Volunteerism and the Voluntary Sector in Nova Scotia
Volunteerism in Nova Scotia has a well established history and is rooted in community development. Communities have been built by volunteers, and the voluntary sector, and continue to be made stronger through the contribution of volunteers. According to Health Canada, an important indication of community health is the level of volunteerism that takes place there.
Volunteerism is also intertwined with government and government departments. Nova Scotians and the NS Government depend heavily on community organizations and their volunteers to delivery programs and services, which in turn build healthy, vibrant communities.
Volunteers, programs, and communities are the threads that makes up the social and economic fabric of Nova Scotia, and create our Social Prosperity. With the valuable contribution of volunteers and the voluntary sector to our communities, Nova Scotians are supported to be healthy, active, and connected to one another.
Volunteers are on the front lines of all of our community services – health care, arts and culture, emergency relief, volunteer fire service, sports and recreation, religion, the environment – to name a few. Informal and formal volunteer contributions in Nova Scotia can be valued at $2 billion in services to the economy. Without volunteers, many essential programs and services in Nova Scotia, such as Search and Rescue, could not be provided.
Volunteers are made up of a wide assortment of individuals, from children that do good deeds with their Scout group, to youth that are acquiring new job-ready skills, to adults and seniors that give their time and expertise to their community.
- Sixty-percent of Nova Scotia’s university diploma or degree holders contribute their time, nearly twice the provincial average.
- Married people are more likely to volunteer
- 66% of Nova Scotian volunteers have school-aged children
- Volunteer rates are highest among youth,
- Rates are highest with people having household incomes over $100,000 and with people who attend religious services weekly.
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Over 377,000 Nova Scotians volunteer their time and expertise to programs and services. That’s 48% of our population.
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Nova Scotia teenagers contribute 18% more than their national peers
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90% of volunteers become engaged because they are asked
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40% of those not volunteering have not been asked
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There are 5,820 nonprofit organizations in the province
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NS Volunteerism At a Glance
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