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Table of Contents
Canadians’ Opinions on Charities and Issues Affecting Charities Key findings from Talking About Charities Perceived importance of charities
Advocacy
Funding
Business activity by charities
Fundraising practices
Trust in charities
Charity workers score high when compared to those who work in other occupations and industries. Only doctors and nurses have a higher trust rating. 84% think charities are honest about how they spend their donations. 54% think charities try to keep their operating expenses as low as possible; 59% think they keep fundraising costs as low as possible. 65% think there should be a limit set on the amount of money a charity can spend on administration and fundraising. Accountability
70% think that an independent, non-governmental organization or agency should monitor the activities of charities. This report is based on a telephone survey of 3,863 Canadians conducted by the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy for The Muttart Foundation. The report can be downloaded from The Muttart Foundation web site at www.muttart.org. Reprinted with permission from Front and Centre, November edition, The Canadian Centre for Philanthropy. by Zak Bailey At the 1998 International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) World Volunteer Conference in Edmonton, highlights from the National Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating (the NSGVP) were made public. This was a landmark survey in Canada, documenting for the first time how Canadians provide direct and indirect financial and volunteer support in their communities. Since 1999, the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy and Volunteer Canada have hosted a web site dedicated to the dissemination of the results from the NSGVP. It contains a wealth of data and analysis useful to both fund raisers and volunteer managers and it’s called the NSGVP Online. Access to the information and resources on the site is FREE. WHERE TO GO? You’ll find the NSGVP Online on the Internet at: www.nsgvp.org or through the Centre’s web site at www.ccp.ca or the Volunteer Canada web site at www.volunteer.ca. To make the most of your visit and the resources available, Adobe Acrobat Reader is required since some resources are available only in PDF format. The Acrobat software can be downloaded free from the site. WHAT’S AT NSGVP.ORG There is A LOT of useful information on Canadians giving and volunteering behaviour at NSGVP Online, so one of the best places to start is at the top. Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians the highlight report from the Survey will provide you with some national giving, volunteering, and participation (i.e., civic engagement) statistics, plus statistics by province for factors such as age, level of education, income, marital status, and labour force status. Want to find the average charitable donation for Albertans (it’s $338 per year), or the total number of donors, or volunteers, or the total value of all donations for people aged 35-44 ($166,288,000)? This is the place to look. Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians also explains the survey’s genesis, methodology, and draws a number of key conclusions. It is a useful reference document and puts into perspective all the additional information and analysis flowing from the Survey. If you haven’t read it yet, you really should! NATIONAL FACT SHEETS Twelve Fact Sheets have been produced out of the NSGVP on such topics as: Who Are Canada’s Donors/Volunteers? Gender Differences in Giving and Volunteering, The Role of Religion in Giving and Volunteering, The Giving and Volunteering of Seniors, and New Canadians. Each Fact Sheet breaks out the national data and provides more in-depth statistics and analysis on the selected topic. All Fact Sheets have easy to use charts, Quick Facts and are available online and in PDF format.ALBERTA-ONLY FACT SHEETS There are also six Alberta-specific Fact Sheets, produced with the generous support of the Wild Rose Foundation and available only online. They include:
Modeled on the national Fact Sheets, these Alberta-specific Fact Sheets give fundraisers and volunteer managers better insight into the demographics of donors and volunteers. Here’s a sampling of the kinds of questions you can answer using the NSGVP Online:
For volunteer managers, there is a similarly rich set of data for volunteers in Alberta. GIVING & VOLUNTEERING IN ALBERTA If you want a more in-depth look at the NSGVP data as it relates to Alberta, your next stop should Giving and Volunteering in Alberta. This 32-page report delves deeper into many aspects of the NSGVP only hinted at in Caring Canadians and the Fact Sheets and brings new data to light.For example, in addition to the standard demographic characteristics such as age, income, etc., this report also adds religious affiliation, religious attendance and intensity of religious feeling to the mix of variables. You can quickly see the impact that religion plays on donor rates, average donations, and the percentage of total dollar value of donations. Other interesting parts of the Alberta report include:
