2023 may be year of the volunteer amid ‘surprising enthusiasm’ from young people

One in six people aged 18-34 plan to start volunteering in 2023, according to a survey for Pro Bono Economics.

Two women volunteers at a food bank sorting crates of donated food in preparation for distributing to members of the local community in need. (Jonathan Goldberg / Alamy Stock Photo)

A new generation of younger volunteers stepping forward next year could reverse a trend in falling numbers and be “hugely positive” for struggling charities, research suggests.

One in six people aged 18-34 plan to start volunteering in 2023, according to a survey for Pro Bono Economics which has revealed “surprising enthusiasm” from the younger generation.

A separate study, carried out by PBE with Nottingham Trent University (NTU), found that a fifth of social sector organisations are expecting volunteer numbers to rise over the coming months.

It comes following a challenging year for the third sector as the cost-of-living crisis deepens, with charities experiencing unprecedented demand coupled with a drop-off in donations and volunteers.

Encouragingly, a new generation of young volunteers appear to have been galvanised and are keen to donate some of their time in 2023. This is hugely positive in the wake of falling volunteer numbers in recent years.

Nicole Sykes, PBE policy and communications director

PBE said the number of formal volunteers had stagnated in recent years before being pushed into a “sharp decline” by the coronavirus pandemic.

The proportion of people formally volunteering in England at least once a month has fallen from 27% in 2013-14 to 17% in 2020-1, according to government figures.

The PBE survey,  of 2,000 UK adults by Opinium between November 29 and December 2, suggests a new influx of younger volunteers may buck this trend and turn 2023 into the “year of the volunteer”.

Overall, 15% of adults said they already volunteer and will continue doing so next year.

Older people were more likely than younger people to be existing volunteers (17% of over-55s versus 14% of 18-34-year-olds).A further one in 10 people (11%) who do not currently volunteer said they plan to give unpaid help to a group, club or organisation in 2023.

This rose to 17% of 18-34 year olds, while a smaller proportion of over 55s said they were planning to start volunteering next year (six per cent).

If all were to follow through with their plans, this would mean millions of additional volunteers across the UK.

The report, Hands in the Air, says: “Such an influx of support would be an incredible boon for the social sector, at a time when demand and costs have risen worryingly high and financial resources are stretched.”

A separate study with NTU found that the level of formal volunteering is the second most prevalent concern for small and community-based social sector organisations (behind concern about income).

It found that half of 783 groups surveyed between November 7 and 21 reported their volunteer numbers have remained steady over the previous three months.More than half expect numbers to hold steady, while 20% anticipate a growth in numbers over the three months from November.

Nicole Sykes, PBE policy and communications director, said: “The cost of living crisis has driven millions of families to seek vital support from social sector organisations in their communities, leading to soaring demand on charity resources.

“But while need has continued to rise, falling donations and the scourge of inflation have stripped back the funding these organisations need to do their work.

“Encouragingly, a new generation of young volunteers appear to have been galvanised and are keen to donate some of their time in 2023. This is hugely positive in the wake of falling volunteer numbers in recent years.

“While it should be noted that volunteers are not a cost-free resource for charities – requiring training and management among other things – if organisations are able to take on this new support, 2023 could be the year of the volunteer.”