Volunteering Statistics By Demographics, Corporate, Causes, Impacts, Recruitment and Facts

Introduction

Volunteering Statistics: Volunteering is good for both workers and organizations. When your company encourages volunteering, it helps employees grow, boosts their involvement, and improves the company’s reputation. You can also connect with more people and expand your network. Besides benefiting your company, volunteering lets you support the community. By getting involved in volunteer work, employees can develop skills like leadership and teamwork.

This not only makes them better at their jobs but also makes the workplace more positive. A company that cares about helping others is often seen as more attractive, which can help bring in new employees and customers. Building these connections through community service can open up more opportunities for everyone involved. We shall shed enough light on Volunteering Statistics through this article.

Editor’s Choice

• Just 13% of volunteers put in more than 20 hours a month on charitable activities.
• Each hour of volunteer work is valued at $29.95.
• Before the pandemic, about 77.9 million people in the US were volunteers.
• Utah has the highest volunteer rate, with 51% of its residents helping out.
• On the other hand, only 22% of people in Florida volunteer.
• Because of COVID-19, 66% of volunteers either stopped or reduced their volunteer hours.
• Volunteering Statistics stated that women are 27.5% more likely to volunteer than men.
• Generation X is the most active in volunteering, with 36.4% participating.
• As of 2023, more than 1 billion people around the world have volunteered.
• A Deloitte survey found that 81% of volunteers think their companies should support better volunteer activities to improve the workplace.
• In the United States, each hour of volunteer work is valued at around $29.95.
• Globally, nearly 60% of companies offer paid time off for volunteering in 2022.
• Additionally, 80% of companies with volunteer grant programs give between $8 and $15 for each hour a volunteer works.
• Volunteering Statistics stated that volunteer grant programs were available from 40% of Fortune 500 companies.
• About 25% of American adults—around 63 million people—have given their time, energy, and skills to help others.
• The four main nonprofit areas where volunteers are active are 34.1% in religious organizations, 26% in education, 14.9% in social services, and 7.3% in health services.

What Is Volunteering?

Volunteering is when someone spends unpaid time to help others. Helping friends or family doesn’t count as volunteering, but doing something good for the environment (which helps people, too) does.

Volunteering can be organized by groups or happen informally in communities. It should always be a free choice made by the person giving their time.

Volunteering is an important part of life in the UK, with most charities and voluntary groups including volunteers in their work.

Here are some things volunteers do:

• Raising money
• Acting as a trustee (a volunteer role with legal duties for a charity)
• Supporting or organizing events
• Campaigning for causes
• Giving tours
• Being a friend to others
• Offering advice, guidance, or information
• Monitoring and protecting wildlife
• Providing first aid
• Giving legal assistance
• Driving or transporting people
• Helping with office tasks

Public sector organizations also engage volunteers. Some roles include:

• School governors or members of parent-teacher groups
• Magistrates
• Parish council members
• Supporting library services
• Special constables in the police force
• Assisting the NHS
•  Campaigning for local MPs
• Coastguards for rescue services

Volunteering can also be informal and not linked to an organization. For example, driving a neighbor to a hospital appointment or cleaning up your local park are also forms of volunteering.

General Volunteering Statistics

• Volunteers are valued at an average of $28.54 per hour. They are nearly twice as likely to donate to charities as non-volunteers.
• About 96% of volunteers believe that their work has increased their sense of purpose in life.
• More than 71% of volunteers work with just one organization. People aged 35 to 54 are the most likely to volunteer.
• San Jose, California, is the top city in the US for attracting Millennial volunteers.
• Those who volunteer for over 100 hours each year are among the healthiest people in the country.

(Source: movingworlds.org)

• Volunteers under 24 years old make up 22.6% of all volunteers, as stated in Volunteering Statistics.
• Regular volunteers have a 27% greater chance of finding a job as stated in Volunteering Statistics.
• Moreover, 35% of volunteers participate mainly in socializing. Volunteering can lower the risk of high blood pressure by 40%.
• Finally, 70% of corporate volunteers think that volunteering boosts morale more than company parties, and in 2014, 67% of volunteers found their opportunities online.

