt that for the purposes of this evaluation it would be useful

to adopt a more practical approach to the analysis.

Thus while the evidence presented in SECTION 3 appears compelling and extremely

positive on the surface, the evaluators felt it important to conduct a more rigorous analysis of

the findings by appraising the success of each Greenspaces objective within a viable

theoretical framework. In this case, the framework used for analysis draws mainly on the

work of Jacobs (1999), Bullard (1993) and Dalgleish (2006).

As discussed elsewhere (SECTION 1) Jacob’s pragmatic model (1999) identified six core

themes associated with sustainable development (SEE LIST BOX 1). Two of the themes24

are inherently part of the BTCV Scotland’s operations as an environmental organisation. The

remaining four are listed below, to underpin this analysis:

i) Participation: involvement by Individuals and groups-in this case

inclusion of individuals, communities and stakeholders

ii) Equity: interpreted here as a commitment to meeting the basic needs

of the disadvantaged25 today and in the future

24 Integration of environmental concerns in economic planning and Environmental protection i.e. policies to reduce environmental damage

25 This includes, social, economic, physical and cultural disadvantage

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iii) Quality of life: contributing to human wellbeing - in this case healthy

lifestyles, learning and development skills, confidence building,

environmental awareness, employability)

iv) Futurity: impact of current decisions on future generations- in this case

the Government’s regeneration and sustainability agenda

In addition, the evaluators found Bullard’s (1993) work useful in assessing the extent to

which Greenspaces succeeds in bridging the gap between sustainable development and

environmental justice. Finally, the work of Dalgleish (2006) provides a contemporary point of

reference for situating Greenspaces within current local developments. The latter, in

particular, allows the evaluators to assess the future potential of Greenspaces since an

important element of this evaluation is to position it within the overall developments in

environmental work in Scotland.

Additionally, this analysis will highlight gaps in Scottish environmental work and direct

attention towards potential areas for research and developmental work that could be taken

forward by BTCV Scotland and others involved in this area of work. With this in mind, the

discussion that follows re-presents the key findings presented above under four thematic

headings (Participation, Equity, Quality of Life and Futurity) to demonstrate how far BTCV

has progressed in sustainable development through regeneration of urban spaces.

4.2.1 Participation

In terms of participation, BTCV Scotland’s activities are grounded in the principle of allowing

local people to find local solutions. With respect to this aspect, BTCV Scotland set out in

Greenspaces,

“to stimulate volunteering in local environments as a means to generate a sense

of place and the capacity to influence regeneration through self-help”.

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE ii

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There is ample evidence in SECTION 3 to confirm that BTCV Scotland not only succeeded in

stimulating volunteering, but has also assisted other agencies in delivering regeneration

objectives by expanding volunteering opportunities. The following is a summary of evidence

(extracted from SECTION 3) to support this contention:

1) By building on its existing activities (See LIST BOX 2) BTCV Scotland introduced

new activities, which stimulated increased opportunities for environmental

volunteering. This included the expansion of Green Gyms (in 6 Schools and in

Dumfries and Galloway; Inverness; and Renfrewshire); planning and construction

of a Greenspaces project in Aberdeen; creation of Healthy Holidays; a Peace of

Mind Garden in Stirling; a Residential Induction project for new arrivals in

Glasgow and a Youth Inclusion Project in Edinburgh.

2) These additional initiatives increased environmental volunteering by producing

activities in 65 sites, involving a total of 291 volunteers who delivered a total of

4518 “volunteer days”- in effect 15.5 days per volunteer during the life of

Greenspaces.

3) Most significantly, Green Gym, a high demand project in Greenspaces,

increased its delivery from 16 locations to 23 in just 6 months, thus allowing

for a larger number of volunteers to participate in ‘Green’ activities. Indeed,

judging by the demand (waiting list) the potential for this project remains

untapped. This is an excellent example of how local volunteers can be

encouraged to participate in local regeneration activities while gaining

personal skill development and healthy life-styles.

4) Indeed, BTCV Scotland’s input as a partner in improving mental and physical

health is a model example of how a voluntary sector organisation can provide

leadership in improving health in Scotland thereby contributing to the Scottish

Government’s health strategy.

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5) In terms of urban space environmental actions included, amongst others, path

clearing, pruning of invasive species, weeding, litter picking and raised bed

planting.

6) In terms of involving other agencies in environmental regeneration,

Greenspaces initiated several significant partnerships, some as sponsors,

others as referral agencies. This expanded the capacity for other partners and

agencies that were otherwise unable to deliver regeneration work to become

involved in regeneration activities through offering volunteer placements.

