The value of the Global Index of Volunteer Engagement (GIVE).



Globally, around 2.1 billion individuals, engage in volunteer work each month. Despite this significant evidence, volunteer data remains incomplete and inconsistent, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Different definitions of volunteering make comparisons difficult. Numerical measurement based on time and money does not capture the full value of volunteering. How can we use a more holistic and practical metric to move the conversation about measurement beyond numbers, and what would it take to implement it at scale? This session introduces the Global Index of Volunteer Engagement (GIVE), a new way of understanding what volunteering contributes to people, communities and economies. GIVE is built around four dimensions: individual value, societal value, economic value and an environment that promotes volunteerism. Drawing on Chapter 7 of the 2026 State of the World's Volunteerism Report, panellists in this webinar will discuss how the GIVE offers an innovative approach to the measurement of volunteering. GIVE is not just a framework; it is a call to action – and this session is an opportunity to be part of that conversation. This third webinar in the 2026 SWVR Global Webinar Series will bring together statisticians, researchers and National Statistical Offices to unpack how the GIVE is designed to work across different contexts and how its flexibility intends to reflect local realities while maintaining global comparability. Did you know that more than 1,200 participants have already joined the first two #SWVR2026 global webinar series?

Join UNV & Northumbria Centre for Global Development for the third session and explore the value of the Global Index of Volunteer Engagement (GIVE), a new way to understand how volunteering contributes to people, communities, and economies.
6 May 2026 13:00–14:15 CET
Register to participate!!
Location: 405 E 45th St, New York, NY 10017, USA

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