Volunteering rates in New Zealand saw an increase in 2023, with over half the population giving their time, but the nature of that volunteering has shifted away from formal organisations towards more direct, person-to-person help, according to recently released statistics.
Data from Stats NZ’s 2023 General Social Survey, highlighted by Volunteering New Zealand, shows that 53.0 per cent of New Zealanders volunteered in the survey period, an increase from 50.7 per cent reported in 2021. Those volunteering also contributed more time on average, dedicating 18.1 hours over the preceding four weeks, compared to 15.9 hours in 2021.
The figures, obtained by Volunteering New Zealand from the wellbeing statistics update released by Stats NZ on 26 March 2025, reveal a significant trend in how people choose to volunteer. While overall participation is up, the proportion volunteering through an organisation decreased to 27.6 per cent in 2023, down from 30.2 per cent in 2021. Conversely, direct volunteering for another person saw a marked rise, with 40.8 per cent participating in this way, up from 36 per cent in 2021. (Stats NZ noted that respondents could select multiple categories, so these percentages do not total 100).
Michelle Kitney, Chief Executive of Volunteering New Zealand, welcomed the overall rise in participation. “The increase in volunteer participation is great news,” she said. However, she cautioned about the implications of the changing patterns: “The figures show that people are choosing to give their time more directly to other people. Organisations may continue to face challenges with volunteer availability.”
Analysis of the time commitment showed diversity in volunteering habits. The most common duration was less than five hours over the four-week period, reported by 32.5 per cent of volunteers. Nonetheless, a substantial group of highly committed individuals exists, with 20.3 per cent contributing over 25 hours in the same timeframe.
Ms Kitney noted this aligns with trends observed in Volunteering New Zealand’s own research. “The idea of the ‘civic core’ – a few people doing the most volunteer work – is changing, and there is a swing towards episodic, more casual volunteering,” she explained.
The Stats NZ data also provides a demographic snapshot of volunteers. The most likely groups to volunteer are those aged between 45 and 64, women, people identifying as European or Māori, individuals with a personal income of $70,001 or more, and those who own their own homes.