7) Programme activities were generally tailored to suit the needs of the

community and in this way local people were able to directly offer solutions for

their own particular local concerns. For example, since the majority of asylum

seekers are resettled in Glasgow, the local agencies felt that an induction

project would be valuable and a residential induction in Glasgow was

undertaken. Similarly, a local mental health support group instigated the

Peace of Mind Garden in Stirling.

In sum, these findings fully support our contention that BTCV Scotland, in the short – term,

has achieved its objective to stimulate volunteering in local spaces and increased the

capacity to influence regeneration.

4.2.2 Equity

Equity is discussed with regard to the aims of inclusion and

“creating opportunities for urban groups to experience Scotland’s national

heritage…”

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE iii

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The findings with regard to BTCV Scotland’s provision of volunteering opportunities to

a diverse range of people within local communities are extremely impressive. When

compared with the general volunteering pattern recorded in the Scottish Household

Survey (2003) BTCV performs much better, especially in terms of attracting male,

disabled and minority ethnic volunteers. In part mainly, the evaluators believe that this

success is due to the approach taken by BTCV Scotland In addition to mainstreaming

diversity and equality into all of its activities, BTCV Scotland, on the basis of research

evidence, made concerted efforts to create a tailored programme of activities to suit

different sectors of the community. As a result, many that faced barriers to

volunteering felt that they were now able to access volunteering opportunities.

Moreover, given the findings of the Scottish Household Survey (2003) it is fair to say

that urban areas are more likely to be home to a greater proportion of disadvantaged

people, many of whom through their social and economic circumstances are unable

to access the rural areas and the natural heritage. There is ample evidence in

SECTION 3 to confirm that BTCV Scotland succeeded in expanding environmental

volunteering opportunities to a broad range of disadvantaged people across Scotland,

a majority of whom indicated that they had not previously been able to enjoy the

benefits of the nation’s natural heritage. The following findings concur:

8) In terms of those who participated in Greenspaces, 11.2% considered

themselves to be disabled. 62.1% were male and 37.7% female (compared to

volunteering overall in Scotland as recorded in the Scottish Household Survey

2003, which shows 24% are and 22% are male). That is, Greenspaces

succeeded in attracting a much higher number of male volunteers compared

to the national average.

9) Another remarkable finding in relation to equity, inclusion and diversity is one

relating to the large proportion of ethnic minorities (10.8%) participating in

Greenspaces. This is a unique achievement, given that the patterns of

volunteering recorded in studies on ethnic volunteering are less positive

elsewhere, and that the size of the Minority ethnic population in Scotland is

relatively small at 2% (2001, Census)

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10) In terms of attracting volunteers from the 15% most deprived areas, about a

quarter of the volunteers (25.1%) came from these areas, contributing to 26.1

% of the total working days. Indeed, when we look at the 20% most deprived

areas, the proportion of volunteers from these areas increases to 30.7%

11) It clear, therefore, that not only did Greenspaces stimulate a larger proportion

of volunteering amongst the most disadvantaged (in terms of social, economic

and cultural aspects) but took proactive measures to ensure that these

communities could participate in projects that provided a rural experience and

contact with natural heritage.

4.2.3 Quality of life

Improving the quality of life of individuals and communities was one of the fundamental goals

of Greenspaces. Again, initial indicators suggest that Greenspaces, in the short-term,

succeeded in its aim to

“deliver individual beneficial outcomes to volunteers in relation to health,

learning and skills development, inclusion, employability, confidence building

and environmental awareness”

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE I

A substantial amount of evidence was gathered in regard to the benefits for volunteers.

These included ones in relation to personal development, health, life-style and

awareness of environmental issues:

12) The vast majority of those taking part in the evaluation agreed that they had

benefited from the experience (94.5% overall)

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13) A large number of volunteers spoke at length of how the projects they were

involved in had influenced their personal attitudes towards the environment

and environmental conservation.

14) A substantial majority (69%) of the volunteers said they had actively found out

more about the environment as a result of volunteering with BTCV Scotland.

71% said that they had given advice to others about being environmentally

friendly and the same percentage said that they had increased the amount of

household waste that they recycled.

15) Of those who had gardens, 63% said they had used their new skills in the

garden and seven had started an environmental project of their own.

16) A majority of volunteers also explained how their confidence had grown since

participating in the programme and how volunteering had increased their

sense of self-worth and esteem.

17) A majority of volunteers in Greenspaces (77%) believed also that the

volunteering with BTCV Scotland had given them more options in life and 75%

of the participants felt that they had developed better social skills.

