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Last updated: 23 November 2008
A new survey revealing the popularity of volunteering and charitable giving is being launched by Minister for the Third Sector Phil Hope. The survey, commissioned by the Office of the Third Sector, explores people's views and experiences of participation in voluntary activity and charitable giving.
2,705 people in England were interviewed for Helping out: a national survey of volunteering and charitable giving. More than half (58%) had both volunteered and donated to charity in the previous 12 months, and most (81%) had given to a charity within the previous four weeks.
The most common reasons for volunteering were ‘to improve things or help people’ (53%), “because the cause was important” (41%) or “because they had spare time” (41%). When it came to giving to charity, the importance of the charity's work topped the list of reasons for those surveyed (52%), closely followed by a belief that it was the right thing to do (41%).
Speaking ahead of an evening speech at the NCVO/VSSN annual research conference, which looks at trends emerging in the voluntary sector, Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, said:
“This research shows that people, contrary to what many may think, are willing to ‘help out’ – and nearly 60% have done so by volunteering formally in the past year.
“At the same time, more money is being given to charity than ever before. This news is encouraging to anyone who believes, as I do, in the power and value of third sector organisations to change lives and communities for the better.
“But there are also challenges ahead. Many still feel unable to volunteer, particularly those on the fringes of society. There's also a clear gap when it comes to opportunities for training and qualifications being offered to volunteers. That's why the Government will continue to focus our efforts on knocking down the barriers that exist to volunteering, while working with the sector and other key stakeholders to ensure there is enhanced, more widespread training available for volunteers.”
The full report and details of more key findings can be found in the research and statistics section of the site.