As we all know, the UK is currently in the midst of a cost of living crisis, with economic hardship affecting individuals in every aspect of life. Yet, despite this adversity, the UK’s passion for volunteering continues to shine brightly.
Recent data has revealed a significant increase in Google searches for volunteering opportunities, particularly in London, where a dramatic yearly increase of 82% has occurred. To gain a deeper understanding of the surge in volunteering-related searches, let’s take a closer look at the data:
Year on Year Data: the widespread search for "volunteering near me"
Recent data has shown that there has been a significant increase in Google searches for volunteering in the UK: the term “volunteering near me” has witnessed a 22% increase on previous years, with an average of 27,100 monthly searches.
The willingness to give back is not limited to a single location, but is representative in various city-specific searches across the UK.
On average:
“Edinburgh volunteering” was searched 2,400 times per month (26% increase).
“Volunteering Bristol” was searched 1,600 times per month (23% increase).
“Volunteering Liverpool” was searched 1,000 times per month (14% increase).
“Volunteering Nottingham” was searched 1,000 times (22% increase).
London has been the epicentre of this volunteering search, witnessing the most significant increase in individuals searching for volunteering opportunities:
“Volunteering London”: this term witnessed a 22% increase, with 4,400 monthly searches.
“Volunteering opportunities London”: this query particularly stands out, as the 1,300 monthly searches represent an incredible 82% increase.
There has also been an increase in searches for volunteering related to specific areas, such as:
“Volunteering near me animals”: 720 monthly searches (22% increase).
“Mental health volunteering”: 1,000 monthly searches (14% increase).
“NHS volunteering near me”: (1,000 monthly searches (48% increase).
What does this mean for the charity sector?
This inspiring trend reflects the resilience and unwavering desire of the UK public to give back to their communities.
The fact that people are actively searching for volunteering opportunities during tough economic times is a testament to the resilience of the UK public, and their commitment to forefront the well-being of others despite their own personal circumstance.
Non-profit organisations rely heavily on volunteers to carry out their missions, and so the growing demand for volunteering opportunities is a promising development. During periods of limited funding and economic difficulties for organisations, particularly smaller charities, rising public interest in volunteering provides a beacon of hope.
Volunteering - Getting started with Indigo
At Indigo Volunteers, volunteers are at the heart of everything we do.
Our work involves conducting fee-free volunteer matching, based on the needs of our partner organisations in Europe: by facilitating conversations and connections between volunteers and organisations in Europe, Indigo ensures that volunteers are not only placed with organisations they are passionate about helping but are equipped with the skills and resources necessary to have a tangible and sustainable impact for our partners.
We are incredibly excited to have re-opened our applications for volunteers as of October 2023. Our 46 incredible charity partners urgently need dedicated volunteers to support their work with refugees in the upcoming winter months.
If you are one of the many individuals searching for a way to volunteer, and contribute to a cause you are passionate about, learn more about volunteering with Indigo here.
If you cannot volunteer at the moment, please consider setting up a regular donation as this will help give us the stability we need to continue.
Across Europe, our volunteer matching services are needed more than ever - but as a charity, we are dependent on your kindness to stay alive. With your help, we’ll get helpers to where they’re needed most, now and into the future.