Why do so few people volunteer now?

TinSoldier I do think that for some, or even many, people, mention volunteer work and they automatically think charity shop which is certainly isn’t for everyone. I think more people would come forward if they knew what opportunities are out there

There are many volunteer opportunities at Churches. I've always volunteered at Church and Catholic school (our entire family, same school) - accomplished because we go there often anyway.

Some of my friends volunteer - one making refreshments for older people at a club (she says a lot of them are younger than her!), and visiting an elderly person to just have a chat. My other friend works in a charity shop. I used to be a Beanstalk reader (reading with children in school) but when I had to pick up my grandchildren from school it became quite a rush for me so I gave up. I think I've lost my confidence now to do anything as I'm not a very well organised sort of person. Maybe other people feel that way too.

Good point. CalendarGirl. I don’t think it’s necessarily the role but the thought of committee work that can be offputting. I’ve done a couple of voluntary job where I enjoyed the work immensely but I loathed the committee side with all the niggling politics and petty behaviour.

I think there are many more volunteers than we realise, giving their time freely to make communities a better place. It may be a dad coaching an under-11s football team for the local club or someone leading a walk for Ramblers. Often, when we see people working on environmental projects, we may assume they are paid employees for a wildlife trust or a local council but they could be volunteers. I’ve worked on those myself. Also, there are many volunteer opportunities that came be done from home.

I have volunteered for a very long time. Even when I was working full time, I volunteered at weekends working for community radio and digitising historical records.

Currently, I do two voluntary jobs in arts and education. I got involved through word of mouth - not advertised positions.

I’ve just checked the local community volunteering service vacancies. There are hundreds of opportunities and groups, past and ongoing projects that I didn’t know existed.

I had no idea that the garden at my doctors’ surgery was developed as a social prescribing garden supported by the RHS and built as a joint project with the local Men in Sheds group. I didn’t know that another local surgery has a sensory garden developed by volunteers for the benefit of patients and carers who are living with dementia. These would have been one-off projects that now just need some occasional input to keep the gardens fresh and tidy so ideal for someone who work many hours or make a regular commitment.

I mention this on another recent discussion. Heritage Lottery Fund supports lots of community projects which offer both paid and voluntary opportunities. If someone wants to volunteer they may find inspiration on its website for something they can contribute to.

I do think that for some, or even many, people, mention volunteer work and they automatically think charity shop which is certainly isn’t for everyone. I think more people would come forward if they knew what opportunities are out there.

I can't see it getting any better, with people working until they're 67 or 68.

Some down time is needed, particularly if voluntary roles require dealing with computers, money, tills and so on.

Should add, I am sure I will be approached about taking it on, as I am one of the youngest members (early 70’s though!)

I’m afraid I won’t be doing it however.

Going off track a bit, but nowadays organisations struggle to get anyone to be chairman, secretary, treasurer etc of anything either.

How many WI’s, Mothers’ Union branches, Ladies Groups etc close down because no one will take on the (voluntary) jobs?
The chairman of a local church group announced recently she would be standing down next year, has done it for years and is now in her 80’s.

It will fold, as no one else will do it, I’m sure.

Sallywally1

I want to, but am struggling to find a suitable activity. Don’t want to work in a shop. Hospital work appeals as I used to work in the nhs I retired two years ago.

Most hospitals have a whole lot of volunteers - tea trolley, book trolley or reassuring patients. I know there's a group who work solely with dementia patients in our local major hospital. I'd give your nearest one a ring. They'll probably snap you up.

I did it for a while through the Alzheimer's Society, visiting patients who didn't always have family to visit, just for a chat to give them some company. Patients who are in hospital should have a folder "All About Me" which lists their favourite things, likes, dislikes, family members etc., which can trigger fascinating conversations. I met one lady who was dysphasic, so couldn't speak, but she could sing - so we sang to each other - quietly of course, and I'm not sure you'd call my contribution "singing." I loved it.

I agree with SORES and Romola. Just after I retired I started volunteering for a charity helping prevent loneliness in the elderly. The application form was quite intimidating and off-putting for those not used to them. I had an enhanced DBS and an afternoon of 'training' which was mainly legal and bureaucratic stuff. After a couple if weeks I realised the role wasn't what I imagined so didn't continue. It's a shame they had to pay for the expensive paperwork and I felt quite guilty!

I agree with others that many older people now are committed to a lot of regular childcare for their grandchildren. . Mine are all grown up now so my time is my own. It does seem also there are unrealistic expectations of volunteers, as George'sgran said.

I volunteered for a major organization for over 25 years. It all worked well, until Head Office brought in rules on prison visiting and e-mails and that all volunteers should commit to X number of hours per week, plus X overnight duties her year. Those who couldn’t commit were ‘let go’. Now my local branch is closed more hours than it’s open, so I really think they shot themselves in the foot.

I should add that wasn’t my reason for leaving.

