Group volunteering in Canada

GROUP VOLUNTEERING

STEVEN AYER

ABOUT ME

• Steven Ayer ([email protected])

• President, Common Good Strategies

• Previously, Senior Research Associate at Imagine Canada

• Research

• Employee volunteering• Overall volunteering• High-skill volunteering

• Volunteering experience

• Consulting

TRENDS IN VOLUNTEERING FROM VOLUNTEERING CANADA• “Many people are looking for group activities BUT few

organizations have the capacity to offer them”

• “Many organizations want long-term commitment BUT more volunteers want shorter-term opportunities”

• “Volunteering in Groups Appeals to All Ages”

“Respondents in all age groups noted the appeal of opportunities to volunteer as part of a group, especially among those who fell in the youth, family and employer- supporter volunteer categories. The benefits of group volunteering include the chance to engage in a social activity and expand business networks.”

LACK OF RESEARCH ON GROUP VOLUNTEERING

CSGVP• Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating

• Data in this presentation is from the 2007 CSGVP• Survey of the giving and volunteering habits of more than

20,000 Canadians• Two questions were asked concerning group volunteering

and family volunteering

QUESTIONS ASKED

In the past 12 months, have you done any unpaid activities on behalf of a group or an organization as part of a group project with members of your immediate family?

In the past 12 months, have you done any unpaid activities on behalf of a group or an organization as part of a group project with others, such as friends, neighbours or colleagues?

THESE QUESTIONS WERE ONLY ASKED TO CURRENT VOLUNTEERS!

RATES OF GROUP VOLUNTEERING

FAMILY VOLUNTEERING

26%

74%

InvolvedNot-involved

OTHER GROUP VOLUNTEERING

43%

57%

InvolvedNot-involved

IMPACT OF CHILDREN AT HOME

Who do you think has a higher rate of family volunteering?

a) Those with no children at home

b) Those with children from 0-5

c) Those with children from 6-17?

Who do you think has the highest rate of group volunteering?

d) Those with no children at home

e) Those with children from 0-5

f) Those with children from 6-17?

IMPACT OF CHILDREN AT HOME

Children from 0 to 5 in home

No children from 0 to 5 in

home

Children from 6 to 17 in home

No children from 6 to 17 in

home

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

29%26%

32%

22%

39%44% 43% 43%

Family Group

EXAMPLES OF FAMILY VOLUNTEERING BY EACH DEMOGRAPHIC

IMPACT OF SIZE OF HOUSEHOLD

Who do you think has a higher rate of family volunteering?

a) Smaller households

b) Larger households

c) Same rate

Who do you think has the highest rate of group volunteering?

d) Smaller households

e) Larger households

f) Same rate

GROUP VOLUNTEERING BY SIZE OF HOUSEHOLD

1 2 3 4 5+0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

12%

23%

29% 29%32%

43% 42% 42%46%

42%

Family Volunteering Group Volunteering

GROUP VOLUNTEERING

How many family members do you typically see in a family volunteering experience?

How do you design effectively for younger children?

IMPACT OF GENDER

Who do you think has a higher rate of family volunteering?

a) Males

b) Females

c) Same rate

Who do you think has the highest rate of group volunteering?

d) Males

e) Females

f) Same rate

GROUP VOLUNTEERING: MALE VS FEMALE

Family Volunteering Group Volunteering0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

26%

43%

26%

44%

Male Female

YOUR EXPERIENCES• Do most of your group volunteers tend to be male or

female?

• Do they differ from the typical experience?

• Do you find that males and females have different expectations from a group or family volunteering experience?

WHICH AGE GROUP VOLUNTEERS THE MOST?

For family volunteering (not counting children)?

a) Those under 35 volunteer the most

b) Those from 35 to 55 do the most

c) Those older than 55 do the most

For group volunteering?

d) Those under 35 volunteer the most

e) Those from 35 to 55 do the most

f) Those older than 55 do the most

GROUP VOLUNTEERING BY AGE GROUP

15-24 years

25-34 years

35-44 years

45-54 years

55-64 years

65 years and over

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

20%23%

32% 33%

26%

19%

49%

41% 41%44% 42%

37%

Family Volunteering Group Volunteering

WHICH AGE GROUPS VOLUNTEER THE MOST WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION?

How do you design volunteer experiences for different age groups at the same time?

HOW DO YOU THINK ONTARIO STACKS UP AGAINST OTHER PROVINCES IN GROUP VOLUNTEERING?

FAMILY VOLUNTEERING BY PROVINCE

Province Rate of family volunteeringAlberta 32.5%Saskatchewan 32.4%British Columbia 29.7%New Brunswick 29.7%Manitoba 29.5%Nova Scotia 28.9%PEI 28.4%NF& Labrador 25.8%Ontario 25.1%Quebec 18.4%

GROUP VOLUNTEERING BY PROVINCE

Province Rate of group volunteeringNew Brunswick 52.7%Saskatchewan 49.5%Nova Scotia 48.8%Alberta 48.3%NF& Labrador 47.8%Manitoba 47.1%British Columbia 47.1%PEI 44.5%Ontario 41.6%Quebec 35.2%

WHY ARE WE SO LOW?

