Measuring the value of volunteers
National Volunteer Week will be recognized April 15-21 and the theme “Celebrate the Value of Volunteering.” Such a deserving celebration.
Someone once said volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy: You vote in elections, but when you volunteer you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.
During National Volunteer Week, we celebrate the impact of volunteer service and power of change-makers to come together to tackle tough challenges, and build stronger, more vibrant communities.
Volunteering creates a national character in which the community and nation take on a spirit of compassion, service and confidence.
Statistics Canada’s report, Volunteering In Canada 20042013, profiles the value of volunteers in our communities.
Along with the rate of volunteering, the amount of time contributed by volunteers provides a more comprehensive picture of the actual contributions of volunteers to the organizations and groups they support. Altogether the hours contributed by volunteers in 2013 stood at 1.96 billion hours, equivalent to about 1 million full time, year-around jobs.
Six in 10 Canadians volunteer in their lives.
When asked about reasons for volunteering, the vast majority (93 per cent) said they wanted to contribute to the well-being of their community. Other common reasons included the desire to use their skills and experience (77 per cent) and because they were personally affected by the cause (60 per cent) and to improve their own sense of wellbeing (52 per cent).
Older volunteers dedicate the greatest number of hours. On average, volunteers 65-74 devoted the most hours at 231 hours annually.
Think for a moment even at the minimum wage level the value of volunteers to organizations and I believe it is safe to say without the volunteers many organizations could not meet their goals.
Also I would note the important contribution seniors make to volunteering. Volunteering knows no age limit.
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands-one for helping yourself, the other for helping others” (Audrey Hepburn)
Throughout my career I experienced first hand the value of volunteers and without their personal involvement and financial support many of things that supported quality of life for the residents would not have happened. Volunteering can take many forms involving a variety of activities and benefit a diverse range of organizations and groups.
For example the volunteers in sports , recreation, community services, religious organizations, education, hospitals, arts and culture, Community Support Services, service Clubs, youth and the list goes on making a positive difference. The Seniors Services Homes Volunteer Report shows the value of volunteers in the regions long term care homes in 2017: 552 volunteers provided 54,352 hours of service and 403 students completed 74,112 placement hours.
This represents inter-generation involvement, something that is promoted in the Niagara Aging Strategy and Action Plan.
Calculated at 2017 minimum wage rate the monetary value of volunteerism is $630,483.
Calculated at the 2017 student minimum wage rate the monetary value of student contributions is $792,998.
Volunteer fundraising initiatives raised $249,606 in donations to purchase equipment, program supplies and services.
This example is repeated in many different ways and with many different organizations throughout Niagara. Niagara is a caring community and volunteers play a major role in making it a caring community.
I may get in trouble but I am proud of my wife who has volunteered for the last 60 years in our regional long-term care homes.
So when you see a volunteer stop and say thanks, you are valuable, you are appreciated, you make a difference.
Volunteers do not necessarily have the time, they just have the heart.