Why do people volunteer?

Understanding what inspires or motivates people to contribute their time can provide valuable insights for organizations. The 1997 "National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating" (http://www.nsgvp.org) found that:

• 96% of people volunteered because they believed in the cause of the organization
• 78% volunteered to use their skills and experience
• one out of four people volunteered because their friends do so
• one fifth said it was to improve job skills
• nearly half of youth were volunteering to gain skills to find a job

Other reasons that people volunteer are:

• to give back to their community
• because they are personally affected by the organization's work
• to feel useful and needed
• to fulfil religious obligations
• to use skills they don't use at work
• to be with people who share their values
• to get out of the house
• to have fun

The Economic Value of Volunteers in Community Literacy Agencies in Ontario (produced by Community Literacy of Ontario) found that:

• 89% of literacy volunteers surveyed claimed that learning new skills was "somewhat important" and "very important" and 77% indicated that these skills were transferable.
• The single most important value of volunteering was to help others help themselves. Literacy volunteers enjoyed the experience of making a positive contribution to the community.