What can we do to get more group and family volunteering in our province?

GROUP VOLUNTEERING BY TYPICAL HOURS WORKED PER WEEK

Less than 30 hrs

30 to < 40 hrs 40 to < 50 hrs 50 hrs +0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

27% 26%28%

31%

47%

39%44%

46%

Family Group

GROUP VOLUNTEERING BY PERSONAL INCOME

Family Group0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

23%

43%

27%

44%

27%

41%

30%

44%

<$20,000 $20,000 to <$40,000$40,000 to <$60,000 $60,000 +

GROUP VOLUNTEERING OF IMMIGRANTS AND THE CANADIAN-BORN

Do immigrants or people born in Canada have higher rates of family volunteering?

a) Immigrants higher

b) Canadian-born higher

Do immigrants or people born in Canada have higher rates of family volunteering?

c) Immigrants higher

d) Canadian-born higher

GROUP VOLUNTEERING BY IMMIGRANTS

Family Group0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

26%

43%

26%

42%

Born in Canada Born Outside Canada

WHAT SORT OF EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION?

Do expectations for volunteer experiences differ between those who are immigrants versus the Canadian-born?

What difference does it make in terms of how long they’ve been in Canada?

What about by age?

GROUP VOLUNTEERING BY LENGTH OF TIME IN THE COMMUNITY

Who do you think has higher rates of group and family volunteering?

a) Those who have been in the community for less than 3 years

b) Those who have been in the community for 3 to 10 years

c) Those who have been there for more than 10 years

GROUP VOLUNTEERING BY LENGTH OF TIME RESIDING IN THE COMMUNITY

Family Group0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

24%

44%

26%

43%

27%

43%

26%

43%

< 3 yrs 3 to < 5 yrs 5 to < 10 yrs 10 yrs +

GROUP VOLUNTEERING BY FREQUENCY OF RELIGIOUS ATTENDANCE

Family Group0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

33%

50%

32%

45%

26%

39%

21%

42%

21%

38%

Once a week Once a month 3 or 4 times a year1 or 2 times a year Not at all

FAMILY VOLUNTEERING (ASSOCIATIONS WITH TYPES OF VOLUNTEERING)

MOST ASSOCIATED

Volunteer: driving

Volunteer: fundraising

Volunteer: organize activities, events

Volunteer: maintain, build facilities

Volunteer: collect/deliver goods

LEAST ASSOCIATED

Volunteer: committee/board member

Volunteer: office/bookkeeping/admin work

Volunteer: coach, referee, officiate

Volunteer: canvassing

Volunteer: other unpaid activities

GROUP VOLUNTEERING (ASSOCIATIONS WITH TYPES OF VOLUNTEERING)

MOST ASSOCIATED

Volunteer: organize activities, events

Volunteer: fundraising

Volunteer: maintain, build facilities

Volunteer: protect wildlife/conservation

Volunteer: health care, support

LEAST ASSOCIATED

Volunteer: office/bookkeeping/admin work

Volunteer: driving

Volunteer: coach, referee, officiate

Volunteer: canvassing

Volunteer: other unpaid activities

SHORT-TERM VOLUNTEERING

52% of people do not volunteer more because they are unable to make a long-term commitment

62% of non-volunteers indicate that they did not volunteer more because they are unable to make a long-term commitment

FAMILY VOLUNTEERING RECOMMENDATIONS

• “Find ways to make volunteering more family friendly and consider each member of the family and their specific needs

• Be sensitive to gender, culture, language and age

• Introduce volunteer opportunities during retirement seminars

• Provide casual opportunities for potential volunteers so they can test the waters before committing to an organization

• Assign economic value to volunteer activities; chart and calculate volunteer time.

• Provide greater online engagement and virtual communication options for volunteers

• Avoid excessive downloading of staff responsibility to volunteers, and be aware of potential competitiveness and power dynamics between them”

Source http://volunteer.ca/files/BTG-Final.pdf (page iv)

Imagine Canada 2006

EMPLOYER SUPPORT FOR VOLUNTEERING IN CANADA (2004)57% of volunteers with an employer reported receiving support from their employer for volunteering

Change or reduce work

schedule

Use work facili-ties or equip-

ment

Paid time off or volunteered on

job

Received recognition

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

33% 32%28%

23%

SHORT-TERM VOLUNTEERING• “Many organizations still want long-term commitment, but

many more volunteers are looking for shorter term opportunities. Organizations are catching on, with a quarter of them having reduced the minimum time commitment requirement in the past 5 years - average now is 3-6 months”

• http://volunteer.ca/files/BTG-Final.pdf (page 5)

• From the 2007 CSGVP highlights report, we found that the number one reason that people did not volunteer more was insufficient time and the number two was that they were unable to make a long-term commitment.

NOT ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS

TOO MANY VOLUNTEERS

TECHNOLOGY