Is volunteerism in crisis?
(Re)Engaged is a new research initiative by Volunteer Alberta (VA), Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton & Area (BGCBigs Edmonton) and social research and design agency InWithForward aimed at uncovering what is happening to volunteerism in Alberta.
National surveys show that volunteerism is at an all-time low, but what’s the story behind the numbers? Is the spirit of helping fading or is it evolving?
The pandemic sparked new, informal ways for people to help each other, posing challenges for nonprofits that traditionally rely on formal volunteer roles. Current systems for managing volunteers often resemble professional work processes, potentially creating a further divide between formal and informal roles. Guided by curiosity, we’re exploring these shifts in community contribution to find new paths for transformation.
We aim to learn how Albertans engage with their communities, what motivates them to do so, and how volunteerism might be changing by meeting people where they are and listening to their motivations and barriers. By gathering “thick data” rich in context, we aim to amplify underrecognized voices and explore alternative approaches grounded in real experiences.
We are engaging with communities and people in Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Fairview, gathering and analyzing data, and using design research methodology to develop actionable insights that can spark systemic change. We’ll share our findings with nonprofits, government, and community members and invite them to co-create a vision of civic engagement that promotes social recovery and resilience. Let’s explore the state of volunteerism and re-imagine it for a more connected and resilient Alberta.
Upcoming Events
Thank you for joining our (Re)Engaged Shareback and Co-Design Sessions!
Our (Re)Engaged sessions are now complete. Thank you for joining VA and InWithForward for our sessions exploring the evolving dynamics of community contribution, hearing what people across the province are saying about purpose, contribution, and connection, and co-designing new ideas to reinvigorate volunteering with us. These presentations were based on a report produced by InWithForward in partnership with Volunteer Alberta.
About the “Crisis or Continuity? Insights and Opportunities to Reinvigorate Volunteers” Shareback and Co-Design Sessions
The stats are telling us that volunteer behaviours are on the decline in Alberta, and the organizations who depend on them are feeling it. Intrigued, a mixed team of researchers from Volunteer Alberta and social design organization InWithForward, visited different parts of Alberta in summer 2024 to learn more about what’s behind the stats. We spent time with people and learned more about how they do, or don’t, experience purpose, contribution, and community connection in their lives. Together we explored alternative futures.
Where is it going?
The goal of this work is to co-design and test some different ideas about how to unlock contribution and care in communities. We invite you to check out the work at a Shareback Presentation events, and if you feel moved, come immerse yourself in design methods at a Co-Design Day that help us build up an idea into something that can be experienced and tested. Throughout, we will be looking for partners and funders to help us prototype these ideas with Albertans, learning what works for whom and under what conditions. The goal of a prototype is to produce learning and new, evidenced models to support volunteerism.
(Re)Engaged News
New Community Article featuring Insights from (Re)Engaged
Volunteer Alberta’s Andrés Alvarez and Erin Navarro share insights from our (Re)Engaged project in an article by Evelyne Asselin (Inglewood Community Association), highlighting how people are looking for ways to give back that are flexible, meaningful, and aligned with their skills and interests. As volunteerism evolves, this insightful article explores how Calgary organizations are embracing these shifts and finding innovative ways to connect with their communities.
(Re)Engaged Blog
(Re)Engaged 101: The What, Why, and How
Our friends from InWithForward have written an informative post about the focus of (Re)Engaged and the ‘what,’ ‘why,’ and ‘how’ of using a generative research approach to understand how we may re-imagine volunteerism to bridge the gap between formal volunteering and informal volunteering.
A Historical Perspective on Volunteerism
Our partners at InWithForward have shared a new blog post that dives into the rich history of volunteerism!
What does it mean to volunteer today? While traditional volunteering through formal organizations has been the norm, recent research suggests that informal acts of helping—like lending a hand to a neighbour—may be the foundation of true community spirit.
Thank you to our partners for supporting this work