18) Almost half the volunteers (49%) felt that since becoming involved with

Greenspaces, ideas about their future careers had crystallized and that

volunteering had provided the space to reflect on how best to use their skills in

the future

19) Well over 90% mentioned that they met new people, learned to work well in a

team, developed a better understanding of people different from themselves

and had a personal sense of achievement as a result of their volunteering

activity.

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20) The same proportion (over 90%) indicated that they felt happy and valued,

volunteering was ‘fun’.

21) In terms of employability, BTCV runs more than 100 training courses, all of

them certificated. Volunteer Officers (volunteers who take on team leadership

responsibilities) may take LANTRA26 or NPQC qualifications, which are

important stepping stones towards employability. However, the evaluation was

unable to establish whether Greenspaces assisted directly in obtaining

employment other than in two cases presented anecdotally.

24) The training courses were popular, with 248 training courses places taken up

during the period of the evaluation. (Figures for all BTCV volunteers)

It is clear from these findings that Greenspaces participants perceive clear and important

quality of life benefits derive from volunteering in Greenspaces projects. Benefits are mainly

in terms of changing attitudes to the environment, boosting a sense of self-esteem, health

and wellbeing. There can be no doubt that BTCV Scotland is presently meeting this

objective, in the short-term. However, it is difficult to assess the longer-term impact and to

comment on whether or not these benefits will be sustained or increased, given the time

span of Greenspaces. Notwithstanding this, it is clear from the findings discussed in

SECTION 3 that Greenspaces has been successful in achieving crosscutting benefits for a

number of volunteers as reflected in the direct quotes and case studies.

4.2.3 Futurity

Jacobs (1999) discusses futurity mainly in terms of the impact of current decisions on future

generations. The evaluators applied this theme to assess how close Greenspaces had come

to achieving its long-term, overarching aim

“ To make a substantive contribution to the implementation of the Scottish

Executive’s policy agenda across a number of policy areas, focusing on

greenspace regeneration”

26 LANTRA is an agency that provides accredited, formal training in environmental studies

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AIM OF GREENSPACES

The strategic direction for sustainable development and regeneration set out by the Scottish

Government is likely to have profound implications for future generations and for future work

in this area. It is therefore useful to assess the effectiveness of Greenspaces as a possible

model for implementing these agendas in future. In this regard this evaluation has identified a

number of positive trends, which if sustained, will no doubt benefit future generations. In

particular, its activities related to raising awareness of environmental issues through

educational projects are significant. The long-term implications of Greenspaces will depend

on a number of factors, not least the continuity (sustainability) of the programme, supported

by adequate resources and skilled management.

In respect of this, objectives (iv) and objectives (v) will be most critical. BTCV Scotland’s

intention to

“expand the network of volunteer groups through BTCV Scotland’s Community

Local Action Network (CLAN)”

GREENSPACES OBJECTIVE (iv)

will be key to developing a nation-wide voluntary sector infrastructure. While little has been

said about CLAN in this evaluation, BTCV Scotland publications and leaflets reveal that

much of BTCV Scotland’s support, advice and information are delivered through its

community networks. Burns (2007) concurs:

“ much of BTCV Scotland’s practical assistance to community groups is provided

through its network of local offices and volunteer teams. Additional support is

channeled through Community Local Action network (CLAN) providing

information, advice, insurance and opportunities to share experiences.”

(2007: 56)

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CLAN has a broad membership of around 1000 youth, school, community, voluntary and

statutory agencies (Burns, 2007). This, if developed, can form a powerful infrastructure, not

only for information exchange but delivery of educational programmes and regeneration

projects. During the preparation of this report, the Evaluators were informed that BTCV

Scotland had become a member of the Forum for Environmental Volunteering Association

(FEVA27) established by the Scottish Government, a practical step proposed by Dalgleish

(2006) to strengthen links amongst voluntary agencies. A strengthened network like FEVA

will, in our view, be crucial in building upon programmes such as Greenspaces to deliver the

broader Government agenda (discussed later in the report).

