Volunteering in Canada

This article presents information about the volunteer activities of Canadians during the 12-month period preceding the 2010 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (CSGVP). It discusses the rates of volunteering, the number of hours dedicated by Canadians and the types of organizations they support. It describes the key socioeconomic characteristics of volunteers in general, and then takes a brief look at the “top volunteers” who contribute hundreds of hours to charitable organizations. Next, the article examines the types of volunteer activities Canadians engage in, how they become involved, their motivations for volunteering, and the barriers preventing them from doing more volunteering. The article concludes by looking at the informal volunteering that goes on every day when Canadians help their family, friends and neighbours directly.

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• Also available in French under title : Le bénévolat au Canada