March 14, 2023

Volunteer participation in Canada is at an all-time low – thanks to the pandemic.

Our societal infrastructure has come to depend on volunteer work and workers to support the care needs of our communities. From direct service delivery to board- and committee-level involvement, volunteers are engaged in critical and necessary activities that allow non-profits and charities to do what they do.

The data is telling and consistent, no matter the source. Statistics Canada data released in November 2022 show that more than 65% of non-profit organizations serving households and individuals are experiencing a shortage of volunteers and intend to recruit. Fourth-quarter data from the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions show that non-profit organizations are dealing with volunteer shortages, difficulty recruiting new volunteers, and volunteer burnout. A 2022 Ontario Nonprofit Network report indicates that 62% of 1,500 non-profit organizations surveyed – predominantly from health, sports, and faith communities – lost volunteers. More than 50% are struggling to recruit new volunteers, and 40% say they are having difficulty convincing former volunteers to return. And in the Charity Insights Canada Project survey, 59% of respondents indicated that the pandemic affected how they engaged with volunteers, and 57% said they were experiencing difficulty recruiting volunteers.

Volunteerism as well as donations have decreased.Daniele Zanotti, United Way Greater Toronto

According to Daniele Zanotti, CEO of United Way Greater Toronto, data from their own research indicate that “volunteerism as well as donations have decreased” and that around 25% of individuals in the GTA volunteer now compared to 40% four years ago. Kim Winchell, director of community impact and investment at United Way BC, says that of the 500 organizations they support, all are experiencing challenges with volunteer recruitment…….

Though there seems to be a degree of forward momentum in volunteer reengagement within some agencies, a first-quarter report from Imagine Canada predicts that the volunteer shortfall woes will continue well into 2023.

What, then, is the way forward?

1. Acknowledge the impact of the pandemic and what it did to people’s mindsets

2. Understand what different generations consider to be work worthy of their time – and be flexible

3. Change the volunteer nomenclature to ‘community care,’ ‘community mobilization,’ and ‘community engagement’

Two organizations, 4Rs Youth Movement and the Muslim Association of Canada, report increases in volunteer engagement during the pandemic and attribute this increase to community belonging and a commitment to community care.

“People volunteer when they have a bigger stake in the outcome,” says Abdul Nakua, a member of the Muslim Association of Canada’s executive team. He says that within his community, helping each other out is part of one’s faith, thus creating a deeper connection than just an obligation to serve. In other words, helping is embedded in community members’ belief system…..

Read the full article: Volunteerism: In crisis or at a crossroads? – The Philanthropist Journal

By Yvonne Rodney, The Philanthropist Journal