There is an equally large and important section of the report dedicated to volunteers and volunteering in Alberta. GIVING & VOLUNTEERING IN EDMONTON & CALGARY There are also city-specific Fact Sheets. Fact Sheet #36 examines giving and volunteering in Edmonton (Fact Sheet #37 examines it Calgary.) They provide some useful insights for those willing to take a look. For example, only 69% of Edmontonians made a donation vs. 75% of all Albertans vs. 78% of all Canadians. Their average donation of $312 was well above the national average of $239, but below the provincial average of $338. Edmonton donors give 13% of their donations to religious organizations, but the dollar value of these donations account for over half of all donations made. It would also appear that Edmonton volunteers are a generous bunch when it comes hours given. The top 5% of volunteers volunteered 496 hours or more, and these volunteer hours accounted for 39% of all hours volunteered. The top 5% of volunteers in the province only accounted for 30% of all volunteer hours. These stats are just a sample of what you’ll find in a single Fact Sheet. WORKING WITH THE DATA Having lots of data is great but not if you don’t access it, read it, understand it, and then put it to work in your organization. To aid you in the process, there are two online manuals that help you put the NSGVP to work for you and your organization. Fundraising Numbers: Using the National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating for Fundraising by Norah McClintock, Editor of Front & Centre, is 38 pages crammed with useful tips, insights and case studies on using the NSGVP in your fundraising efforts. While it is targeted at first time fundraisers and those with limited experience, it will provide a useful refresher course for some fundraising professionals looking at how to use the data to back up their operational fundraising plans and assumptions, or those looking for new revenue opportunities. Fundraising Numbers starts with an overview of the charitable sector in Canada and sources of revenue, and quickly turns to an overview of donors and how the NSGVP data is useful in gauging individual donor potential within your organization. There are also chapters on finding donors, renewing and keeping donors, making the most of your relationship with donors, and where you can go for additional help. Volunteering Numbers is the companion manual for volunteer managers. PUTTING THE NSGVP TO WORK FOR YOU There is a vast amount of data and analysis in NSGVP Online and whether you’re a seasoned professional or a first time fundraiser, you’ll gain insight and knowledge from NSGVP Online. Here are some tips to help you get started: 1. Understand the data and the resources available to you. Reading Caring Canadians and the Alberta-specific fact sheets alone will boost your understanding of Canadians and Albertans giving/volunteering patterns. This essential knowledge for any fundraising professional or volunteer manager. 2. Understand your own needs. You might be a volunteer helping an organization establish a fundraising program; you might be looking for new donors, or wanting to change your individual fundraising mix; or a volunteer manager looking to recruit more volunteers. Ask yourself what information is missing, and see if it’s available from the NSGVP Online. 3. Ask yourself lots of questions. Numbers can make your eyes glaze over, so don’t be too intimidated by the volume of material available. Look at the numbers, read the analysis and ask yourself: What does this mean for my organization? Be as analytical as you can, and you’ll get a lot more out of the NSGVP than you ever thought possible. Zak Bailey is Vice President, Communications, Membership & Marketing for the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy. He can be reached by e-mail at: ccp@ccp.ca or by phone: 1-800-263-1178 Ext: 236.
The National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating found that volunteering among youth nearly doubled between 1987 and 1997. In 1997, 37% of youth between the ages of 15-19 volunteered. Volunteer managers thus have increasing numbers of youth interested in becoming involved in their program. The challenge is to provide successful volunteer placements for these dynamic and complex individuals. As part of a field placement experience with the Edmonton Space and Science Centre, I researched issues related to youth volunteerism. My research included interviews with youth volunteers, supervisors of youth volunteers and several volunteer managers, as well as related reading. There was a strong belief in the value of youth volunteers and a desire to provide placements that are successful for the volunteer and the organization. Characteristics of Youth Volunteers Youth volunteers bring energy and new ideas to organizations. They may bring extensive knowledge and skills, especially related to computers and technology. They are enthusiastic and quick to learn and complete tasks. At the same time, the teen years are also a time of developing self- identity. Self-esteem may be fragile. Experimentation with clothes, hair and make-up is common and can be a challenge to reconcile with the organization’s dress code. As well, because teens are in the process of developing their self-identity they can be very inwardly focused. They may view situations based on the impact in their own life, without recognizing the impact on others. Youth are strongly influenced by their peers. The behavior of a teen volunteering alone or with other adults is often different than the same youth within a group of his/her peers. However, youth often will feel more comfortable volunteering with a friend. Relationships are very important to teen volunteers. A supervisor who shows interest in them and by whom they feel accepted is often a role model and someone to whom they have great loyalty. Organizations with many teen volunteers will also need to address issues of dating, breaking up and changing friendships among their volunteers. These characteristics of teens directly influence their volunteer work. Volunteer managers and staff who work with volunteers can consider these characteristics in various elements of their program to increase the success of youth volunteers. Recruitment and Screening Considerations Teens often volunteer to gain experience and develop skills. Volunteering offers a greater variety of tasks than most entry-level paid positions. Emphasize the exciting things volunteers can do, the skills they can gain and the possibility of gaining a reference. Teens have a unique schedule. They are usually available after school, evenings and weekends, when many organizations have limited opportunities. However, they are also available during Spring break, summer vacation or Christmas break, when other volunteers may want a rest or breather. Teens may also be looking for short-term placements with