PRINT SHARE COMMENT

The Power of Volunteers

February 2, 2013

Volunteer Canada offers an online library of in-depth information on a variety of topics related to Canadian volunteering, including: management, skills-based volunteering, youth, baby boomers, board volunteering and corporate community involvement. Here is a sample of some timely and relevant “fun facts” that can help you in your work with volunteers:

• 13.3 million Canadians contribute 2.1 billion hours, the equivalent of 1.1 million full-time jobs (Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2010).
• 47 percent of Canadians volunteer (Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2010).
•  Volunteers typically contribute 156 hours per year (Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2010).
• Young Canadians, aged 15-24, volunteer more than any other age group at a rate of 58 percent versus the overall rate of 47 percent (Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2010).

Today’s volunteer

• Canadian volunteers are more goal-oriented, autonomous, tech-savvy and mobile (Bridging the Gap).
• Volunteering changes throughout the lifecycle, along with evolving priorities, circumstances and interests (Bridging the Gap).
• Volunteers are looking for volunteer tasks that involve something different from their work life (Bridging the Gap).
• Most volunteers are looking for short-term volunteer opportunities (Bridging the Gap).
• Volunteering is personal and stems from individual preferences and motivations (Bridging the Gap).
• More new Canadians are seeking volunteer opportunities (Bridging the Gap).
• Many organizations do not have the capacity to involve groups (Bridging the Gap).

Corporate citizenship

• Companies with engaged employees see 26 percent higher revenue per employee (Drive Business Results Through Continuous Engagement, WorkUSA, 2008-2009).
• 86 percent of global consumers believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on society’s interests as on business interests (Citizens Engage! Edelman goodpurpose ® Study 2010).
• Young professionals aged 18-24 who frequently participate in their company’s employee volunteer activities are twice as likely to rate their corporate culture as very positive (Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey, 2007).

Visit Volunteer Canada, http://volunteer.ca/.