Corporate Volunteering Statistics

• 80% of employees believe that group volunteering helps them strengthen their relationships with coworkers.
• Volunteering Statistics stated that almost 87% of employees who volunteered through their companies reported having a better opinion of their employers.
• With more remote work after COVID-19 and Gen Z set to make up a third of the global workforce by 2025, employees are now motivated by more than just their salaries.
• Employee turnover drops by an average of 57% when workers feel a strong connection to their company’s volunteering efforts.
• Half of the people in the UK plan to volunteer.

(Source: recharity.ca)

• Volunteering online or by phone is now the third most popular way to volunteer, with 31% of recent volunteers doing some of their work this way.
• According to Volunteering Statistics, only 55% of volunteers think their group or organization would pay back their expenses if asked, and 16% aren’t sure.
• Among those who considered volunteering in the past year, 21% felt that it would take more time than they could give.
• People can volunteer on their own terms and at their own pace, showing that there’s still a need for more education about how volunteering works today. You can volunteer for as little as 30 minutes during lunch or commit to longer-term projects if you find the right opportunity.
• Studies show that volunteering has many physical and mental health benefits.
• Despite the UK’s goal to meet the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, 99% of UK companies are not engaged with them.
• Because of this gap, an estimated 96 million hours (worth about £15.3 billion) of skilled volunteer time is lost each year because companies don’t use a corporate volunteering strategy.
• Volunteering Statistics stated that around 73% of companies provide employee volunteering programs.
• About 30% of employees get involved in volunteer work.
• As of 2021, 40% of Fortune 500 companies offer programs that give money for volunteer work.
• Almost 60% of companies allow paid time off so employees can volunteer.
• 82% of companies say their employees prefer to volunteer with coworkers at company-supported events.

(Source: goodup.up)

• Volunteering Statistics stated that 93% of employees who volunteer feel somewhat or very happy with their employer.
• 96% of volunteers believe that their company has a somewhat or very positive culture.
• The value of volunteer work is more than $184 billion.
• On average, volunteers give around 50 hours each year to help others.
• 61% of Millennials who don’t volunteer much still think about a company’s commitment to helping others when choosing a job.

Volunteering Demographics Statistics

• The 2023 data shows a varied landscape of volunteering among different groups.
• Factors like age, gender, region, and ethnicity significantly affect how people volunteer, which is important for creating effective strategies to engage volunteers.
• In England, women are more likely than men to volunteer, whether it’s formal or informal.
• About 58% of women have volunteered in some way in the past 12 months, while 52% of men have done the same (with the overall population at 55%).
• Although the rates of formal volunteering are similar for both genders, females are more prone to have volunteered properly in the previous month (31% of women compared to 22% of men) and in the past year (49% for women versus 42% for men).
• For instance, formal volunteering among those aged 65-74 has declined noticeably during the pandemic, and this age group has not fully returned to volunteering yet.

(Reference: researchgate.net)

• Younger people are becoming more interested in volunteering. A survey found that 17% of 18-34-year-olds who didn’t volunteer in 2022 planned to start in 2023.
• While we still need national statistics to confirm this shift from interest to action, the increasing enthusiasm among younger individuals suggests a potential rise in volunteerism.
• This means charities should adjust their messages and onboarding processes to match the interests and motivations of this age group.
• According to Volunteering Statistics, volunteering has grown in different regions of the UK, with significant increases in Wales and a slight rise in Northern Ireland.
• In Wales, 30% of people volunteered in 2022-23, up from 26% in 2019-20. In Northern Ireland, the rate of formal volunteering increased to 21% of adults in 2023, up from 17% the previous year.
• These regional trends highlight the need for targeted volunteer management strategies that cater to the specific needs and preferences of local communities.

Volunteer Causes Statistics

(Reference: enterpriseappstoday.com)

• In the United States, 15% of volunteers helped people dealing with hunger and homelessness in 2023.
• According to Volunteering Statistics, the next most common cause was health and wellness, which was supported by 13% of volunteers.
• Other causes that American volunteers contributed to include:

#1. Faith and spirituality: 12%

#2. Animal and wildlife: 10%

#3. Children and youth: 9%

#4. Environment and conservation: 7%

#5. Human and social services: 7%

#6. International development: 7%

#7. Arts and culture: 6%

#8. Women and girls: 4%

(Reference: ncvo.org.uk)

• The overall satisfaction rate among volunteers has decreased in 2023 compared to previous years.
• About 50% of volunteers said they found their experiences very satisfying. Other satisfaction levels included:

#1. Fairly satisfied: 42%

#2. Fairly dissatisfied: 7%

#3. Very Dissatisfied: 1%

#4. Satisfied: 92%

• Satisfaction rates also varied by age. For instance, 30% of volunteers aged 18 to 24 reported being “very satisfied,” while 66% of those aged 55 and older felt the same way.
• In 2023, nearly 94% of civil society volunteers and 87% of public sector volunteers said they were less satisfied.
• On the other hand, 94% of non-disabled volunteers and 88% of disabled volunteers reported being satisfied with their volunteering experiences.

