Study Paints Holistic Picture of Volunteering Eco-system in India

In the first half of the nineteenth century (1800-1850), the emergence of institutional movements led to the establishment of Brahmo Samaj, Arya Pratinidhi Samaj, Arya Samaj, Prathana Sabha, Indian National Social Conference, Ramakrishna Mission etc. Then Gopal Krishna Gokhale, who in 1905 founded the ‘Servants of Indian Society’, aimed to mobilise volunteers dedicated to serving the nation. Similarly, the Indian government too took voluntary organizations for nation-building and social development seriously, which led to initiatives like formation of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in 1948, to engage youth in activities for personal and community development. This was, followed by the National Service Scheme (NSS) initiated in 1969, aiming to involve higher education students in community service and social development initiatives.

At Child Rights and You (CRY), volunteers have always been our backbone. CRY was in fact born in the heart of a schoolboy – Rippan Kapur, who mobilised his young friends to collect old newspapers, sell them, buy milk with the money earned and distribute it to the childre in the neighbouring slums. When Rippan established CRY in 1979, for many years he and his band of volunteers sold greeting cards, organised events and made CRY a household name in India. CRY has thus been built and nurtured by the heart and passion demonstrated by thousands of volunteers who joined our movement for children.

This led us to commission a study on ‘Volunteering in India: Perspectives, Insights, and Potential for Social Impact.’ in collaboration with Grant Thornton Bharat. The study looks at the evolving volunteering landscape in India, its impact and trends associated with volunteerism in people today.

This study was conducted with the participation of over 5,500 respondents which included school and college students as well as working professionals from the private and public sectors, entrepreneurs, homemakers, and senior citizens. It also had participants from tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 cities, ensuring demographical equity and a comprehensive representation of the targeted population across 22 states and Union Territories in India.

One of the significant trends that the study showcases is that women showing a higher inclination towards volunteering (61.7 per cent) followed by senior citizens (46.85 per cent) between the age bracket of 60-69 years. The concentration of respondents in the 19-22 age bracket also emphasizes the eagerness of young adults to engage in volunteerism, likely driven by a combination of altruistic motives and the pursuit of personal development.

With a significant portion of participants holding or pursuing bachelor’s degrees (48.9 per cent), the data reflects a well-educated demographic. This suggests that volunteer opportunities should be designed to leverage and further develop the sophisticated skill sets of these individuals.

Another worth-mentioning factor that comes out from the study is that while education (46 per cent) and health (31 per cent) remain the major areas of interest for volunteering, around (46 per cent) of the respondents confessed they would prefer volunteering in hybrid mode.

The study also showcases that the evolving landscape of volunteerism shows a societal shift towards individualistic approaches. Both Gen-Z and Gen-Y are making use of social media platforms to engage in various volunteer practices, strengthening the impact and outreach of organizations and across causes such as environmental concerns, community welfare, child rights and sustainability.

However, there still continues to be many challenges like addressing the disparities between urban and rural areas, time constraints, and shifting of social values.

The key takeaways from the study are that we need to create robust digital volunteering opportunities that offer fulfilling experiences, emphasizing virtual collaboration and community impact.

We also need to design campaigns and support structures that specifically target female student volunteers, addressing their unique challenges and motivations. Apart from the above, we also need to forge alliances with retirement communities, senior centers, and healthcare facilities to co-create volunteer programs that cater to the interests and abilities of senior citizens.

Similarly, we not only need to add tailored programs to match preferences with capabilities that can further enhance engagement and satisfaction for the volunteer but also craft targeted recruitment campaigns that can appeal to females and older professionals, highlighting the flexible nature of volunteer opportunities.

Volunteers continue to be an integral part of CRY, and we are committed to leveraging the learnings of the study to provide an enriching volunteer experience for all who give their time to make a difference in children’s lives.

(The author is Regional Director, Child Rights and You – West. Views are personal)