Singapore’s volunteering rate rises in 2023; donation rate remains stable: NVPC
However, the study shows median donations and hours volunteered on average decreased
THE volunteering rate in Singapore increased from 22 per cent in 2021 to 30 per cent in 2023, while the donation rate held steady at 62 per cent, closely mirroring 2021’s 60 per cent, based on a study released by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) on Wednesday (Jun 12).
NVPC said the “robust recovery” in the volunteering rate is likely due to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, as it recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
However, median donation and hours volunteered on average per year decreased from S$200 and 12 hours in 2021 to S$100 and 9.43 hours in 2023, respectively.
The National Giving Study (NGS) 2023 examines the giving landscape in Singapore on a national level. It was rebranded from NVPC’s Individual Giving Study, with the last one released in 2021 during the pandemic.
Tony Soh, chief executive of NVPC, said: “The report highlights a dynamic and evolving giving landscape, underscoring a shift towards more inclusive and diverse ways of engagement.”
Other findings
The NGS found that more Singaporeans adapted their giving behaviour and found new ways to promote giving. These included leveraging their ties and networks, and sharing testimonies or stories on various platforms.
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Ng Soek Mun, NVPC’s director of strategy and policy, as well as knowledge and insights, said: “You don’t just have to give money or your time – you can (give) by sharing your voice. And social media is a very powerful platform for people to do that… You could inspire, encourage others (to give), or even just spark conversation and discussion.”
NVPC also noted an “increasing openness” to consider different ways to contribute. This was particularly significant among youths, who were more likely to have contributed to a cause by signing petitions, taking to social media to voice opinions and attending physical discussions.
Significantly more youth volunteered in 2023, but were less likely to donate compared to other age groups.
NVPC examined predictors of giving, such as perceptions of volunteering and donations. “Seeing volunteering as beneficial for other-centred, altruistic reasons – like seeing volunteerism and donation as a way of helping, or gaining better understanding of others – is the clearest driver of giving.”
At the launch on Wednesday, Son Joonmo, associate professor at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, National University of Singapore, said those who prioritise self-centred motivations may discontinue giving once their goals have been achieved.
Furthermore, individuals who volunteered or donated before the age of 13 were more likely to continue doing so in the past year. Those with stronger religious or spiritual affiliations, as well as those interested in staying informed and updated about current affairs, were more active volunteers and donors.
Trust played an important role when it came to giving. About 32 per cent of respondents who did not donate in 2023 cited fear of scams as a reason, a nine percentage point increase from 2021. Other barriers included financial and time-related constraints.
Promoting giving
NVPC found that framing giving altruistically as a way to help others, instead of as a self-serving activity, could encourage people to volunteer or donate.
Charities and non-profit organisations can strengthen trust by practising more good governance and transparency, since trust is a major factor. They can also better shape the design of the volunteer experience, so that volunteers can see how their efforts are making a tangible impact. The study discovered that among volunteers, a feeling that their efforts made a difference explained 26 per cent of volunteering frequency.
On the study’s findings, Soh said: “Such insights are invaluable as they enable charities, ground-ups and organisations within the giving landscape to better connect with givers and drive impactful contributions across Singapore.”
Dr Mark Stanford, deputy director of knowledge and insights at NVPC, added that the NGS can help inform businesses about giving behaviour, so that employee volunteering programmes can be “designed in ways that (they) will find rewarding” and increase employee engagement.
Soh noted that NVPC’s aim is to ultimately “nurture giving as a social norm”.
NGS 2023 is based on a quantitative survey of 1,951 respondents, as well as a qualitative survey of more than 100 people from across the country, aged 15 and over.
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