Volunteerism is one of the most vital delivery mechanisms for social, environmental and economic transformation, ensuring a lasting impact with its ability to change people’s mindsets, attitudes and behaviours. People become actors of change and equal partners in the attainment of local, national and international progress towards sustainable human development and global peace.
- The monthly number of volunteers aged 15 years and over amounts to 862.4 million worldwide.
- Most volunteer work continues to be arranged informally between individuals, with 14.3% of the global population participating, while 6.5% of working-age people worldwide engage in formal volunteering via an organization or association. A significant percentage of people carry out multiple types of volunteer work.
- While formal volunteers are mostly men, informal volunteers are more likely to be women.
