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Volunteer Trends & Impact. An Overview for Extension Volunteer Administrators. Improving Lives. Improving Texas. Volunteering at a 30-Year High. Adult volunteering rate increased by more than 32% since 1989 Growth is driven by three age groups: Older teenagers (ages 16 to 19)
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Volunteer Trends & Impact An Overview for Extension Volunteer Administrators Improving Lives. Improving Texas.
Volunteering at a 30-Year High • Adult volunteering rate increased by more than 32% since 1989 • Growth is driven by three age groups: • Older teenagers (ages 16 to 19) • Mid-life adults (ages 45 to 64) • Older adults (65 years old and over) Source: Reingold, D. and Nesbit, R. (2006). Volunteer Growth in America: A Review of Trends Since 1974.
Volunteering in America Volunteer Rates in 2008 • 61.8 million Americans volunteered • 26.4% of the adult population • 8 billion hours of service • 34.7 hours per resident • Valued at $162 billion Source: Corporation for National & Community Service, www.volunteeringinamerica.gov
Volunteering in Texas • More than 7% of the nation’s volunteers are in Texas. • 4.4 million volunteers • 25.2% of residents volunteer • 578.1 million hours of service • 32.8 hours per resident • $11.7 billion of service contributed Source: Corporation for National & Community Service, www.volunteeringinamerica.gov
Where People Volunteer (2006-2008) Source: Corporation for National & Community Service, www.volunteeringinamerica.gov
Neighborhood Engagement • Less formal ways of serving in communities has increased • 31% more Americans worked with their neighbor to fix a community problem • 17% more Americans attended community meetings Source: Corporation for National & Community Service, www.volunteeringinamerica.gov
Teenage Volunteers • Growing trend to include community service and service-learning in schools • 69.7% college freshmen believe in helping others in need • Primarily interested in episodic volunteering • More likely to serve with educational or youth service organizations (religious – 2nd) Source: Reingold, D. & Nesbit, R. (2006)
Baby Boomer Volunteers • The primary reason for an increase in volunteering among mid-life Americans, with two explanations: • Higher levels of education • Delays in marriage and childbearing • More likely to volunteer with religious organizations Source: Reingold, D. & Nesbit, R. (2006)
Older Adult Volunteers • Most likely to volunteer 100 or more hours a year • Health Benefits for volunteers: • Greater life satisfaction • Lower rates of depression • Higher levels of happiness, self-esteem, physical health and a sense of control over life • Lower mortality rates Source: Reingold, D. & Nesbit, R. (2006). Corporation for National & Community Service (2007).
Episodic Volunteers • Episodic volunteering is largely driven by baby boomers and teenagers • Catastrophes increase “short-term” opportunities • Organizations are developing shorter, more flexible volunteer opportunities Source: Reingold, D. & Nesbit, R. (2006)
Why are volunteers important? • More than 80% of non-profit organizations rely on volunteers • Volunteers do about 1/3 of the work of all non-profits • More than 1/3 of non-profit organizations report increasing the number of volunteers they use • Half of non-profit organizations foresee increasing their usage of volunteers • If all volunteers were paid, they would cost non-profits over $225 billion per year
Extension Volunteers (2009) • 104,672 Volunteers • Contributed over 4 million hours • Average contribution of 38.77 hours per person • Valued at over $82 million* • FTE Equivalent: 2,140 employees *Value of Volunteer Time based upon Independent Sector rate of $20.25 per hour
Why Do People Volunteer? • It’s tradition • They were asked • Influence others • Use a skill they already possess • Fill a person void • Interested in learning something new • Give back to the community • Want to meet new friends • Help others Source: Corporation for National & Community Service, www.volunteeringinamerica.gov
Getting People to Volunteer • Show them how they benefit! • Offer meaningful work • Time well spent • Realistic commitments • Flexibility • Learn about the community • Speak to their motivation
What Stops People from Volunteering? • Perception of volunteers • Fear the time commitment • More likely to serve if a trusted friend asks them to serve Source: Corporation for National & Community Service, www.volunteeringinamerica.gov
Volunteer Retention • Retaining volunteers is harder than recruiting volunteers! • From 2006 to 2007, more than 1/3 did not volunteer any time with any nonprofit • That’s estimated at $38 billion in lost labor! Source: Eisner, D., Grimm, Jr., R.T., Maynard, S., Washburn, S. (2009).
Why do volunteers quit? • Misplaced volunteer • Lack of recognition and appreciation • Lack of training provided • Poor management
Implications for Extension • Capitalize on growth in teenage volunteers and service • Continue to embrace the episodic volunteer movement • Recruitment implications • Focus on retaining current volunteers • Facilitate proper management of volunteers