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This spring, MAVA conducted a survey to aimed at updating its prior findings on volunteer engagement across Minnesota. Thanks to responses from 239 leaders of volunteers, we now have a clearer picture of how past trends are evolving, and what new trends may be emerging.

After a decade of rapid change in volunteerism trends, the study found a relative stabilization of key volunteerism trends identified previously. Three of the top trends found in MAVA’s 2014 study remained top trends in the 2018 study: increased interest in short term volunteering, volunteering during evenings and/or weekends, and using workplace skills.

New developments also surfaced, largely focused on lifestyle and life stage. Volunteers seeming busier than ever emerged as a top trend, as almost half of the respondents saw an increase in this over the past year. Another trend of high concern was older volunteers aging out of the volunteer workforce and being hard to replace; 45% percent of respondents reported seeing an increase in this trend. The predicted generational shift in volunteerism appears to be increasing in pace; as inquiries from the oldest group in the volunteer workforce taper off, volunteer inquiries from students (Generation Z), Millennials and Boomers increased by about a third; even inquiries from members of Generation X, many of whom are heavily engaged in child-rearing and career-building, increased by 21%.

This influx of new energy and engagement appears to be promising, but other survey findings advise caution. Results indicate that, despite volunteer interest (as seen through volunteer inquiries) seeming to be stable or increasing overall, the majority of organizations were somewhat short on volunteers to meet needs. The survey also turned up some intriguing trends on the horizon, such as increased interest in politically motivated volunteering and rapid change in the use of technology in volunteerism.

You can find the Trends in Volunteerism 2018 report, and its Executive Summary, on the MAVA website (www.mavanetwork.org) in the Resources section; click on Research and Initiatives, then select “Shifting Environment”. Access to the full report is free to MAVA members and available to non-members for a fee. To learn about innovative and creative strategies being implemented by your peers, check back in November, when MAVA Monthly will feature a companion report on over 50 effective tips, techniques and tools shared by 2018 survey respondents.

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