More specifically, as an immediate action, BTCV Scotland needs to speedily work towards

achieving Objective (v);

“Develop a structured approach to environmental volunteering which provides a

means to measure “the distance traveled” by individual volunteers in terms of

environmental and social development and where possible the means to provide

accreditation of individual development”

It is understood that this evaluation is a first step towards achieving objective (v). A key

difficulty in fully achieving this objective within the time span of Greenspaces is twofold. First,

the evaluators believe that this was an ambitious objective to set given the short-timeframe of

the project implementation. It is virtually impossible to effectively measure the journey

travelled in an accurate manner in the absence of a pre-test evaluation. Given that the

evaluation commenced mid-way through Greenspaces, the evaluators were unable to

accurately assess the starting point of volunteers ‘journey’. At best, based on the positive

experiences recorded here, there is much evidence to suggest that initial expectations were

in many cases exceeded. This evaluation can confirm a positive impact on individuals and

communities, but more importantly, it also provides a benchmark for further impact

assessments. The data from this evaluation can form the basis for developing an in-house

strategy which could monitor medium to longer-term environmental outputs as well as

assessing the journey traveled by individuals in terms of progress in personal skill

developments, environmental awareness, ‘green living’, life-styles and wellbeing. The

evaluation has highlighted lessons to be learned from the implementation of Greenspaces

27 Referred to hereafter as FEVA

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and improvements that could be made. Perhaps the most important area for improvement

relates to Objective (v)

Objective (v) concerns the development of an in-house strategy for monitoring progress and

environmental outputs and evaluating personal impact on individuals (“distance traveled”). It

is our belief that this objective needs to be deconstructed to make clear exactly what aspect

of the distance travelled is being measured. Decisions must be made on whether BTCV

Scotland wishes to measure management performance or volunteer benefits. If the latter, is it

in relation to awareness of environmental issues (education), personal development (self-

esteem, confidence) or skills for enhancing employability? If so, BTCV should agree a set of

relevant criteria to accurately measure progress on each so that the system for assessing

benefits is conducted in more tangible ways for accreditation purposes. Individual progress

must be measurable against a standardized set of performance indicators. In this respect,

the Volunteer Impact Assessment toolkit devised by the National Volunteering Centre could

be adapted to suit BTCV purposes. The measurement need not all be quantitative and data

gathered should complementary to qualitative data. This evaluation has discussed the

developments in the evaluation field and the advent of more qualitative models for assessing

so-called ‘softer outcomes’.

SECTION 5

THE WAY FORWARD AND CONCLUDING COMMENTS

5.1 The Way forward

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As a model for delivering multiple outcomes and benefits, Greenspaces has progressed well

so far and has interesting future potential despite some shortcomings that have been

highlighted in the preceding discussions. In general, the concept of Greenspaces sits well

within present thinking on environmental issues in Scotland. As illustrated in feedback from

respondents participating in this evaluation, environmental volunteering has the potential to

motivate them towards a greater awareness of environmental issues; improve and conserve

the quality of the local environment; and enhance mental and physical health and well being

through practical conservation work. Further outcomes include, the development of new

skills; an increased awareness of other people’s circumstances; and a sense of feeling

valued. The challenge for BTCV Scotland, now is to consider how best to develop

Greenspaces into a substantive, longer-term programme.

Certain shortcomings identified in SECTION 4 would require external intervention as they

relate to broader concerns in the voluntary sector, for example resource limitation, short-term

funding, lack of core funding and strategic leadership from government. These challenges

are therefore not unique to BTCV Scotland. In her recent report, Dalgleish (2006) outlines a

number of aspects that mirror the experiences noted here. One significant issue that

emerges in the Dalgleish report is the capacity of environmental volunteer organisations (like

BTCV Scotland) to manage and support volunteers, in the absence of resources to fully

develop their potential.

Referring to volunteer managers, she argues (ibid) that:

’they need all the skills that would be expected of a manager of a paid workforce,

yet resources are always tight, training in not well co-coordinated and there is no

professional recognition for the professionalism that they bring to the job’

(2006: 22).

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Given that volunteering has traditionally been seen as a donation of ‘free’ time, volunteer in-

put is at best not appropriately valued, or at worse, taken for granted. Such attitudes are no

longer appropriate (if they ever were) in contemporary societies, especially since statutory

agencies and government are looking increasingly to volunteers to fulfill on the ground tasks

that are in reality their responsibility. Yet, more often than not volunteer effort is rarely

accounted for in material terms, as is the case with BTCV Scotland.

In this regard, Dalgleish (ibid) concludes that the Scottish Executive should provide clear

leadership, indicating a ‘lack of focus’ in environmental volunteering with respect to

infrastructure, roles and responsibilities (including funding, facilitating, management and

training). Consequently, she suggests that there is a case for more coherent partnerships to

be formed and resources to be made available for training and development opportunities for

both environmental volunteers and their managers.

The government can have less to disagree with here given their interest in environmental

volunteering. Invariably, investing in programmes like Greenspaces, makes good sense

given the benefits highlighted in the findings in this evaluation.

