Molt abans que el voluntariat fos codificat sota els actuals paràmetres que tothom més o menys reconeix com a propis d’aquest sector, les tasques d’ajuda gairebé desinteressada a altres persones han estat sempre presents a les comunitats, sense haver estat mai reconegudes com a quelcom susceptible de ser destacable per damunt d’altres tasques.  Read article

Cuarto fascículo de la Revista Tercer Sector que ofrece información para concretar con éxito la misión de las organizaciones de la sociedad civil. En esta oportunidad, el fascículo se enfoca en el voluntariado. Dentro de los temas abordados se encuentra la definición y el rol del voluntariado, su contribución a la sociedad y su vinculo universitario.  Visit site

Australian retirees look forward to 'freedom' and are keen to volunteer, according to a new international survey into retirement by French insurance group AXA. British and US pensioners love to travel abroad, Germans plunge into sport, Canadians into charity work and the French go for gardening. Italians and Spanish are more prone to do nothing when they retire.  Read article

Corporate employee volunteering might be booming — more corporations and charities are trying to work together. Trouble is, the two sides don't seem to understand each other and, in some cases, they just don't get on. A special report has found frustrations and recriminations spilling over from both sectors.  Read article

The Australian Emergency Management Volunteers Forum is currently undertaking research to find out how much it cost for individual volunteer to be involved in emergency management volunteering.  Read article

Volunteering Australia recently presented the "National Survey of Volunteering Issues 2006".  The report contains  data on many issues relating to volunteering including relationships between paid staff and volunteers, the rate of adoption of best practice volunteer management approaches.   Read article

Vorliegende Untersuchung ist Teil der vom Bundesministerium für Soziale Sicherheit, Generationen und Konsumentenschutz in Auftrag gegebenen Studie „Qualifikationsgewinn durch Freiwilligenarbeit“.   Read article

This paper assesses the role of management practices in improving the competency of community health volunteers in diagnosing and treating acute respiratory infections among children. Data were collected by a group of research physicians who observed the performance of a sample of 120 health volunteers in 10 sub-districts in Bangladesh.  Read article

This study provides a comprehensive background on volunteering in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It also contains responses from a survey on volunteer recruitment and management, conducted among leaders of volunteer-involving organizations.  Read article

This research demonstrates how different actors in the South African region are co-operating to address the human development challenges in the five countries - Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The service initiatives reported on contribute to developing knowledge and good practice, and demonstrate the role that service and volunteering can play in promoting the achievement of national social development goals and priorities.   Read article

In 2004, Canadians donated $8.9 billion and two billion volunteer hours — the equivalent of a million full-time jobs — according to the latest Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating done by Statistics Canada in partnership with government agencies and volunteer organizations.  Read article

Developed by Imagine Canada in partnership with Volunteer Canada, this website is designed to make available the statistics and resources developed from the 1997 and 2000 National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (NSGVP).   Visit site

Immigrants give larger donations, on average, than the Canadian-born population but they are slightly less likely to volunteer their time than people born in Canada, according to research by the Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD). The research report (published April 2006) - “Making Connections: Social and Civic Engagement among Canadian Immigrants” - also shows that the rate of volunteering is increasing, particularly among recent immigrants.  Read article

Much is known about volunteering and donating behaviour, but there are major gaps in our knowledge of voluntary sector organizations. There is long-standing uncertainty about the accuracy of data on charities and even if the available data are validated, they fall short of enabling an analysis of charities’ efficiency and effectiveness. This research was originally published in 2001 by Erwin Dreessen, a manager from Industry Canada.  Visit site

En la antesala de la celebración del mes de la solidaridad, el Estudio Nacional de Voluntariado 2006, realizado por Fundación Trascender junto a Collect Investigaciones de Mercado, arrojó sorprendentes resultados sobre la práctica del voluntariado en el país.   Read article

This study shows the results of a phone survey done in late 2001 in Hong Kong, which shows that a quarter of residents had volunteered at least once. Also provides a sociological profile of volunteers in the country.  Read article

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This survey was conducted in 2004 by the National Volunteer Centre and the Non-profit Research Group in Hungary. It provides a summary of individuals’ donations and volunteering for organisations dealing with donation collection, distribution and volunteerism in general.  Read article

This survey was conducted by the National Volunteer Centre and the Non-profit Research Group in Hungary. It provides a summary of individuals’ donations and volunteering for organisations dealing with donation collection, distribution and volunteerism in general.  Read article

This booklet provides an overview of volunteering in Kazakhstan, its history and the result of a national survey in 2001. The survey determines the extent of volunteering and explores the people’s understanding of the concept of volunteerism.   Read article

