State of Volunteering in Aotearoa New Zealand 2024
Published in September 2024, the State of Volunteering report marks the sixth edition in Volunteering New Zealand’s ongoing series.
SOV Key findings at a glance
- The state of volunteering is fairly positive, though the recent Covid-19 pandemic, and the emerging cost-of-living situation, cast a long shadow over some aspects of volunteering.
- Volunteers are re-evaluating their priorities and expect volunteering to be values-driven.
- Most volunteers enjoy their volunteering work and are treated fairly and respectfully, although there are some disparities across age and ethnic groups.
- Key motivations for volunteering include a desire to give back to the community, to make friends or form social connections, to learn new skills, and for mental health and wellbeing.
- Key barriers to volunteering include being time poor and needing to prioritise paid employment, health and safety concerns, onerous training requirements, and lack of reimbursement and recognition.
- Regional variations in volunteering statistics persist, with different turnover rates and challenges experienced across the regions.