It is therefore heartening to note that the Scottish Executive’s response to the Dalgleish

(2006) report indicates an obvious desire to enhance a framework for encouraging

environmental volunteering. In particular, there is a recognition of the distinctive features of

‘environmental volunteering’ as a mechanism to develop ‘environmental good citizenship’ in

Scotland, across different age and geographical areas:

‘Encouraging people to take up or do more environmental volunteering will play a

crucial part in developing an approach to environmental citizenship that achieves

worldwide recognition’.

(Playing Our Part:The Scottish Executive’s response to the

Dalgleish Report on Environmental Volunteering).

Moreover, the Scottish Executive has also introduced practical and financial backing for

initiatives such as the Community Environmental Renewal Scheme (CERS) and the

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Sustainable Action Fund, which support community-based volunteering projects, such as

restoring local green-space. Although it is difficult to generalise from local, specific case

studies, proactive measures of this kind that are consistent with sustainable policy are to be

welcomed and seized by environmental organisations like BTCV Scotland.

Indeed, BTCV is in a good position to develop areas of its work that are currently in their

infancy stage, including education, health and equalities -areas of great strength for BTCV.

(Coincidentally, these three areas were also mentioned by Dalgleish as areas that

environmental volunteering can have an impact upon.)

5.2 Potential Areas for Greenspaces Development

Education

In Choosing our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy (2005) the importance

of education was identified as a mechanism for making Scotland more sustainable. The

following questions are central to this endeavor:

• What are the benefits of education in sustainable development in Scotland?

• What is currently taught about sustainable development in the formal

education curriculum?

• To what extent is the sustainable development message clear and easily

understood?

• What are the central theories and principles which underpin a sustainable

development approach?

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Previous survey evidence on environmental attitudes and values, including awareness of the

term ‘sustainable development’, has revealed that educational attainment had the strongest

influence of six factors upon awareness and attitudes (McCormick and McDowell, 1999).

Facing up to the challenge of sustainable development entails not only informed knowledge,

but also the ability to think about and act upon the long-term consequences of our actions,

can be local, national and global.

Principally we need to value the environment and determine to what extent educational

approaches succeed in introducing people to the benefits and challenges of environmental

volunteering, and how far these have a longer-term impact. Scottish National Heritage’s on-

line directory, Learning and Teaching Scotland’s appointment of a national development

officer, BTCV’s Green Gym and the national Eco-Schools programme are all practical steps

in the right direction. The Scottish Funding Council also works with educational institutions

and national bodies to identify how sustainable skills, attitudes and behaviours can influence

the development of courses. The work of local authorities involving Learning Connections

(previously part of Communities Scotland) on community learning and development is also

vitally important for promoting and enhancing longer-term volunteering.

Equalities

It is widely agreed that children and young people, as well as adults, should have fun and

enjoy the experience as volunteers if longer-term commitments are to be expected. However,

there is an ongoing perception that environmental volunteering is typically a ‘middle class’

form of activity (despite the inclusive nature of strategies run by agencies such as BTCV).

There appears to be a strong case for greater emphasis on recognising achievements by

diverse people involved in environmental volunteering, for example by organising

celebrations, using the media to promote positive publicity including wider use of the

Millennium Volunteers Awards, volunteering undertaken through Project Scotland and

considering the use of rewards/incentives on completion.

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014 could provide an excellent opportunity to

involve young people in environmental volunteering projects. Finally, since ‘actions really do

speak louder than words’, good role models are vitally important, for example, in the shape of

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corporate and employee volunteering, as well as the Scottish Executive’s ‘Make A Difference

Day’ and placement work for volunteers with Project Scotland.

There is much debate surrounding human-induced climate change, what sociologists call the

‘disorganising discourse’. However, if we start from the principle that our relationship with

nature (and each another) needs to be based on mutual respect, we may be able to move

towards a more just and sustainable future. Fitzpatrick (1998; 2003) in particular refers to the

qualitative transformation of values required throughout society if a genuine concern for the

natural and social environment is to truly shape and inspire sustainable policy. With this in

mind, the dynamic process of socialisation (the manner in which behaviour is shaped by

human values and experience in social situations) highlights the power of various agents

such as the family, peer groups, schooling, the mass media and government in shaping our

attitudes and behaviour. Thus, efforts to communicate clear knowledge of sustainability are

crucial, since these inform people of the impact potential of their lifestyles on the environment

now and in the future.

As suggested above, one of the most persistent debates surrounding environmental

volunteering has been the desirability of promoting aspects of inclusion and social justice.

