Volunteer groups

Volunteer groups are critical to many organizations and communities, but they face several challenges and shifts in trends.

1. Value of Volunteer Time: The estimated dollar value of volunteering time was $20.85 per hour in 2009, contributing a total of $169 billion. However, managing volunteers is notably challenging. Managing volunteers effectively is difficult because it requires aligning volunteers’ expectations with the actual needs of the organization, creating meaningful engagement, and providing proper training and tasks. Many volunteers may stop if they feel their time is wasted or not utilized effectively 1.

2. Decline in Volunteering Rates: Volunteering in the U.S. has been declining for at least a couple of decades. Post-9/11, nearly 30% of Americans engaged in volunteering through formal organizations like nonprofits and religious institutions, but this declined gradually starting around 2010. Researchers link this persistent decline to the wearing off of communal unity felt after the 9/11 attacks, and by 2021 the volunteering rate was the lowest in the last 50 years 2.

3. Improving Volunteer Engagement: Using approaches like time banking could potentially rejuvenate volunteer efforts. This system allows individuals to exchange services in lieu of payment, which can channel more energy into existing nonprofits and religious organizations. Time banking at scale could leverage existing infrastructures to encourage and monitor volunteering efforts more effectively 2.

For further insights, you might find it useful to listen to Stuff You Should Know, Freakonomics Radio, and How to Money, which discuss various aspects and strategies related to volunteering efforts.