Community / Is ‘volunteer fatigue’ becoming a problem in Shetland?
“THE CAPACITY of the community to take on the increasing range of volunteering roles is reaching saturation point. Volunteer fatigue is very real.”
That was the message in a recent council meeting report, which highlighted that Shetland is suffering when it comes to people’s ability to take on volunteering roles.
Shetland is well known for its volunteering, from becoming trustees and board members to helping out at community events and local halls, with people often taking on responsibilities on top of jobs or caring.
But it appears that some volunteers have not returned post-Covid – creating extra challenges for the local volunteering scene.
At Monday’s SIC education and families committee meeting, ex-Voluntary Action Shetland (VAS) chief and current councillor Catherine Hughson said there is a lot of legislation these days around volunteering.
“You can’t just drop into a playgroup, you can’t just drop into a youth club,” she said.
“I think although we think it’s an easy thing to do, sometimes it’s not.”
But she said Shetland has always “punched above its weight” when it comes to volunteering.
“I think we have to pay a huge pat on the back to everybody involved.”
The report to councillors said that volunteers were already under “significant strain when the cost of living crisis hit, leading to volunteer shortages in many groups, with smaller organisations often disproportionately affected”.
“Combined with caring responsibilities, the need to take on additional jobs to supplement income, anecdotal evidence on the ground suggests that we are in a changing landscape,” it added.
There have often been cases of groups and organisations in Shetland being on the cusp of having to call it quits due to a lack of committee members. Most recently some youth clubs have reported difficulties.
Speaking to Shetland News, current VAS executive officer Lynn Tulloch said the organisation was well aware of the ongoing challenges.
VAS is a charitable company which support voluntary services by “meeting present and emerging needs, developing and promoting new ways of responding and encouraging people in Shetland to offer voluntary service to their community”.
“In Shetland we have a really good level of volunteering occurring in our community one of the highest in Scotland, with many people in the community engaging in a number of volunteering roles to ensure activity happens,” Tulloch said.
“However, Covid has impacted on this with a number of charities struggling to attract new people to come forward.
“Demands for services delivered in the charity sector have increased also which results in waiting lists.”
Tulloch, however, said VAS has had “really great engagement” with its Saltire event this year in June.
This celebrates young people, aged 12 to 25, getting involved in volunteering – with activity almost back to pre-Covid numbers.
“I am aware the cost of living is a factor in amongst this with people perhaps having to take on additional work to support themselves and families and also if there are caring responsibilities also – volunteering sometimes is just not an option for people at certain times in their lives,” Tulloch said.
Meanwhile VAS currently has board vacancies and is looking for new board members.
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