Civic participation

We have explored the topic of civic participation through research on cultural attendance, events volunteering, organisational volunteering practice and involvement in sport. Much of this work has focused on the role of mass-participation events, which are recognised as being important for goal setting, encouraging long term behavioural change and increasing civic pride.

A large proportion of this work has involved evaluating the respective volunteering programmes for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Glasgow 2018 European Championships

Glasgow and Berlin Co-hosted the 2018 European Championships. To help deliver the event, volunteers were recruited and assigned to a number of roles across Glasgow and Scotland. To evaluate the impact of this programme, we issued a survey to applicants and captured information through the application form. Access our report on the impact of this programme.

Glasgow 2014 ‘clyde-sider’ volunteer programme study

This study explored the attitudes, experiences and characteristics of clyde-sider volunteer applicants for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Learning on the expectations, experiences and long-term impacts of clyde-sider volunteering on applicants was captured, including the views of both those who were selected and those who were not successful with their application.

This synthesis report summarises key findings from our study, drawing on key learning from three surveys and qualitative research. Click on our infographics for more information.

Clydesider volunteer profile infographicClydesider expectations infographicClydesider experiences and impacts infographicClydesider impacts of participation infographic

Earlier reports include:

A two year follow up survey was also issued to clyde-sider applicants in 2016 and the findings from this survey cover four factors relating to volunteering legacy: ‘skills used since the Games’ ‘volunteering since the Games’, ‘social connections’ and ‘personal reflections’.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games was carried out in partnership with Glasgow City Council, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the Medical Research Council at Glasgow University. Information for the assessment was captured through a scoping event and via a number of different methods of community engagement.

In 2014 research was undertaken to assess whether the recommendations from the HIA were incorporated into policy and planning for the Games and its legacy. This research assessed the effectiveness of the HIA at informing the legacy strategy of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. 

Evaluation of Glasgow’s Volunteering Charter

We were asked to evaluate Glasgow’s Volunteering Charter – a programme delivered by Volunteer Glasgow which encourages organisations across the city to increase the number of volunteering opportunities and make them more inclusive and accessible. Findings from this evaluation are shaping the next phase of the Charter’s delivery.

Participation in running events

Who runs in Glasgow’ was a study of inequalities in participation based on three of Glasgow’s annual running events: the Great Scottish Run, the Junior Great Scottish Run and the Women’s 10k. The findings showed good participation from across Scotland, and high levels of participation from Glaswegians, but wide socio-economic and neighbourhood disparities within this. This report was accompanied by a blog from Dr Andrew Murray, former Physical Activity Champion for the Scottish Government.  

Along with Glasgow Life, we commissioned a follow-up study to explore the motivations and barriers to sporting and cultural participation across the city, and included a section on running events and involvement in the Great Scottish Run.