The next edition of United Nations Volunteers’ flagship publication, the State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) is slated for a 2025 launch and covers the theme of measurement.
The 2025 report aims to address the challenges faced in measuring volunteer work and bring clarity to the discourse on the scale and scope of volunteers' contributions.
Over the last three months, UNV conducted three online exchange discussions on several topics through the Knowledge Portal.
The discussions and consultations were strategically designed to gather expert opinions and insights to shape the State of the World's Volunteerism Report 2025.
The main areas of focus included – methodologies for measuring volunteer work, along with the strategic focus of the 2025 SWVR to explore underrepresented research areas in volunteerism, and the impact of volunteerism on communities. The discussions also sought to answer whether certain regions or demographics merit more attention in SWVR research. And lastly, the Volunteer Index and its dimensions were also discussed.
The discussions offered multiple prospects. First and foremost – it was an excellent opportunity for stakeholders, including volunteers, organizations, policymakers, and researchers, to share valuable insights and experiences. The discussions served as a platform for identifying challenges, bottlenecks, and gaps in volunteerism programmes. Fostering a sense of community and collaborative thinking, the discussions also helped co-create innovative solutions for impactful volunteering initiatives.
Spotlighting research on volunteerism gleaned in a collaborative process – the upcoming SWVR is another important contribution by United Nations Volunteers to remain responsive to the evolving priorities of volunteers and communities.
For more information on the SWVR discussions, please visit the UNV Knowledge Portal.