Volunteering trends—Youth Lead the Way

In general, younger Canadians are more likely to volunteer than older Canadians.

A recent article by Statistics Canada also states that:
• young Canadians aged 15 to 24 were more likely to volunteer than Canadians in most other age groups.
• more than eight in 10 Canadians help others directly (informal volunteering).
• while younger Canadians are more likely to volunteer than older Canadians, they devoted fewer hours than older Canadians.
• religion plays an important role in formal volunteering.
• education level and income also play a role.
• lack of time is the most commonly reported barrier to volunteering.
• close to half of the people surveyed said they didn’t volunteer because no one had asked them to.

The work of the volunteer is not only important to the individual, but to Canadian society as a whole. Volunteers shape communities and enable non-profit organizations to deliver programs and services to millions of their fellow Canadians.

In 2011, 202,000 volunteers from all walks of life gave more than 1.4 million man hours to The Salvation Army, helping 1.8 million people at their greatest point of need.
How You Can Volunteer

Anyone can volunteer. By volunteering your time you can make a difference in your community. Getting started is easy. Click here.