The Environmental Justice Fund (which amalgamates the existing Community Environmental

Renewal Grants and Sustainable Action Grants) will have a key focus on supporting ‘hard to

reach’ groups. In its Volunteering Strategy (2004), the Scottish Executive focused on

‘dismantling the barriers to volunteering’ and recognised that the barriers to entry and

sustained volunteering were both complex and multifaceted. To keep ahead of such rapid

shifts in environmental work, BTCV Scotland must keep abreast of these changes. Despite

its early success with Greenspaces, BTCV Scotland must regularly review its progress in line

with such movements.

The delivery of regeneration through environmental volunteering will continue to be

challenging especially in light of recent findings (Scottish Household Survey (2003). In this

respect BTCV Scotland has a head start given the positive findings in relation to the types of

volunteers attracted to Greenspaces and needs to continue to build on the momentum set by

Greenspaces. It is clear that there is a broad and challenging agenda requiring informed

debate and much imagination. Resources may have to be diverted to target greater

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engagement among those presently excluded, along with a stronger focus on retaining and

supporting those who contribute to volunteering.

Moreover, the longer-term impact of Greenspaces on future generations through its influence

on Scottish Government agendas will depend on strengthening some of the weaknesses

identified. It is suggested that BTCV Scotland addresses, more urgently, the following:

5.3 Recommendations

Recommendation One:

It is suggested that Greenspaces is strengthened and properly integrated into BTCV

Scotland’s Business plan, to ensure longer-term sustainability of the programme.

Recommendation Two

Given that one of the key elements of success is dependent on effective management, and

given Dalgleish’s comments on the shortcomings generally in the provisions for volunteer

management, BTCV Scotland should develop its own strategy for supporting volunteering

management more effectively.

Recommendation Three

Given repeated concerns about resources (staff and funding) it is imperative that BTCV

Scotland devises a discrete funding strategy for Greenspaces so that the programme is not

reliant on a patchwork of funding as is the case presently.

Recommendation Four

Although using in-house staff to deliver Greenspaces makes good sense in terms of skill

enhancement and staff development, it is suggested that the programme is fully costed to

include capital and management costs. This will provide a more realistic picture of the cost of

delivery of a programme like Greenspaces. The case of the Edinburgh Youth Initiative is a

good example of how much more effective the start up of projects could be with realistic

resource allocation.

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Recommendation Five

In assessing the material value of the work delivered in Greenspaces, the evaluators believe

that BTCV Scotland is missing a trick. Despite being a registered charity and as such a non-

trading entity, it is important for BTCV Scotland to be aware of the commercial value of their

activity, especially since, in some cases, they are assisting in delivering the objectives of

statutory agencies. A rough estimate of the value of labour provided through Greenspaces

during the six months it ran was reasonably high (£271,080). This does not reflect the

commercial value of the work undertaken. It is recommended that BTCV Scotland devise a

formula or system for measuring the commercial value of their work so that this can be

included in funding bids and reinvested in the development of Greenspaces.

Recommendation Six

Building on the findings in the evaluation, it is suggested that the programme plan is

reviewed and replaced with a viable business plan (with SMART longer – term objectives, an

evaluation strategy, a core set of activities, and a contingency plan). This will enable BTCV

Scotland to address some of the technical and operational challenges encountered during

this phase, for example, managing the demand for Green Gym, increasing the dedicated

resources and widening the available skill base.

Recommendation Seven

If BTCV Scotland is serious about being a strategic partner in delivering against the Scottish

Government agendas in the longer term, it is crucial to maintain an ongoing close working

relationship with Government, strategic stakeholders and community groups. Building on the

strong relationships they already have with local communities, BTCV is well placed to

articulate local community concerns to policy makers and to ensure that local people are

involved in shaping policies on volunteering and regeneration, which would better suit their

requirements.

Recommendation Eight

It is crucial that BTCV Scotland builds on its excellent ability to attract people from

communities that have traditionally not been attracted to volunteering through perceived

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barriers in society. Given the findings in this regard, BTCV Scotland is in a position to lead

the way for other agencies that might not otherwise be able to attract a diverse range of

people. In this respect, the referral and placement system appeared to have worked well.

There might be some value here in developing an overall strategy for specialist placements.

Recommendation Nine

During the period of the evaluation, a number of volunteers said they were unaware of

training opportunities which were on offer. It is recommended that thought be given to

widening access to the in-house training by increasing awareness of the specific courses on

offer.

