The UK has come 6th in this year’s World Giving Index, compiled by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), which ranks the proportion of people in different countries who give money to charity, volunteer and help strangers. Britain also came second, behind Myanmar, in terms of the number of individuals who give to charity. According to the index, 76% of Britons said that they regularly donated money to charitable causes, reflecting a general worldwide trend which reportedly saw the planet become a more generous place on the whole last year.
The United States came 1st in the league table, followed by Canada, Myanmar and New Zealand in joint second place, then Ireland in fifth place. The proportion of people who volunteered in the UK was reported to be lower than those who regularly give financial support to charities, although at 29% the number of volunteers was still 3% higher than last year. There was also an increase in the number of people reported to frequently help strangers, with 65% of Brits affirming that they do so in a typical month: an increase of 9%.
John Low, Chief Executive of CAF, expressed his delight at the results: “We should be proud of the excellent culture of giving we have in the UK, but must not get complacent. There is still so much the government, businesses and charities can do to encourage greater giving and volunteering.”
The news that the world has become a more generous place is certainly positive, especially given the knock to the charity sector almost inevitably felt in the economically testing climate of recent years. However, it also underlines a predominance of financial charitable giving in the UK, over other actions such as volunteering. Indeed, it can be difficult to squeeze in a few hours of volunteering when working or studying full time, especially if you are also juggling with family responsibilities. Donating money is, therefore, a relatively time-efficient way of supporting charities.
However, finding time for volunteering locally can be easier than you think, with some roles only requiring an hour or two of your time each week. The best way to find an opportunity that can fit in with your schedule is to touch base with your local volunteer centre or to search online via Do-it.org.
Another great way to do some volunteering is to go abroad. For people between the ages of 17-25, the period of time between school and university or between graduating from uni and getting a job can be a great opportunity to spend a few months volunteering before becoming tied down with work and family commitments. Once you have bagged yourself a full-time job, it can be difficult to give up the position to embark on a few months of volunteering abroad, and holidays from work will rarely last longer than a couple of weeks. While it may be tempting to join the rat race to find work, you will lose nothing by taking a few months off to consider your options while doing something meaningful. And who knows where the skills you pick up while volunteering may lead you?
