The research identified four key themes around the landscape of volunteering at the board, trustee, or management level at community groups delivering sport and physical activity in Wales:

• the profile of volunteers in these roles
• the barriers and challenges facing volunteers, or those looking to volunteer, in these roles
• the routes into and facilitating factors for recruitment and retention in these roles
• current good practice for encouraging and supporting volunteering at this level

The profile of volunteers in these roles

• volunteers at these levels are likely to be heterosexual, white, male, 45 years old or over, and without a disability
• they generally spend a longer time per week carrying out these roles compared to other volunteer roles and are likely to have occupied these positions for longer than those volunteering in other roles at community groups

Barriers and challenges facing volunteers, or those looking to volunteer, in these roles

• volunteers at these levels face significant time pressures in these roles, with too few volunteers willing or able to take on and share these responsibilities
• the demands of the roles can make them inaccessible for those in full-time employment, with parental or caring responsibilities, or with long-term, changing, or unpredictable health conditions
• expectations from external stakeholders can be unrealistic given the voluntary nature of these roles, compounded by a lack of support from such organisations

Routes into and facilitating factors for recruitment and retention in these roles

• value-driven engagement is the strongest motivating factor for engaging roles at these levels, where individuals’ values align with those of the group
• personal connections, such as through own children participating at a group or knowing someone already involved with the organisation are often key to recruiting volunteers to senior roles
• two skill sets are crucial in recruiting and retaining volunteers in these roles:
  • ‘soft’ people skills (confidence, being motivational, ability to work with young and older alike)
  • ‘technical’ skills (project planning and fundraising experience)
• perceptions of required skills as being attainable only through traditionally office-based professional careers hinder those without such experience from engaging with these roles

Current good practice for encouraging and supporting volunteers at this level

• streamlining or reducing the administrative burden on volunteers in these roles increases capacity
• increasing representation to fully represent all members of the local community supports more effective and inclusive recruitment and retention
• positive volunteering environments reward, recognise, and support development pathways for volunteers into these roles