How Changing Volunteer Expectations Are Reshaping Recruitment

Volunteer recruitment is becoming increasingly challenging as traditional models of volunteering no longer align with the expectations and lifestyles of today’s volunteers. While willingness to contribute to social causes remains strong, people are more selective about how, when, and why they volunteer.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Community Life Survey 2024/25 sought to identify the reasons adults are not taking part in formal volunteering at all or not taking part more frequently. The survey found:

51% of adults who had not participated in formal volunteering at least once a month in the last 12 months stated that work commitments as a reason for not taking part in formal volunteering at all or not taking part more frequently.

32% of adults who had not participated in formal volunteering at least once a month in the last 12 months stated that they have other things to do with their spare time as a reason for not taking part in formal volunteering at all or not taking part more frequently.

22% of adults who had not participated in formal volunteering at least once a month in the last 12 months stated that they have to look after children as a reason for not taking part in formal volunteering at all or not taking part more frequently.

Competing work commitments, family responsibilities, and digital distractions mean that fewer individuals are able or willing to commit to long-term, fixed volunteering roles. As a result, organisations that rely on conventional recruitment approaches often struggle to attract and retain volunteers.

At the same time, volunteer needs are evolving. Many individuals now seek skills-based volunteering, where they can apply professional expertise, such as marketing, IT, mentoring, or project management, in meaningful ways that also support their personal or career development. There is also a growing demand for flexible and short-term opportunities, including remote or event-based roles that fit around busy schedules.

Importantly, modern volunteers want to clearly see the impact of their contribution; they are motivated by transparency, feedback, and tangible outcomes rather than abstract mission statements. These shifts require organisations to rethink how they design volunteer roles, communicate value, and demonstrate impact to remain relevant and appealing to today’s volunteer workforce.

Further reading:

Community Life Survey 2024/25: Volunteering and charitable giving. Department

for Culture, Media & Sport 2025. Available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-life-survey-202425-annual-publication/community-life-survey-202425-volunteering-and-charitable-giving [Accessed December 2025]

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