Volunteering

For the data systematization of the years 2013 to 2015 the responses of 18 National Societies were included, which are: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, United States of America, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.

For the year 2016 a total of 22 National Societies are included (4 more than in previous analysis): Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, United States, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.

For the year 2017, a total of 11 National Societies participated: Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Mexico, Nicaragua and Uruguay.

In 2018, there was an increase in the participation of National Societies, since there were a total of 26: Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, United States of America, Grenada, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Also, for the first time, the participation of the Overseas Territories (OSB) subsidiaries such as Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands. As they aren’t National Societies of the region, their responses will be considered in separate sections.

It should be noted that the National Societies don’t always respond to the survey year after year, so some results will vary from one year to the next. Although this document will include the analysis of data provided by 26 National Societies in general by 2018, there are some questions that weren’t answered by all countries, so it is possible that some sections vary in the number total answers and count on less.

General information of the national volunteer management and the National Society

Voluntary focal point

One of the priorities of the Volunteer and Youth Development Unit is to constantly strengthen national and local structures that work with volunteers and have a focal point or person in charge of volunteering in each National Society permanently. For 2013, 5 of the 18 National Societies didn’t have a focal point or a volunteer in charge, a figure that decreased to 3 for the year 2016. In 2017, of the 11 countries surveyed, 10 answered affirmatively and only 1 negatively, which means that a total of 91% of the countries responded that they had a volunteer volunteering focal point.

For 2018, there was an increase in the number of National Societies that have this focal point, this because of the 26 countries surveyed, 21 answered affirmatively and 5 negatively, which means that 81% of the countries responded that they have a focal point. Within these focal points, 16 worked full time at the time of the survey and 6 do voluntarily. It should be emphasized that some National Societies didn’t respond to the question of whether the person in charge of the volunteer focal point works full-time or if its voluntary. With regard to the participating OSBs, the results were that of the 3 respondents, 100% answered yes to have a volunteering focal point. Within these focal points, 2 worked full time at the time of the last survey and 1 did it voluntarily.

Do you have a volunteer manager?

Volunteer database

Regarding the databases of each National Society about its volunteers, an improvement was presented from 2013 to 2015, where it went from 16 countries with a database to 17 countries of the 18 respondents. In 2016, 20 of the 22 National Societies that answered this question in the instrument claimed to have a database of their volunteers, although most didn’t have an updated database. For the year 2017, 10 of the 11 countries surveyed have a database of their volunteers, in 6 of these National Societies this database was updated, representing 55%.

By 2018, despite having a greater participation compared to previous years, there are still high percentages of National Societies that don’t have their updated volunteer databases, since only 12 of the 26 countries surveyed have a base of updated data, representing 46%, in 9 of these National Societies this database is outdated, which represents 35%. In the same way, there was an increase in National Societies without the databases of their volunteers. At the time of answering question 2 of the participating OSBs they claimed to have a database but it is outdated and only 1 claim to have an updated database of their volunteers.

Do you have a database of your volunteers?

Volunteer programs offered by National Societies

Below is a list of programs, units or sections determined to volunteer and next to it appear the number of National Societies that offer it.

8

Youth: 21 Lifeguard: 34 Canine Unit: 4 Motorized: 13 Mountain rescue: 10 Female Volunteers: 10 Veteran volunteers: 4 Corporate volunteers: 8 Social Volunteers: 13 Virtual Volunteers: 6 Others: 10

2016
8

Youth: 11 Lifeguard: 19 Canine Unit: 4 Motorized: 8 Mountain rescue: 7 Female Volunteers: 7 Veteran volunteers: 5 Corporate volunteers: 4 Social Volunteers: 8 Virtual Volunteers: 2 Others: 5

2017
8

Youth: 24 Lifeguard: 30 Canine Unit: 6 Motorized: 10 Mountain rescue: 5 Female Volunteers: 7 Veteran volunteers: 2 Corporate volunteers: 8 Social Volunteers: 15 Virtual Volunteers: 5 Community volunteers:: 16 Voluntary blood donation: 15 Others: 7

2018

Between 2015 and 2016 there was an increase in the units of most of the National Societies, such as mountain rescue and lifeguards. It’s important to emphasize that this increase is also due to the fact that more National Societies participated in the 2016 survey. For the year 2017, although there were fewer national societies participating in the survey, there was an increase in some programs compared to 2015 During the year 2018, there was an increase in the number of programs, units or sections, as well as the National Societies that carry them out.

Guidelines and policies of National Societies

Volunteering as part of the strategic plan

By 2015, 18 National Societies expressed that they didn’t yet have volunteering as part of their strategic plan. This changed for 2016, because of the countries added to the survey for that year, only 1 country hadn’t included the development of volunteering in the National Society’s organizational plan, which means that 96% of the 22 National Societies who responded that they do include it. For 2017, 100% of the participating National Societies affirmed that they included volunteering as part of the strategic plan.

And for the year 2018, 22 affirmed that they include volunteering in their organizational plan, representing 85% of the 26 National Societies that responded to the survey. Similarly, 3 countries said they didn’t include the development of volunteering in the organizational plan of the National Society and only Nicaragua didn’t answer this question. In the case of the OSB consulted, 100% affirmed to include volunteering as part of the strategic plan.

