The Volunteer Void: Why Charities Are Struggling to Find Help
“We used to get a healthy sized cohort of volunteers every year… but post-pandemic we have struggled to rebuild that system.”
This quote from a Canadian charity captures a growing crisis of declining volunteerism in the charitable sector. Across the country, organizations that once relied on a steady stream of helping hands are now scrambling to fill volunteer roles. Volunteer opportunities are unpaid and can vary significantly from one-time event support to full-time staff positions at small charities that do not employ staff. According to recent data from the Charity Insights Canada Project (CICP), approximately half of charities report not having enough volunteers to meet their needs.
What’s behind this shift? From aging demographics and economic pressures to changing attitudes and post-pandemic realities, the landscape of volunteering is being reshaped and charities are feeling the strain.
Volunteerism in Decline
In our survey, 45% of charities said they lacked enough volunteers-but that figure rises to 51% when removing those unsure or charities who are not working with volunteers. This mirrors a national decline: CanadaHelps reports that volunteer participation fell from 36% in 2013 to just 24% in 2023. Volunteer Canada is also monitoring the decline and is developing a national volunteer strategy.
Even charities that have seen an increase in volunteer numbers aren’t immune. Among the 27% of organizations that reported growth in volunteer numbers in our recent survey, nearly half (45.5%) still said they lacked sufficient help. The following breakdown shows how volunteer sufficiency varies based on changes in volunteer numbers:
| Change in Number of Volunteers | Have Sufficient Volunteers | Do Not Have Sufficient Volunteers | Total |
| Increased | 54.5% | 45.5% | 100.0% |
| Stayed about the same | 59% | 41% | 100.0% |
| Decreased | 17% | 83% | 100.0% |
What is Driving the Decline in Volunteering?
Top challenges of volunteer recruitment identified from previous CICP surveys include:
- Shifting volunteer interests
- Economic conditions
- Time constraints
- Aging donor and volunteer base
- Effects of COVID-19
This year’s open-ended responses offer deeper insight into these particular volunteer recruitment challenges:
An Aging Volunteer Pool
Charities cite an aging of the volunteer base as an issue for volunteer retainment. Long-time volunteers are retiring or facing health challenges, and younger generations aren’t filling the gap. As one respondent explained, “Our core volunteers are aging out and it’s challenging to replace them.”
Short-Term Commitments conflict with Long-Term Needs
Organizations are experiencing a shift toward shorter, more transactional commitments. One charity noted, “The nature of our volunteers changed to be more transactional and usually a 3 – 6 month time commitment.” This trend poses challenges for programs that depend on stable, long-term support.
Another recurring challenge is a misalignment in availability. Many volunteers are only free in the evenings, while organizations need help during the day. As one charity shared, “Most volunteers are available in the evenings and our needs are in the daytime.”
The Economic Squeeze on Volunteers
The rising cost of living is also reshaping the volunteer landscape. Several charities noted that many people simply can’t afford to volunteer. As one respondent put it, “As things become more expensive, people who may consider volunteering are having to work instead.” Another participant added, “Most households require all adults to work for financial reality.”
Economic stress is also affecting attitudes toward unpaid work. “We believe in paying people for their time and valuable services… With the cost of living it is unrealistic for people to have the time and energy to volunteer,” one panellist stated.
Lingering Effects of the Pandemic
While the pandemic may no longer dominate headlines, its impact on volunteering remains. One panellist noted, “I feel like volunteerism was on the decline prior to COVID and has not come back to pre-pandemic levels.”
A Sector in Transition
What emerges from the data is a charitable sector adapting under pressure. Traditional models of volunteer engagement based on steady, long-term commitments are on the decline. Charities must now adapt to a new reality shaped by economic uncertainty, demographic shifts, and changing volunteer expectations.
What Can Be Done?
To improve volunteer engagement, flexibility is key. As noted in a recent CICP blog, offering flexible roles such as short-term or project-based volunteering can help overcome some recruitment barriers. Addressing economic pressures is also critical. Charities can reduce cost barriers by reimbursing travel or meal expenses for volunteers and avoiding roles that require personal spending. They can create volunteer roles that offer career enhancement opportunities. But establishing this new flexibility takes resources. Volunteer engagement requires investment in staff time, coordination, and covering volunteer costs, pointing to the need for more stable financial supports to ensure charities can effectively recruit, manage, and retain volunteers.
In the words of one panellist,“Volunteers are great but it is a myth that they do not create an extra layer of organizing and recording/training for organizations”
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