PRESS RELEASE
21 May 2013
Making Volunteers Count in Northern Ireland!
Volunteer Now, the lead organisation for volunteering in Northern Ireland, is calling on organisations to count the number of volunteers active in their groups as part of the celebrations for the annual Volunteers’ Week (1st – 7th June). This will help build recognition for the important role volunteers play in our community.
Wendy Osborne OBE, Chief Executive, Volunteer Now said; “We hope that organisations will get involved in the Volunteers Count; this will give us the opportunity to measure volunteering participation across Northern Ireland and to highlight the impact they make to local communities.”
She added; “Getting involved couldn’t be easier! There are just two questions, firstly the number of volunteers in your organisation and secondly, the council areas where your volunteering opportunities are offered. To take part in the count visit our website at and click on ‘Volunteers Count’. You can see an interactive map which shows organisations and the number of volunteers they involve across Northern Ireland.”
Volunteers Count will be active until the end of June and every survey completed will be entered into our free prize draw. By taking part in ‘Volunteers Count’ you’re putting your local heroes on the map!
ENDS
For more information contact:
Julie Cusick, Promotions Officer, Volunteer Now
Tel. 028 90 232020 Email:
Notes to Editors
Volunteer Now is the lead organisation for volunteering in Northern Ireland working to promote, enhance and support volunteering. Volunteer Now is about connecting with individuals and organisations to build healthy communities and create positive change.
Volunteer Now enhances recognition for the contribution volunteers make, provides access to opportunities and encourages people to volunteer. We provide training, information, guidance and support to volunteer-involving organisations on issues of good practice and policy regarding volunteering, volunteer management, child protection, safeguarding vulnerable adults and governance.
To find a volunteering opportunity in your local community go to
Volunteering and volunteers refers to individuals and the work or action they undertake for the benefit of others or the community (outside one’s immediate family), undertaken freely and by choice and not directly in return for wages.
There are approximately 282, 000 formal volunteers (voluntary work carried out with or under the auspices of an organisation) and 470, 000 informal volunteers (voluntary work carried out outside an organisation, often at neighbourhood level, but outside the immediate family) in Northern Ireland. 146, 000 individuals are both formal and informal volunteers.
Individual formal volunteers give an average of 13.4 hours each month. The annual economic contribution of regular formal volunteers (based on an average hourly wage of £11.49, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings) is £504 million.
Just under one third of all formal volunteers (equates to an estimated 87, 000 individuals) are engaged with a voluntary or community organisation.
Individuals aged between 35 and 49 are those aged between 16 and 24 years old are the most likely to volunteer. 61% of all formal volunteers are female.
Volunteers’ week is a national campaign celebrated every year across the UK from 1st – 7th June. In Northern Ireland Volunteer Now takes the lead in promoting the campaign and encouraging volunteer involving organisations to take part to celebrate and thank their volunteers for their hard work and commitment.