I think the young ones have to work all the hours God sent just to survive and pay the mortgage/rent. Most volunteers have a bit of spare time, the younger ones don’t.

SORES has a point about safeguarding, DBS etc. Last week I had to do a 3-hour NSPCC online safeguarding training for my charity. My volunteering does involve being alone with a child, in my car and in public spaces, for up to 3 hours. It was expensive for the charity too. Safeguarding has become an industry.

At an age when I could have volunteered I lived in a very rural area and I don't drive. ( No buses). Lack of transport could be another reason.

fancythat I just read your post, last sentence, yes exactly that.

The National charity shops - apparently - have rules and require 4hour stints regularly. I couldn’t stand for that long.
There are 6! charity shops in this town, regularly have ‘volunteers wanted’ signs on the doors,
Oxfam seldom open now as short staffed, with an application form available online which would possibly rule out a willing demographic, you would think you were applying to join the SAS.
Food bank helpers are always welcome

Clearing streams, tidying up the lovely churchyard, litter picking Sundays, all well attended, no police checks necessary here.

Public transport is the problem. I have a bus pass so there would not be a problem getting into town but there isn't a bus service. Hence the reason I do not volunteer.

I have done in the past, but can no longer make any regular commitment, since dd1 has to go away for work at unpredictable times, often for 10 days, so I’m frequently 60 miles away helping SiL with 3 young children.

I would think that quite a few grandparents nowadays are busy with grandchild-care, especially since childcare is so ruinously expensive - and in between stints they’re recovering their energy/chilling/catching up with whatever needs doing in the house/garden.

I've been a volunteer ever since I retired, but I could retire at 60, whereas my DD won't retire until she's 67. Our GSs live hundreds of miles away, so we used to go and stay and take over the household for half-term weeks and part of the school holidays. So I fitted volunteering around that.

I think that volunteering can be quite gentle, for instance stewarding at a National Trust property, right through to the tough work with the homeless on the streets.

I volunteered first with Home Start and then with a local charity which befriends children in the 5-13 age group. My current focus child is 11. It does mean giving a lot of yourself but I love it.

I'm also in a litter-picking group which is very relaxing and gets me outside! And my focus child sometimes joins in.

Perhaps one of the reasons is the requirement now for form filling, 2 references, a basic DBS check often (18£) or enhanced DBS for working with children or vulnerable adults even if its only for serving teas.

When my children were younger, school was regularly asking for help hearing children read, playground duties, helping children dress/undress for gym, swimming etc., School governors, PTA, accompanying class on trips, etc.
Volunteering in a charity shop, for eg, meant filling in a form with name address, phone number, now its a two page form, with all manner of impertinent questions.
I volunteered for a few weeks in the next town, paying £1 to park, and petrol, fine if I was enjoying it and feeling helpful but I wasn’t. So I left.

Some people like myself who have the new state pension plus a occupational pension like to travel or do their hobbies.
I don't want to appear selfish but I worked all my life, lived by a time table, had to do things I did not like. I dont want to do that especially if I am not paid for it. People who I have spoken to about volunteering have to commit to certain hours and days and I don't want to do that. If they call for people to help clear a river or litter in a local park I would be up for that.

And most households now need two incomes, not just 1. Or 1 and one part time.

The kind of volunteering I wish to do - and was doing - requires a level of mobility I don’t currently have.

On a less anecdotal level, NCVO’s Time Well Spent research tracks volunteering. It is a large cohort, so the findings probably have some validity www.ncvo.org.uk/news-and-insights/news-index/key-findings-from-time-well-spent-2023/#/

However, it’s important, I think, to note that there are demographic disparities. Volunteering activity linked to minority religions, remains very high - 65% of British Sikhs volunteer, for example, as do over 40% of British Muslims, generally in some form of wider community activity.

I agree with all of the above.

Younger people especially, seem to have a lot less free time.
And they even have a name for all the admin of life, "life admin".
Life is more complicated nowadays.

Also so much is expected of volunteers, that people do not want to commit.

Even admin to do with this.
While we all pat ourselves on the back with all the safeguarding etc, in reality, it stops some people from coming forward. So many checks, that it puts genuine people off.

It could be that the cuts to bus services that connect to town centres are having an impact and even with the £2 cap on fares that is still £4 a day (most charity shops no longer reimburse for travel) no matter how enjoyable the work, people are effectively paying to work for no pay.
This could be just one of many reasons though🤗

I seem to have echoed the last two posters who “got in” while I was very slowly typing.

In the 80s/90s many of us were SAHM
but we did a lot of volunteering.
I did Brownies, on a committee for fundraising for school.
WRVS tea and coffee bar in outpatients in the local hospital and helping in the local primary school.
When my H retired we took on two more volunteering roles.
I really enjoyed what I did.
Today’s young mums need to work just to get by.
SO, the GP’s are taking on childminding duties which occupy most of their time.
We did it ourselves for our first GC until she was 11.
Life has changed so much in the last 60 years and the freedom we had then to do it has disappeared.