2024’s Volunteer Experience Survey

The Volunteer Experience Survey gives you the opportunity to have your say and helps us to understand what we do well and what we could do better to ensure everyone has the best possible experience whilst volunteering with Macmillan. Your feedback in previous years has helped us to develop and improve volunteering processes in a variety of ways, including:

• Creating ways to say thank you for the everyday things people who give their time to Macmillan do through our rolling recognition programme, Macmillan Moments.
• The development of a Digital and Financial Exclusion action plan which has already led to a new-and-improved volunteer expenses process.
• The launch of microvolunteering, which makes it easier for anyone to give their time to support Macmillan, wherever they are, and at a time that is convenient to them.
• An ongoing series of ‘Volunteering at Macmillan’ webinars to help both new and existing volunteers discover the different ways they can give their time.

In 2024, 503 of you shared your views with us. Here’s what you had to say. 

This year, 88% of you told us that your overall experience of volunteering at Macmillan was very positive or positive, and 86% of you are likely or very likely to recommend volunteering at Macmillan to others. 'Meaningful', 'impactful' and 'enjoyable' once again emerged as the top 3 most important aspects of a positive volunteering experience, with the following referenced as the most enjoyable parts of being a Macmillan volunteer:

• Helping others
• Supporting service users
• Making a difference
• Meeting new people

“Being able to contribute however big or small, and knowing it's making a difference.”
- Corporate volunteer

“Feeling I'm useful and helping a brilliant cause. I used to be a nurse and it's still good to think I'm still helping cancer patients in a different way”
- Fundraising Collector

“The opportunity to offer support and to become involved with new ideas and innovations” - Cancer Voice

Two core themes that emerged from this year’s survey were a desire for more connection and for greater personalisation. You told us that you want more opportunities to meet fellow volunteers in your area, more personal correspondence, and to be made to feel you are a valued part of Macmillan. 

24% of respondents told us that they faced barriers to volunteering, including:

• A lack of volunteering opportunities in their local area
• Not being able to meet with Macmillan staff or other volunteers for support
• Difficulty navigating digital systems