I just read this, via the Chronicle of Philanthropy: that volunteerism has increased this past year nationally as unemployment has risen. Take a look at the findings, thanks to a report compiled by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Among the findings: volunteer service is increasing in unemployed men, and housewives. Also, fund-raising is a top volunteer activity. Yet, areas with high foreclosure rates -- places in the West, like Las Vegas (where my Dad lives) and in California -- have lower volunteer rates.
This past year, I conducted a six-month research study on volunteerism in San Francisco during the "Great Recession" of 2008 and 2009. My survey results aren't as wonderful and professional as the CNCS, and my final results disagree with the overall national findings. In my findings (which are not published and will most likely never be, and are not significant) I found San Francisco nonprofits reported volunteer activity had decreased in 2008-09 over the previous year (2007). So, I don't know what's going on here. (And I needed more survey results, that's for sure. ... ) Yet the fact that unemployed people are volunteering more, their motivating reasons why they volunteer, and the tasks that they are given (higher skilled activity, such as fund-raising), were the same in what I found, as in the CNCS report.
People want to serve, they have the time to serve, and the nonprofits need the extra help in a down economy.
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