Negative Experiences and Impacts Statistics

(Reference: ncvo.org.uk)

• Around two-thirds (65%) of volunteers reported that they had not experienced any negative impacts from volunteering. This shows that most volunteers have a positive view of their experiences.
• Among those who did face negative experiences, the most common issues include:

#1. Too much time taken up: 33%

#2. Being out of pocket: 31%

#3. Feeling pressured: 28%

#4. Feeling unappreciated: 27%

#5. Having conflicts with others: 22%

• Younger volunteers were more likely to say that volunteering negatively affected their work or studies, with 20% of 18-24-year-olds reporting this compared to just 2% of those aged 55 and older.
• Additionally, younger volunteers felt more excluded than older volunteers, with 25% of 18-24-year-olds expressing this feeling compared to 8% of those aged 55 and older.
• Disabled volunteers also reported that volunteering negatively impacted their health and well-being more than those without health issues, at 16% compared to 9%.

Community Relations and Employee Recruitment Statistics

• Up to 71% of employees feel it’s important for their employer to support workplace giving and volunteering programs.
• Among companies that measure the impact of their volunteer efforts, 38% found that these programs improved their reputation and public trust, while 29% believed it boosted their brand image.
• The Millennial Impact Report shows that the most wanted cause-related program among Millennial employees is company-wide volunteer opportunities.

(Reference: volpro.net)

• However, only 39% of people surveyed said that companies talked about their social initiatives during job interviews, but those discussions did make a difference.
• A report on the financial benefits of corporate responsibility found that 80% of employees prefer to work for companies that care about their social impact.
• More than half would not want to work for a company seen as irresponsible.
• Additionally, 77% of consumers like to buy from companies that have corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs.
• Volunteering Statistics state that corporate giving can greatly improve a brand’s reputation.
• Volunteer work, in particular, strengthens community relations and helps attract top talent.
• Potential hires view companies that participate in volunteering more positively because they show a commitment to supporting local communities and developing employees’ skills.
• Many socially conscious consumers even look up companies before making a purchase.

Share of People Who Participated in Voluntary Activities

(Reference: statista.com)

• In 2023, about 54% of people in England said they had volunteered at least once in the past year, with 33% volunteering at least once a month.
• Overall, the percentage of people reporting that they volunteer has been going down since 2013/14, when around 70% of the population stated they had volunteered.

Volunteer Grants Statistics

• 40% of Fortune 500 companies have programs that give money for employee volunteering.
• Volunteering Statistics stated that almost 85% of the top companies that match donations also have volunteer grant programs.
• 80% of companies with these volunteer grant programs pay between $8 and $15 for each hour that employees volunteer.

Student Volunteering Statistics

• A study showed that college graduation rates were 19% higher for students who volunteered in their communities compared to those who did not.
• In the United States, 65.5% of student volunteers are women, while 34.5% are men.
• According to Child Trends, 39% of 12th graders in 2014 said they volunteered at least once a month.

(Source: youth.gov)

• Currently, about 119,638 student volunteers are working in the US, as stated in Volunteering Statistics.
• In high school, 38% of boys were less likely to volunteer compared to 50% of girls.
• Student volunteers are 45% more likely to work for education companies than for private companies.
• In 2015, 3 million college students provided 286 million hours of volunteer work in the United States.
• About 68% of student volunteers hold a bachelor’s degree, making it the most common degree among them.
• The areas where student volunteers are most active include education, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations.

Conclusion

As of today, after completing the article on Volunteering Statistics, it’s clear that volunteering is a powerful practice that benefits individuals, organizations, and society as a whole. The main purpose of volunteering is to give free labor, time, and energy for a greater cause.

Volunteers are often considered essential to many nonprofit organizations. This article has provided helpful statistics to show the importance of volunteers in communities around the world.