A survey by YMCA and reported here in Forbes has reveals a sharp drop in intentions to volunteer in the US: “the percentage of people who planned to volunteer time or expertise to a worthy cause or organization dropped from 57 percent to 41 percent” It seems that one reason behind this drop may be a shift in the perception of who is responsible for making a difference in local communities. The report suggests that individuals are shifting this responsibility to local and governmental organisations rather than seeing a clear role for themselves and their families.
Would these figures change if the range of volunteering opportunities increased? What is the perception of digital volunteering and is it seen as less intrusive or onerous? We hope to explore these issues more over the coming weeks.
VolEx Research Project: Volunteer Experience in the Digital Age 