Recommendation Ten

In terms of future work development, BTCV Scotland is in a good position to broaden areas

of its work that are currently in an infant stage, including education, health and equalities

areas in which they have already made significant inroads. In particular, there is much scope

for the work on Green-Gym and widening of associations in the health sector. Similarly,

BTCV ought to explore further the possibilities of becoming involved as a partner for testing

and piloting new models of working, in future applied research projects with academics and

researchers. These are excellent and timely opportunities that must not be missed.

Recommendation Eleven

Finally, it is suggested that, using the findings of this evaluation, BTCV Scotland devises an

in-house monitoring and evaluation strategy to evaluate the development, progress and

impact of Greenspaces over a longer time span and at the same time provide annual reviews

to benchmark its implementation year on year.

5.4 Concluding Comments

The Dalgleish Report suggests the Scottish Government should ‘take the lead’ in paving the

way for sustainable development by supporting environmental volunteering. Dalgleish calls

for a different and broader approach to environmental volunteering with the development a

more strategic framework:

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‘The volunteer effort is at present understandably individualistic and does not

relate to overall policy aims as directly as it might. This may be a consequence of

the prevalence of small project funding or may simply relate to the need for policy

departments to recognise environmental volunteering as an important component

in delivering their policy outcomes and to influence voluntary organisations in

furthering those outcomes’.

The Dalgleish Report (2006: 20).

This approach would entail a clear statement of purpose and set of actions to ensure a better

record on environmental volunteering in Scotland. The Scottish Government acknowledges

the need for a ‘wider culture’ of environmental volunteering, and the development of a ‘clear

leadership role’. The Government in turn highlights the merits of a ‘partnership’ approach,

where interventions should be made where they can genuinely add value and make a

difference. The establishment of a sustainable approach to volunteering requires co-

operation, communication and collaboration with other individuals, groups, agencies and

stakeholders in an attempt to foster alliances in the pursuit of volunteering, with a strong

emphasis on the building of trust among these different groups.

The Scottish Government is also in general agreement that it would be entirely appropriate to

consider how budgets are spent and whether they can achieve environmental and

volunteering objectives by approaching budgets in a different way and using environmental

volunteering to derive best value from the funds expended. The Government suggests that

potential volunteers may feel isolated in a ‘crowded landscape’ of organisations. A

strengthened FEVA (Forum for Environmental Volunteering Associations) in conjunction with

stronger links among voluntary agencies are practical steps proposed by Dalgleish.

Community based support is currently available from networks such as CLAN (See

Community Local Action Network, 2007) managed by BTCV, and Forward Scotland’s

Community Webnet. The Volunteering Impact Toolkit (National Volunteering Centre) adapted

by Volunteer Development Scotland is another very constructive approach to measure the

outcomes/impacts of volunteering. Thus, a more coherent and integrated approach to

voluntary work which includes training, funding and ‘measurable outcomes’ would be wholly

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consistent with the future development of environmental volunteering.

Finally, recent recommendations from the Government’s Implementation Group (established

in response to the Dalgleish Report) propose the appointment of a Project Officer to support

Volunteer Managers in environmental organizations and call for assistance to support the

various networks and resources to allow organisations to engage in the Investing in

Volunteers Programme. The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment, Richard

Lochhead also led a debate in Parliament for a Greener Scotland and announced £250,000

per year for three years to take forward the recommendations of the Implementation Group.

A Project Officer has now been recruited and a three-year plan is being delivered to meet the

objectives.

The publication of the Dalgleish Report; the Scottish Government’s response to the report;

and the Scottish Government’s current Budget Spending Review offer encouraging signs that

the issues surrounding environmental volunteering have ongoing currency. However, we

would nevertheless support a greater commitment to research and evaluation with a stronger

focus on comparative, theoretical and policy developments in the field of environmental

volunteering. While not a definitive list, key areas of interest might be:

Environmental volunteering as a ‘mainstream’ activity: is it supported by resources

that are vulnerable to reduction or embedded within other mainstream activities?

Evaluation of why people are attracted to environmental volunteering and stop

volunteering: what do we know about the dynamics of environmental volunteering

compared with other forms of voluntary action?

Evaluation of barriers and action to tackle barriers: what long-standing and emerging

barriers are identified, and where does the capacity lie to address them?

• Evaluation of ‘measurable outputs and outcomes’ - personal, economic, social and

environmental, assessed against explicit practice objectives. Are volunteers

themselves involved in setting relevant indicators and outcome measures?

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• To what extent does environmental volunteering meet personal development,

community empowerment, service-giving and campaigning motivations?

• To what extent does environmental volunteering contribute to more sustainable

citizenship?

