2022 State of the World’s Volunteerism Report

Infographics

Share our facts:

Volunteering practices in the 21st Century

Volunteering takes many forms. In this new model, volunteering is defined according to five components, each representing a dimension of volunteer action: structure, site, intensity, aspiration and category.

Categories of volunteering

The 2022 SWVR uses a more general definition of volunteering rather than strict definitions that do not capture the many and diverse volunteer practices that people engage in.

Interrelated elements of co-production between volunteers and states

Collaboration between volunteers and state authorities can lead to enhanced public services that are more responsive to the needs of community members.

Three key characteristics of deliberative systems

Deliberative processes can become a vehicle through which marginalized groups such as women can claim their space in public decision-making processes. Chapter 4 examines how volunteers engage with governments in decision-making processes

The process of social innovation

Evidence suggests that social innovations lead to sustainable outcomes when there is active citizen participation in public policy decision-making and implementation. The 2022 SWVR illustrates how volunteerism can contribute to this process.

A social contract for equal and inclusive societies

Volunteerism is a fundamental part of building and strengthening people–state relationships. And these relationships will lead to better governance that promotes sustainable development and peace, helping to build equal and inclusive societies.