limited hours to meet school program requirements. However, they may become long-term or annual volunteers if they have a positive experience. If your organization can adapt its program to include a variety of scheduling options, you may have access to a large pool of youth volunteers. Volunteer managers may need to be more flexible in the type of references required, as teens often have limited prior work or volunteer experience. Youth may need suggestions about who would be an appropriate reference. Other screening processes may also be unfamiliar to youth volunteers. The interview process can be very stressful, especially if they have never been in an interview before. In addition, you may need to explain the rationale and process for criminal record checks, TB testing or other screening tools. Placement Clearly defined responsibilities and expectations are important to teen volunteers. A position description that clearly defines the tasks involved as well as any boundary issues or restrictions is essential. Teens are likely to be successful in placements where they are busy and feel their time is well used. They may have difficulty initiating projects during quiet times or when they have finished assigned work. When teen volunteers are not busy, they can become bored and there is a greater likelihood of inappropriate behaviour or socializing. Teen volunteers, like all volunteers need assignments that match their skills and interests with the needs of the organization. Teens may not always be interested in the simplest tasks in your organization. They may enjoy opportunities to apply skills such as data entry or research on the Internet. A volunteer who plays chess may be able share that interest with a client. An artistic volunteer may enjoy designing the centerpiece for a special event. Orientation/Training Youth volunteers have many of the same orientation needs as other volunteers. However, because they have usually had limited work experience areas such as dress code, notification of absence, etc., may need to be more clearly defined. Consider the vocabulary you are using. Words that are specific to your field may be unfamiliar to young people. Supervision Many people in the organization may share the responsibility for supervising volunteers. The following are some general guidelines for those who supervise youth volunteers. Be a great role model. Youth volunteers will observe and take their cues from their supervisor in areas such as dress, attitude, and interaction with clients. Take time to get to know your volunteers. Find out why the teen chose to volunteer at your organization and what skills he/she hopes to develop. Take a minute on the job to show a volunteer that you are interested in them by asking how exams went or congratulate them on getting a driver’s license. Set clear expectations and give concrete suggestions. Youth may not make the same assumptions about a task that adults would. Let them know exactly what needs to be done and how. You may need to break down tasks into step-by-step instructions. Keep volunteers focused. When youth volunteers are busy and focused on their work they will have less time to socialize, crowd together or engage in inappropriate behavior. Give advance suggestions for projects that can be done when the volunteer’s area is quiet. Be accessible and approachable. Volunteers may be reluctant to ask questions or admit they are having a problem. They don’t want you to think they are stupid. If you can’t respond to them right away, suggest another time. Give feedback. For volunteers to feel successful, the amount of positive feedback must outweigh the negative. Catch them doing something right and let them know right away! Friendly suggestions for improvement are also important. Feedback should be:
Encourage youth volunteers to be involved in problem solving. Ask a volunteer "What would you do differently next time? How could we solve this problem?" Share information relating to the volunteer’s work area. Information empowers people. Use experienced teens as team leaders for other teens or to help train new volunteers. This is a great way to help teens develop leadership skills and feel like a valued part of the organization. Evaluation Teens often volunteer in order to learn new skills and gain experience. Evaluation is an important and ongoing part of their learning experience. Each time the volunteer’s supervisor observes the volunteer’s performance there is an opportunity to give feedback. Feedback should be given as soon as possible. It is discouraging and embarrassing to be told about a mistake you have been making for the last two months. Base evaluation on the volunteer’s ability to perform the tasks and responsibilities in the position description. Encourage volunteers to evaluate themselves based on the position description on an ongoing basis. How well did they do on the various tasks each shift? Be specific and factual. "You are doing a great job of inviting people to try the activities. You also give very clear instructions to them" gives the volunteer more information than "Good job". If the evaluation is written, review it with the volunteer. Even if this is not possible, don’t put anything in the evaluation that you would not want the volunteer to see. Limit the amount of corrective feedback given at one time. Too much information may leave the volunteer feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. Corrective feedback needs to focus on how to improve, not just on what is going wrong. Conclusion Youth volunteers bring enthusiasm, energy and knowledge to organizations, yet they are sometimes perceived as a challenging group to work with. Being aware of the characteristics and issues teens may bring to volunteering can assist volunteer managers and supervisors to plan and implement successful youth volunteer placements. Sharon Heinrich is the coordinator of Volunteer Services, Alberta Mental Health Board, Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta.
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