Policies on Volunteering

A volunteering or youth policy should set out the principles, definitions, and standards that the National Society would need to uphold if it is to achieve its vision for volunteering [or youth]. It should complement a National Society’s strategy, and support the development of existing and future programs. The IFRC Volunteering Policy (2011) and the IFRC Youth Policy (2017) aim to define international standards on volunteering and youth, to establish the importance of volunteering and youth development both at an international and national level and to guide the National Societies in the definition, implementation, and revision of their own policies. The role of the IFRC Secretariat is to help the National Societies in this process. The data show in the last years, the National Societies increased their investment in the development of these policies, mostly in the field of youth. This process is directly linked with the definition of an implementation strategy on volunteering and youth development and, more generally, with the volunteering and youth management development within the National Society.
Does the National Society have a VOLUNTEERING POLICY?

Volunteer evaluation system

In the 2015 data collection process, a question about whether National Societies had an evaluation system for volunteers was included. For the same year, 6 of the 18 National Societies didn’t have an evaluation system for their volunteers, and in 2016 50% responded that they didn’t have a way to evaluate them. During 2017, of the 11 participating National Societies, 6 affirmed that they had an evaluation system for their volunteers, while 5 said they didn’t have one. In 2018, there was an increase in National Societies that don’t have this system, since 18 of the 26 participating countries mentioned not having an evaluation system for their volunteers, 7 said they had this system and 1 National Society didn’t answer this question. In turn, all the participating OSBs affirmed having a system for evaluating volunteers.
Do you have an evaluation system for your volunteers?

Opportunities for volunteering

Induction process for volunteers

For the year 2016, there was a percentage reduction of countries that had an induction process, going from 100% in 2015 to 86% in 2016. This means that 3 of the 22 National Societies didn’t have a volunteer induction process. In 2017, 10 of the 11 National Societies responded that they did have an induction process for volunteers, which represents 91% of the countries that participated in the survey in that year. By 2018, 18 National Societies answered affirmatively to this question, 7 countries answered haven’t this type of processes for their volunteers and only Nicaragua didn’t respond to the consultation of these induction techniques. In response to this question, 67% of the participating OSBs responded that if they have the processes and 33% don’t have them.
Do you have an induction process for volunteers?

Security and protection

Regarding whether National Societies train their volunteers on security and protection issues, there was an improvement during the years 2013 to 2015, since it went from 7 National Societies that didn’t include it to 4. For 2016 the figure was maintained in 4, but this was because 3 of the National Societies added for that year responded negatively. For 2017, 9 of the 11 National Societies affirmed to train their volunteers on security issues. In 2018, 73% of the National Societies answered that they carry out this type of training, mainly through the course “Stay safe” or with the own tools of each National Society. In relation to OSBs, 67% answered that they don’t carry out this type of training, while 33% said that they do it.
Do you have training for your volunteers in security and protection?

Volunteer recognition / motivation system

The instrument used in 2015 included a question about whether or not there was a system of recognition or motivation for its volunteers. During that same year, 65% of 17 National Societies had a recognition or motivation system. For 2016, although the number of National Societies that responded negatively increased by 1, it can be noted that there was an improvement since 15 (68%) of the 22 National Societies did have a recognition or motivation system. In 2017, 81% of the countries that responded to the survey said they had a recognition or motivation system for their volunteers. By 2018, and in comparison with previous years, there was an increase in the number of National Societies with this type of methods for their volunteers, since 19 of 26 participating National Societies mentioned having this system, while 6 countries answered not to count with motivation methods for their volunteers and only 1 didn’t answer this question. Likewise, within the OSB, two negative responses were obtained before the questioning of whether they have motivation techniques for their volunteers and only one of them answered that they do have such systems.
Do you have recognition / motivation systems for the volunteers?

Insurance for volunteers

Insurance for all volunteers

Since 2015, a question about whether National Societies have insurance for all their volunteers was included. This means that if a National Society has insurance that doesn’t cover all of the volunteers, it’s taken as a negative response to the question. For the year 2015, 59% of the National Societies had insurance for all their volunteers, a percentage that remained the same for 2016. In the year 2017, 9 National Societies claimed to have insurance for all their volunteers, Brazil in that year It had insurance, but not for all volunteers and Uruguay didn’t have insurance for its volunteers. According to the results obtained for the year 2018, 65% of the participating National Societies have insurance for all their volunteers and 31% of the countries answered that they don’t have such insurance and 4% don’t answer this question. Similarly, 2 of the 3 participating OSBs affirmed whether they have insurance for their volunteers.
Do you have insurance for all volunteers? Be the insurance of the IFRC or national insurance.

Use of insurance

This question takes into consideration all National Societies, including those who said they didn’t have insurance to cover all of their volunteers. This means that the question is focused on finding out if the insurance has been used in a particular volunteer and not necessarily in the whole body of volunteers. Most of the National Societies say they have needed and used the insurance for the years 2013 to 2015. In the 2016 data there is a decrease, since only 8 National Societies made use of the insurance. In 2017, 6 National Societies made use of insurance and 5 said they didn’t need it. With respect to 2018, 17 National Societies answered that they didn’t have to use the insurance of their volunteers and 8 affirmed that they did have to use it. On the other hand, the 3 participating OSBs answered that they didn’t have to use the insurance of their volunteers.
In the past, has volunteering insurance been used (Federation insurance or other)?
Similarly, a question was included as to whether National Societies have presented security incidents where insurance was necessary for a volunteer, but at the time there was no insurance for that volunteer. During 2016 and 2017, 6 National Societies claimed to have needed insurance and not have one at that time. Given this question in 2018, 4 countries stated that the insurance was necessary for a volunteer, but that at the time of the incident there was no insurance for the volunteer; in turn 21 National Societies did not have this problem.