Why Volunteer for Generation Scotland?
Aged 16 or over and want to be part of Generation Scotland? Find out why to get involved here
We all want to make life better for our families, those close to us and the community we live in. If you knew that sharing your health information could improve the future health outcomes for those that you care about, the chances are that you would want to help.
That is exactly what Generation Scotland are doing. Our 25,000 volunteers are already making a massive difference. Providing us with their health data through questionnaires, saliva samples via postal ‘spit kits’ and allowing researchers access to link to relevant health records. This helps us learn more about medical conditions, develop methods of prevention and future treatment options.
The impact we're making
Generation Scotland volunteers have already led researchers to make significant discoveries concerning heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, reproduction, Covid-19 and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as identifying genes which may be linked to gallstones and liver disease. Imagine how much more we could learn with your help.
Whether you have pre-existing medical conditions or consider yourself healthy, we really want to have you on board. By including volunteers across Scotland of different backgrounds, age groups, and with or without medical conditions, allows scientists to carry out more accurate research, which in turn provides a better understanding and allows them to develop new approaches.
We actively encourage families to join the study to increase knowledge of how genetics and shared living environment influence the lives of people in Scotland. In 2023 for the first time young people aged between 12 and 15 can join if their parent or guardian joins too.
How to join
Becoming a volunteer is now easier and more convenient than ever before. You can even becoming a volunteer from the comfort of your own home through our online portal, instead of attending a GP's practice or hospital clinic. First you will need to read the approved volunteer information (which tells you what you’ll be asked to do, and why). Then you will need to provide your consent to take part (agreeing to what you'll be asked to do). You will be given a questionnaire which takes approximately 20 minutes, with the option to sign up to future research projects. We will then send you a “spit kit” with a pre-paid envelope to return to us.
You don’t even need to speak to your healthcare providers about giving us access. As long as you consent for us to see your records, we will follow it up with them on your behalf.
Please help us make Scotland better tomorrow by becoming a Generation Scotland volunteer!
Read testimonies from our volunteers here.