What’s Happening in the Third Sector?
UK Volunteering Numbers Down
Volunteering in the UK is dropping, however this is not a huge surprise given COVID-19 and other factors. The pandemic limited our outings and cancelled some volunteering. What is more surprising is that the decline started earlier than the pandemic.
Volunteering numbers in England were fairly consistent between 2001 and 2013. Yet between 2013 and 2014, volunteer numbers fell. So why might this be?
Work commitments and family responsibilities are big reasons for not volunteering. Age also plays a role – young people have more time and motivation, while older adults might have less time due to work and other commitments. There’s a dip in volunteering during the transition to adulthood, then it picks up again as people get older, and drops again in old age.
Volunteering is also more common among wealthier and well-connected individuals. This could be a reason for the decline as people face more challenges due to the cost of living crisis, leaving less time and energy for volunteering.
This drop in volunteering is a concern because it benefits both the volunteers and the causes they support. Volunteering provides skills, cultural exposure, and better employability. It’s even linked to improved mental health and reduced mortality risk. However, if certain groups, like people with disabilities or those from disadvantaged communities, can’t volunteer as much, they miss out on these benefits.
To get more people volunteering, we need to ensure they have the time and willingness to help in their communities. This becomes harder when they’re struggling with bills, job security, childcare, or healthcare. Therefore, the real solution might lie in addressing these broader social issues.
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