This paper reviews Kenya's activities during the International Year of Volunteers 2001 and provides arguments and justifications regarding institutionalising volunteerism in the country.  Read article

This research demonstrates how different actors in the South African region are co-operating to address the human development challenges in the five countries - Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The service initiatives reported on contribute to developing knowledge and good practice, and demonstrate the role that service and volunteering can play in promoting the achievement of national social development goals and priorities.   Read article

"Malta and Gozo are fortunate to have a highly active voluntary sector. This White Paper and the attached proposed Voluntary Organisations Act aim to give the sector the necessary legal framework and support,” said Family and Social Solidarity Minister, Dolores Cristina, during the recent launch and presentation of the document, attended by a significant number of NGO representatives.  Read article

This study, undertaken in the International Year of Volunteers 2001, determined the extent of volunteering in the Mongolian capital of Ulaan Baatar and how volunteer work has contributed to the city's development.  Read article

The National Survey of Female Community Health Volunteer (FCHV) has revealed that active mobilisation of female health volunteers has helped reduce child and maternal mortality through the Vitamin A, de-worming tablets, polio vaccination and other campaigns. The country is also marking 20 years of FCHV's Service Day today.  Read article

This research, done during the International Year of Volunteers 2001, outlines the concept of volunteerism, traditions of volunteering in Nepal, its current status, and how to address issues on advocacy.  Read article

This report on Phase I of the Value Added by Voluntary Agencies (VAVA) project provides an overview of the voluntary inputs of 10 major social services organizations in New Zealand over a one-year period.   Read article

A new report showing that 90 per cent of non-profit organisations in New Zealand are run entirely by unpaid volunteers proves how important these people are to our society, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Luamanuvao Winnie Laban said today.  Read article

The author,  Ana K. Carrión, a graduate student at the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) School of Public Affairs, discusses Nicaragua's ways to develop and intergrate volunteerism into an overall framework to encourage civic and social participation.  Read article

A survey has found that Singaporeans donated less money to charities, but volunteered more of their time. Only 89 percent gave money to charity last year, compared to 97 percent in 2004. However, Singaporeans rendered 40 percent more hours of volunteer work than 2 years ago.   Read article

This research demonstrates how different actors in the South African region are co-operating to address the human development challenges in the five countries - Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The service initiatives reported on contribute to developing knowledge and good practice, and demonstrate the role that service and volunteering can play in promoting the achievement of national social development goals and priorities.   Read article

This brief provides a conceptual framework to link Volunteerism for Development with a series of aging-related issues. Volunteerism can foster elders' empowerment, aiding intergenerational solidarity. The document also looks back over the Sri Lanka Elders' Committees and the work of the HelpAge voluntary home care programme, with recommendations for future policy.  Read article

In 2006, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, along with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Ahfad University for Women in Sudan implemented an innovative program to encourage volunteerism and to mobilize local communities to combat female genital mutilation (FGM) in Sudan. The project aimed to combat FGM by drawing on volunteerism and local community action.  It has attempted to utilize a combination of new and existing approaches to bring about change in its target area, Abu Saeed in Omdurman, Sudan.

Download the report here.

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Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger has praised Switzerland's volunteer workers for their essential contribution to society.  Read article

The Citizenship Survey is a biennial survey of adults in England and Wales, covering a range of community based issues including views about involvement in the community, civil renewal, volunteering and charitable giving.  Read article

The latest report from the Volunteering and Asylum Project is based on case studies of ten organisations across the UK that are all outside the refugee sector, and that are all successfully involving refugees and asylum seekers as volunteers. The report is for policy makers, volunteer managers and others wanting to encourage and develop diversity in volunteering.  Visit site

It has been written off as wristband idealism, but last year's Make Poverty History campaign mobilized a generation of politically active young people, according to a survey for Oxfam.   Read article

UK's Home Office launched yesterday a new strategy in its campaign to promote a culture of giving after research revealed that the public is becoming less inclined to donate money to good causes.  Read article

Researchers analysing the voluntary sector should use their studies to challenge the preconception that volunteering in all its forms is necessarily a good thing, according to the Institute for Volunteering Research.  Read article

Fears of being falsely accused of harming children is the major factor preventing Scots from volunteering, and while 69% of adults consider working with children, only 5% actually do, a report claims today. Concerns over the culture of litigation is also a factor when it comes to working or volunteering with young people, a survey by Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People (SCCYP) found. In the poll carried out for the commissioner, 48% of adults said concern about being falsely accused of harming young people is the number one obstacle to becoming a volunteer.  Read article

