Experience of Volunteering by Adults in NI – New Statistics

Findings from the Continuous Household Survey 2023/24

Among other policy areas, the Department for Communities (DfC) is the lead department for volunteering.  DfC is responsible for the development of voluntary and community sector strategies and policies and both funds and works in partnership with the sector.

This report presents the findings from the 2023/24 Continuous Household Survey (CHS) in relation to experience of volunteering in Northern Ireland. These findings are used to inform the development, monitoring and evaluation of policy. More information relating to the CHS, methodology, definitions and the interpretation of the figures can be found in the Definitions & technical notes section. Data tables are available in Excel and ODS format. The questions that were asked in the CHS 2023/24 are available here.

Engagement in volunteering

Almost half (47%) of the adult population had volunteered in 2023/24. This overall figure includes both formal volunteering with organisations and informal volunteering in the community.

Similar proportions of females (48%) and males (46%) volunteered in 2023/24.

A lower proportion of those aged 16-34 years (42%) volunteered compared with those aged 35 years and over (50%).

Adults from the Protestant community were more likely to volunteer (54%) than both those from the Catholic community (42%) and those of ‘Other/No’ religion (43%). Also, adults without a disability were more likely to have volunteered compared to those with a disability (49% and 43% respectively).

Analysis by area shows that adults living in the least deprived areas were more likely to have volunteered than those living in the most deprived areas (56% and 39% respectively) whilst the proportions of adults volunteering in urban and rural areas were similar (47% and 48% respectively). There was a difference in those who volunteered between adults with dependants and those without dependants (53% and 44% respectively). Furthermore, those who were married/cohabiting (52%) were more likely to have volunteered than those of other marital status groups.

Read the full report NISRA’s website here – https://bit.ly/3AEJhxu.