What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the economic benefit to the Welsh economy of volunteering in Wales?
In February 2023 Sheffield Hallam University and Loughborough University undertook research for Sport Wales, Social Return on Investment of Sport in Wales | Sport Wales. This research estimates that volunteering in Welsh sport should be valued at £430m.
The WCVA estimated in 2020 that the voluntary sector had a combined income of £1.258 billion and over 100,000 employees, i.e. the sector is a major economic player. In addition, the WCVA estimated that volunteering time contributed the equivalent of £757m annually to the economy in Wales. The-role-of-the-voluntary-sector-in-shaping-a-new-economy-for-Wales.pdf
With sporting volunteers already contributing £430m, we believe that a conservative estimate of the value of volunteering in Wales is now likely to be in excess of £1 billion annually.