Delaying the retirement age will prevent people from volunteering in later life, potentially robbing the voluntary movement of a huge army of retired volunteers and leaving many public and community services unstaffed, says a new YouGov survey for Volunteering England to mark the launch of Volunteers’ Week.  Read article

Most employees say they would prefer to work for a company that allows its staff time off to volunteer, new research in the UK has found.   Read article

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According to research published today by the Chartered Management Institute and the international volunteer agency VSO, individuals who volunteer internationally develop expertise that addresses skills gaps in the UK. Although employers are quick to recognize the value of volunteering, individuals do not always market themselves sufficiently when they return home.  Read article

In a recent study published by the Economic and Social Research Council, researchers say that most people volunteer to make a difference in the community rather than for career development.  Read article

This project was carried out between July 2003 and December 2004 by the Working Lives Research Institute and the Refugee Assessment and Guidance Unit, London Metropolitan University. The focus of the project was employment pathways between working as a volunteer and finding employment in refugee community organisations (RCOs), refugee agencies and organizations in the wider voluntary and community sector.  Read article

This literature review aims to identify research and information which address issues related to the image of volunteering and volunteers by the public and the media. It is argued that the images of, and stereotypes about, volunteering can have important influences on the recruitment, retention and diversity of volunteers within organizations and, as a consequence, deserves considered attention. It was commissioned by UK's Voluntary Action Media Unit and undertaken by the Institute for Volunteering Research.   Visit site

The volunteering sector is begging the government for more funding for projects, finds a survey today by Volunteering England, the national development agency for volunteering. The poll, which is published to coincide with the International Volunteer Day (5 December), reveals the priorities of the volunteering sector – as experienced by those who volunteer themselves, manage volunteers, or work in England’s wide network of volunteer centres.   Read article

This study aims to explore issues of leadership within small, volunteer-led groups and the challenges associated with their growth and development. It has been funded by the Volunteering Hub and carried out by the UK-based Institute for Volunteering Research.  Visit site

This reseach, conducted by Working Lives Research Institute and the London Metropolitan University, supports the view that volunteering can assist refugee women

in finding employment, as well as providing important benefits to women who

are not able to undertake paid employment. It also highlights the breadth and depth

of voluntary activities in which refugee women are involved, and the research

report documents the experiences of refugee women as volunteers in a wide

range of organisations and activities.

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This report evaluates the engagement of the young people in the volunteering programme of Vitalise, a national charity in UK. It covers all aspects of volunteer management, highlights relevant issues for young people and points to what young people themselves think about their volunteer experiences.  Read article

When it comes to supporting a charitable cause, American adults are more inclined to reach for their wallets than to roll up their sleeves, according to national survey by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. This represents a reversal from a year earlier when a plurality of Americans said they found it easier to give their time than their money to charitable causes.   Read article

A new study by VolunteerMatch looks for keys to unlock the generosity of the Me Generation. It's findings include high expectations, skilled volunteers and the internet playing a huge role in the future of volunteering.   Read article

What triggers people to donate money? Why did donors react tepidly to victims of Pakistan's recent earthquake compared to last year's tsunami in south Asia? A research conducted by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, USA may have the answer. The study reveals that generosity is not only knowing that one is giving to a good cause but also the disaster's ability to arouse emotions.   Read article

In an effort to better understand the attitudes and behaviors of young people in America around volunteering, service-learning and other forms of community involvement, the Corporation for National and Community Service, in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau and Independent Sector, the Youth Volunteering Survey) in early 2005.  The report will highlight the state of youth volunteering and consider the relationship between youth volunteer behavior and three primary environments where youth form their social networks: family, religious organizations, and school.  Read article

This report highlights the state of American youth volunteering and consider the relationship between teen volunteer (ages 12 to 18) behaviour and three primary environments where youth form their social networks: family, religious organizations, and school.   Read article

This study, commissioned by the Case Foundation and Hands On Network and published in September 2005, focuses on the issue of corporate volunteerism and its impact on communities, employees and corporate bottom lines in the American context.  Read article

Some call them lazy, more interested in partying hard than helping out. But a new study shows college students volunteer at a rate that's grown sharply over the last few years.  Read article

Following US President George W. Bush's call for more Americans to volunteer, the Grantmaker Forum on Community & National Service probed the nonprofit sector’s concerns and issues about absorbing an influx of new volunteers.   Read article

A new book by ICP board member Peter Edelman, Harry J. Holzer, and the late Paul Offner, tackles the problem of disconnected young men and offers policy recommendations for how best to reintegrate this population into school or work. Published by the Urban Institute Press, Reconnecting Disadvantaged Young Men focuses primarily on African-American and Hispanic populations, citing troubling statistics and offering proven solutions in key policy areas.   Read article

