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Understanding who volunteers globally through an examination of demographic variation in volunteering across 22 countries
Volunteering rates vary dramatically across the globe, with over half the population in Nigeria volunteering compared to less than 10% in countries like Japan, Poland, and Egypt.
Globally, people with more education and those who attend religious services more frequently are significantly more likely to volunteer their time.
The influence of demographic factors like gender, age, and education on volunteering differs significantly by country, indicating that local cultural and structural contexts play a crucial role.
Volunteering is more than just a nice hobby; it's a cornerstone of a healthy society and a powerful driver of individual well-being. This research is important because it moves beyond simple assumptions and shows us the complex reality of who volunteers and where.
“To build a culture of volunteering, we must first understand the complex reality of who gives their time.”
For governments and non-profits, these findings are a roadmap. By understanding that factors like education and religious community involvement are linked to higher volunteering, they can build stronger partnerships. By seeing which groups are left out, they can work to remove barriers—whether it's a lack of time, information, or opportunity. For example, learning from countries with high participation rates could inspire new policies that make it easier for everyone to contribute.
Ultimately, fostering a culture of volunteering can strengthen community bonds, improve public health, and give more people a sense of purpose. This study provides the global data needed to start making that happen.
“To build a culture of volunteering, we must first understand the complex reality of who gives their time.”
Have you ever wondered who is most likely to volunteer? Is it the young, the old, the religious, the retired? A massive new study of over 200,000 people across 22 countries set out to answer just that, and the results paint a fascinating picture of how people give back around the world.
“People who regularly attend religious services are more than twice as likely to volunteer their time.”
Globally, about one in four people reported volunteering for an organization in the past month. But this average hides huge differences between countries. The study found that Nigeria had the highest rate, with an incredible 51% of people volunteering. Indonesia and Kenya also showed high rates of participation.
On the other end, countries like Japan, Poland, and Egypt had the lowest rates, all under 10%. So, who are these volunteers? The researchers found two factors that stood out almost everywhere: education and religious service attendance. People with more years of schooling and those who regularly attend religious services were consistently more likely to volunteer their time. For example, people who attended services more than once a week volunteered at more than double the rate of those who never attend.
Other factors like age, gender, and marital status were more complicated. The patterns changed depending on the country. In some nations, men volunteered more; in others, women did. In some, younger people were more active; in others, it was the middle-aged or retired. This shows that while some human tendencies are universal, culture and national context play a huge role in shaping who has the opportunity and motivation to help out.
Volunteering rates show a massive international gap, with people in Nigeria being over 12 times more likely to volunteer than people in Egypt.
Individuals who attend religious services more than once a week are nearly 2.5 times more likely to volunteer than those who never attend religious services.
Having 16 or more years of education is associated with a 10 percentage point increase in the likelihood of volunteering compared to having 8 or fewer years of education.
Globally, 37% of people who attend religious services more than once a week reported volunteering, making them the most likely demographic group to do so.
Nakamura, J. S., Gibson, C. B., Woodberry, R. D., Lee, M. T., Kim, Y.-I., Shiba, K., Padgett, R. N., Johnson, B. R., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2025). Understanding who volunteers globally through an examination of demographic variation in volunteering across 22 countries. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05459-2
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