For context:
I’m Canadian (south Ontario). For all of the pitfalls I see in our society, one of the big things we emphasize to our children (which to some extent carries into adulthood) is the importance of volunteer work. It’s also very directly rewarded in regards to academic advancement, as opposed to grades. Even now, about a decade out of high school and in a different place, I still look to volunteer and do advocacy. Note that I’m also extrapolating somewhat anecdotally here; I’m sure there are people who don’t have this mentality in Canada.
I was talking with an acquaintance. He’s from India (New Delhi area IIRC). He mentioned how this stuff is very much de-emphasized in his culture. They did have volunteer requirements but you could just donate to get out of it, or get 2 hours signed off as 80 hours. The main priority in regards to (public) university was entrance exams. It’s interesting to see an academic outlook so so heavily prioritized instead.
I didn’t ask him at all about ramifications culturally but it did get me thinking about the ramifications of volunteering in my culture, and how I’m happy it’s there. That’s what got me thinking about this question.
I’m Québécois and grew up in a small town near Drummondville. Volunteer work is not a requirement nor expected.
Some people just do “bénévolat” and offer their time for causes they support, and it’s very important for some organizations, but there’s no expectations that everyone should.
For example, the famous “Tour de l’ile de Montréal” needs a few hundred bénévoles/volunteers every year for the multiple events. They come from individuals wanting to help at those those events, but also from organizations and schools that are encouraging it.
So we have a lot of local festivals and events staffed by bénévoles, but it doesn’t really come from an expectation. Just from kind or social people that want to help their community.
Retirees also do a lot of bénévolat here. In fact, it might be one of the slices of society here that does have some expectations about doing bénévolat, as they have lots of free time.
In short, people working full time jobs are not expected to volunteer. Others, like seniors and students, maybe a bit.
Also Canadian, from eastern Ontario. There is no culture of volunteering here, as far as I can tell. For about fifteen years I volunteered with political and advocacy groups. Getting people to come out was like pulling teeth. Very few of my friends volunteer.
Yes, volunteering is a highschool requirement, but the few places I’ve seen students volunteer have been at kids sporting events, where their time isn’t used effectively.
Statscan says there’s a clear downward trajectory.
In terms of geographic culture, I am British, or English or East Anglian, depending on who I am speaking to.
I don’t think that volunteering is necessarily considered to be a particular civic duty or anything in the UK, but it clearly is more common here than in some parts of the world.
I did not engage in any volunteering during my educational career - which was a long time ago now - but have a lot since: mostly in wildlife and conservation related roles, but a selection of others too. In fact I changed career and got my first paid position in conservation largely on the back of the volunteering that I had already done.
I then went on to lead volunteer teams for much of that career - which is where I came to realise that volunteering really wasn’t something that many incomers from non-European backgrounds were as familiar with or expected to engage with. Obviously socio-economic background is going to play a part here too, not just geography: in the UK, at least, folk with middle (and upper) class backgrounds are over-represented among volunteers, with working class backgrounds being less well represented, often for very clear financial reasons.