When you work in the nonprofit sector, you are regularly reminded of the generosity of Americans, whether evidenced by the loyal perseverance of board members or the unstinting efforts of volunteers and staff. In New York City alone, there are more than 99,000 board members and 342,000 volunteers working at no pay to help NYC's nonprofits.  Read article

Leadership, communications skills, and resource development - often termed "power skills" in a business setting - are linked to early experiences for women in community service and non-profit volunteer activities. According to Power Skills research, "How Volunteerism Shapes Professional Success", a study conducted for Womens Way, these and other critical business skills, like problem solving, coaching/mentoring, and public speaking are developed and improved through volunteerism.   Read article

The research, conducted over a six-month period in early 2004, included interviews with community relations/volunteer managers and senior executives from nearly 50 major US companies and representatives from 40 nonprofits. The study highlights a growing commitment to community involvement and explores in detail: why corporations supportvolunteerism; how they measure success; and the keys to the most successful programmes.  Read article

The study reveals that there is a statistically significant difference in the way employment status affects men's and women's volunteering behavior.   Visit site

Volunteers of America and The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College yesterday released a new publication, "Expanding the Boundaries of Corporate Volunteerism," focusing on the aging Baby Boom generation, or those born between 1946 to 1964, and corporate volunteering trends.  Read article

Onphilanthropy, a global resource for non-profit professionals, reports recently that online fundraising continued to grow at an accelerating rate in 2005.   Read article

A research on "Standards of Excellence for Corporate Volunteer Programmes" was released today by LGB Associates. The Standards serve as a framework that enable companies to build highly successful volunteer programmes.  Read article

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 60 million Americans volunteered through or for an organization between September 2006 and September 2007, and they spent a median of 52 hours on their volunteer work. People between the ages of 35 and 54 were the most likely to volunteer.  Visit site

Some 55 per cent of teenagers do volunteer work, US first lady Laura Bush said Wednesday, encouraging adults to follow suit. She announced results of a survey showing that an estimated 15.5 million youths - or 55 percent of people age 12 to 18 - participate in volunteer activities. That is nearly twice the adult rate of 29 per cent.  Read article

A new study in the United States has found that volunteering produces many positive benefits for teens from low- income backgrounds -- they become empowered, are more likely to volunteer and become politically engaged, and believe they will graduate from college and make a difference in their communities.  Read article

What the originators call "the most comprehensive research on US volunteering ever assembled" shows volunteering in America is strong and poised for growth. Nearly 61 million Americans volunteered in their communities in 2007 giving 8.1 billion hours of service worth more than $158 billion to America's communities, according to the Volunteering in America report released on 28 July by the Corporation for National and Community Service.  Read article

Report of a 2002 research the Girl Scouts of the USA conducted in conjunction with Partners in Brainstorms, Voices of Volunteers 18-29 reveals young women volunteers' ideas about what makes for a positive volunteering experience as well as what challenges exist. The findings demonstrate the need for youth-serving organizations to look closely at their volunteer/youth worker recruitment, training, support, administration, and recognition programmes.  Visit site

In early 2004 the Urban Institute released the findings from a national study of volunteer management capacity among charities and congregations conducted for the Corporation for National and Community Service with involvement of the UPS Foundation and the USA Freedom Corps.   Read article

The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research has found a significant connection between volunteering and good health. The report shows that volunteers have greater longevity, higher functional ability, lower rates of depression and less incidence of heart disease.  Read article

The number of Americans who volunteer to mentor students, beautify neighborhoods and pitch in after disasters is at a 30-year high, fueled in part by a boom in teen participation, a new study says.  Read article

The Corporation for National and Community Service in the United States has produced a report on volunteering in the United States. The report - Volunteering in America: State Trends and Rankings 2002-2005 - presents data on volunteering and volunteers in an easily accessible format that will be useful to people interested in learning more about volunteering in the states.  Read article

A new report into volunteering in later life was launched today at the House of Commons by Age Concern Newcastle and Newcastle University, UK. The research fills the gaps in understanding of the huge contribution older people make to volunteer organizations.  Read article

This research demonstrates how different actors in the South African region are co-operating to address the human development challenges in the five countries - Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The service initiatives reported on contribute to developing knowledge and good practice, and demonstrate the role that service and volunteering can play in promoting the achievement of national social development goals and priorities.   Read article

This research demonstrates how different actors in the South African region are co-operating to address the human development challenges in the five countries - Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The service initiatives reported on contribute to developing knowledge and good practice, and demonstrate the role that service and volunteering can play in promoting the achievement of national social development goals and priorities.   Read article