The NonProfit Times’ Post

Out of every 10 respondents from Generation Z, an impressive 9 are contemplating volunteering, in contrast to around 75% of individuals aged 59 and beyond. Recent findings highlighted by Civil Society Media Ltd show a rising inclination among Gen Z to engage in volunteering, driven by the challenges caused by the cost-of-living crisis. This surge in interest is excellent for the charity sector, as the ongoing demand for volunteers to contribute their expertise and support will aid organisations struggling to balance employment expenses. Click below to read more.

The University of Maryland School of Public Policy’s Do Good Institute recently released a report focusing on what influences volunteering and giving in the US. The study sought to understand the relationship between “micro-level variables (characteristics of the survey respondent) and macro-level variables (characteristics of the survey respondent’s community or place)” and philanthropic behavior, specifically examining monetary donations and volunteering time. BWF's Geoff Hallett shares his key takeaways: https://hubs.li/Q02vy_2F0

Different, but the same. I often talk about volunteering in the UK. This weekend I had the chance to meet with incredible volunteers in the Netherlands, as part of a meet up for two small charities with a 40 year relationship through the generations. Over lunch & dinner the two teams shared experiences, caught up on friendships and compared how they volunteered. Despite being in different geographies, the core challenges and highlights were incredibly similar. The answers to them, not always the same, gave fantastic grounds for conversations and thoughts. I know that over that 40 years, both organisations has taken and built on ideas that they would never be exposed to otherwise; and on Saturday evening that was tangible and real. So, 3 take aways from my visit: 1) Trust young volunteers. The core team delivering in the Netherlands are in their early twenties. They bring energy, drive and commitment. The typical volunteering pattern is different to what I see in the UK, but it is still incredibly effective. Part of having young volunteers is accepting that they may not be there forever. 2) Build links outside of your area. Find that organisation that does the same thing somewhere else and get in contact. With these two groups the story involves a little girl with schooling disrupted by the Second World War, a letter and a group of people willing to try something different. 3) Enjoy. One of the incredible take aways from me for the weekend is that everyone in the picture below provides an enormous impact to their communities; but they gain joy from it.

UK slips down CAF World Giving Index but is third most generous country for giving money: The UK is the third most generous country in the world for giving money, but ranks low for helping a stranger and volunteering, according to this year’s CAF World Giving Index.

New report: Australian volunteering participation declining The number of Australians volunteering has declined over the past decade, with 6 million people volunteering in 2022. Australians are volunteering less but donating more, while the government is looking at proposals to boost altruism among its citizens. The Productivity Commission's draft report on philanthropy found Australians donated more than $13 billion to charity in 2021, a 26 per cent increase on 2017. But the number of Australians volunteering has fallen over the past decade, with 6 million people volunteering in 2022. Advertisement Productivity Commission deputy chair Alex Robson said while Australians were generous, they were more motivated to donate than to volunteer. “People don’t have a lot of time to volunteer, they have less time than they used to. They have families to take care of. Also, there are more women in the workplace, which is a good thing, but part of the cost is that there are more volunteers around them. Fewer and fewer are coming. In this report we recommend policy changes the government can make to increase the number of volunteers in Australia."

The nonprofit world is moving at a fast pace. Two trends suggest we are facing a crisis: the declining number of donors and declining number of volunteers.  Even if we consider that people are giving and volunteering in ways that may not be caught in current survey methods, we still have a problem. Donating money, volunteering time and effort, and other forms of altruism work together to help to build community and deepen relationships. People are social creatures. We can look at Maslow’s hierarchy and understand that people want to be sought, to feel important and to be a worthwhile member of a worthwhile group. This reinforces the importance of deepening relationships and connections in the nonprofit community. https://lnkd.in/ggDUSgJc

As the UK heads to the voting polls on July 4th, the outcomes will hold significant implications for charities, nonprofits, and volunteering programs based in the UK. With each party securing regional seats, their introduced policies and commitments will directly shape public service funding, community initiatives, events, and the overall well-being of numerous individuals. Whatever the result the result at the polls here's several key points we believe will help charities, nonprofits and volunteer programs: ✅ Streamlined processes to gain access to grants and funding ✅ Improved volunteer recruitment numbers by reversing the affects of the cost of living crisis ✅ More support to care works by increasing pay and career options ✅ Reduce the workload of GPs to encourage more 'face time' with patients Delving into the major parties' manifestos in this article, we uncover crucial points that shed light on potential impacts for volunteer programs, carrying long-lasting consequences. Read more here: https://buff.ly/4bwi1hm #volunteering #volunteeringmatters #ukelection #nhs

It's #VolunteersWeek! #Volunteers are the lifeblood of the #Charity sector, worth by various estimates in the tens of billions of pounds annually to the economy. Imagine what would happen if that contribution suddenly wasn’t there? The charity sector and much of society as we know it would fall apart. In this piece I take a look at the some recent data and offer tips and resources for how charities can attract volunteers and overcome some of the recent challenges: https://lnkd.in/gCf27MrV