What are the benefits of being a volunteer and should they be rewarded?

To mark Volunteer Day (5 December), U-Report and Building Ukraine Together, which creates opportunities for young people to make a difference through volunteering, asked 3 843 respondents from all regions of Ukraine about these potential benefits. Do they exist? And when is the right time for young people to engage in volunteering? 

According to young people, should volunteers be rewarded for their work? 

The majority (57.6 per cent of respondents) said that volunteers should receive benefits from their work, since volunteering requires some support. A total of 34.4 per cent of respondents believe it is not always necessary to benefit from volunteering because some organisations are not able to provide such support. A total of 8 per cent believe that volunteering should not be rewarded at all, because volunteering is all about dedication and self-sacrifice. 

Which benefits from volunteering do young people consider the most relevant? 

A total of 69.6 per cent of respondents consider involvement in a community of like-minded people and meeting new people to be ample reward. Meanwhile, 39.9 per cent of respondents noted that the most important bonus for them was new knowledge and practical skills. The other 66.4 per cent cite travelling, participation in cultural and educational events, excursions and non-formal education as the best reward for volunteering. 

When is it better to inform volunteers about their reward?  

A total of 44.1 per cent of respondents believe that any volunteering benefits should be a surprise after the activity, while 33.8 per cent said that the benefits of volunteering should be clear immediately.

When is the right time for young people to help others? 

A total of 41.7 per cent of respondents are ready to help others if their personal life is satisfactory, including their physical, mental and financial well-being. Almost the same number of respondents, 41.3 per cent, would volunteer regardless of their personal situation. 

Do you point out volunteering experience when applying for a job or entering a university?

A total of 70 per cent said they did not talk about their volunteering experience at all and never found themselves in situations where they needed to. Meanwhile, 30.4 per cent said they had previously mentioned their volunteering activities. 

Why did the majority not mention their volunteering experience? A total of 56 per cent of that 70 per cent said they did not know about the need to point out this experience or did not see how it could impact applying for a job.

What is stopping young people from volunteering?

A total of 44.2 per cent of the respondents mentioned lack of time as the main reason. A total of 26.5 per cent of respondents said nothing was stopping them from volunteering, while 13.9 per cent of respondents just could not find relevant opportunities.

How many respondents from the survey volunteered?

A total of 55.1 per cent indicated that they sometimes volunteer, while 26.8 per cent do not volunteer but wish to engage in such activities. A total of 9.9 per cent considered themselves active volunteers.

"We find these results quite interesting and informative,” said Iryna Manko, a volunteer recruiter at Building Ukraine Together. “The fact that people now have too little time to volunteer confirmed our hypotheses. Some of the results we were happy to discover. For example, the fact that the expected benefits from volunteering are led by involvement in the community. We pay attention to the formation and development of the Building Ukraine Together community in our activities. The community of volunteers that continues to interact with each other even outside of Building Ukraine Together, is one of the indicators of our effective work."

Iryna Manko said that the results of the survey would be used in the formation of the NGO's strategy for attracting volunteers in the next season. 

"Benefits of Volunteering" survey. The project is implemented with the support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) via the KfW Development Bank