• Does environmental volunteering link to other aspects of policy in an effective

manner: is it integrated?

• Do environmental projects engaging with volunteers have the potential to act as

catalysts for local economic development and neighbourhood renewal?

If, as the Dalgleish Report suggests, there is a need for policy makers to better understand

the role that volunteering can have in achieving strategic policy objectives, a fuller

understanding of these issues may be a necessary step in the right direction.

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Appendix 1

Questionnaire

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Volunteer survey

Welcome to our Greenspace Programme volunteer survey. Your views count! We want find out if you have a good experience through your volunteering and if we have made a difference to your life as a result of your volunteering experience. The answers to this survey will help us understand what we are doing well and what we could do better so please be honest!

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Q1. What are the benefits for you from volunteering with BTCV?

Please read the statements below and decide whether you agree or disagree with each statement. Circle one number for each statement.

Strongly Strongly

disagree agree

Don’t know

Not applicable

Volunteering with BTCV has allowed me to …

1. Be outdoors 1 2 3 4 0 NA

2. Get some exercise 1 2 3 4 0 NA

3. Do something worthwhile for the environment

1 2 3 4 0 NA

4. Access training 1 2 3 4 0 NA

5. Meet new people 1 2 3 4 0 NA

6. Work well in a team 1 2 3 4 0 NA

7. Have an better understanding of people different to me

1 2 3 4 0 NA

8. Have the confidence to do new things

1 2 3 4 0 NA

9. Have a sense of achievement 1 2 3 4 0 NA

10. Feel valued 1 2 3 4 0 NA

11. Feel happy 1 2 3 4 0 NA

12. Find out more about BTCV 1 2 3 4 0 NA

Anything else? (please write here). 1 2 3 4 0 NA

Q1( b ) If you have said you agreed at 7,8,9 or10, can you tell us a little bit

more about the way you feel now compared to the way you felt before

volunteering with BTCV? Can you give any examples of the difference?

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Q2. Are you doing anything different since volunteering?

Please read the statements below and decide whether you agree or disagree with each statement. Circle one number for each statement.

Strongly Strongly

disagree agree

Don’t know

Not applicable

Since I’ve volunteered with BTCV …

1. I have used new skills in my garden 1 2 3 4 0 NA

2. I have given advice to someone else about being environmentally friendly

1 2 3 4 0 NA

3. I recycle more household waste 1 2 3 4 0 NA

4. I have started a environment project 1 2 3 4 0 NA

5. I have actively found out more information about the environment

1 2 3 4 0 NA

Q3. If you can think of anything else you are doing different about the environment as a result of your experience with BTCV please write about it in the box below:

Q4. Thinking longer term, has volunteering made a difference to your life?

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Please read the statements below and tick Yes, No or Not Sure to describe how each statement applies to you. Then, if you tick “YES” then please also tick the relevant column to show whether volunteering with BTCV contributed to this difference.

Is this true of you? If yes, how much did BTCV help with this?

Since I’ve volunteered with BTCV …

Yes No Not Sure

Nothing

to do with BTCV

Partly to

Do with

BTCV

A lot to do with BTCV

1. I have more options in my life

2. I have a better idea of what to do in my future career

3.

4. I have better social skills

5. I have more sense of responsibility

6. I would consider volunteering again in the future

Q4 (b)

If you have said that 1,2,3 or 4 is true of you, can you tell us a little more about the options that are open to you now, or the ideas you have for your future career, the new social skills you’ve developed or the way in which you feel you have more sense of responsibility?

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Q5. How well run is BTCV volunteering?

Think about your volunteering and decide how much you agree or disagree with each statement. Circle one number for each statement

Strongly Strongly

disagree agree

Don’t know

1. I feel supported when volunteering 1 2 3 4 0 NA

2. I have fun 1 2 3 4 0 NA

3. It is clear what is expected of me 1 2 3 4 0 NA

4. I am made aware of training and development opportunities

1 2 3 4 0 NA

5. I would recommend BTCV to other people

1 2 3 4 0 NA

Q6 – A few questions about you (please tick the appropriate box)

a) Are you:

Female Male Transgendered

b) What age group are you? Please tick one

[BTCV to add the appropriate age categories]

c) Please describe your ethnic origin [or BTCV to add categories that are appropriate for you]

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d) Are you disabled?

Yes No

e) How long have you been volunteering with BTCV

Less than 1 month 1- 3 months 4-6 months 7-12 months

More than a year

f) What is your employment status now?

In employment In vocational training In further/higher education

In full time volunteering Unemployed Other ____________

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