A COUNTRY OF THOSE WHO CARE: VCIOM: Russia Public Opinion Research Center

Various non-governmental, non-profit, volunteer organizations created on a voluntary basis are operating in Russia. They are trade unions, political, environmental and religious organizations, etc. In your opinion, are the activities of these organizations of great or little benefit in our region? Or do you not know anything about the activities of non-profit organizations in our region? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)

Total respondents

Aged 18-24

Of great benefit

Of little benefit

I know nothing about the activities of NGOs

Photo:

A COUNTRY OF THOSE WHO CARE

Every second Russian respondent is aware of the activities of non-governmental organizations in Russia. Three-quarters of those who are aware consider them really beneficial to society.

12.07.2021

IN BRIEF

Non-governmental organizations are beneficial to society, according to 38% of Russians;

85% of Russians consider that the government should help volunteers, activists of social movements and non-profit organizations;

Over the recent 4-5 years every fourth Russian (24%) has given toys and different items to child care homes, every fifth (21%) has paid money into the accounts of people in need, 16% gave alms, 15% paid money into the accounts of charity institutions.

May 13, 2021. VCIOM presents the findings of a survey about the activities of non-governmental institutions in Russia.

Thirty-eight percent of Russians believe that non-governmental organizations are beneficial; 13% consider that their activities are of little benefit; 49% know nothing about it. Russians aged 35-44 (51%), those aged 60 and older (46%), residents of Moscow and St Petersburg (48%), and respondents with higher and incomplete higher education (44%) are more likely to believe that non-governmental organizations benefit society.

Most of Russians (85%) consider that the government should help volunteers, social movement activists and non-profit organizations. They are opposed by 8% of respondents.

Russians have given to charity over the recent 4-5 years: every fourth respondent (24%) has given toys and different items to child care homes or rest homes; every fifth (21%) has paid money into the accounts of people in need; 16% gave alms; 15% paid money into the account of charity institutions; 7% participated in volunteering, 6%, in charities.

Those who are actively involved in charities are largely Russians aged 25-34 and 35-44 (in both age groups 27% of respondents gave items to child care homes; 24% paid money into the accounts of people in need, 21% gave money to charitable organizations), as well as Russians who have higher and incomplete higher education diplomas (28% donated items to child care homes, 28% paid money into the accounts of people in need, 21% gave money to charities). Young Russians aged 18-24 are more likely to have taken part in volunteering (20%) and charitable activities (14%). Forty percent of respondents did not take part in such activities.

Compared to 2019, the share of those who participated in charitable/volunteering activities has increased by 20 p.p. (from 20% in 2019 to 40% in 2021).

According to half of Russians (62%), the activities of non-profit organizations increase the level of trust between people; 6% oppose this view; 15% believe that non-profit organizations do not have any impact on the trust levels.

Almost three-quarters of Russians (72%) think that the control of citizens and non-profit associations over the government’s commitment to fulfill its responsibilities should be strengthened; 16% think that this should not be done. This idea is often supported by Russians aged 60 and older (82%) and Russians with higher or incomplete higher education (77%).

Russian nationwide VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on May 2, 2021. A total of 1,600 of Russians aged 18 and older took part in the survey. Results are based on telephone interviews. Stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of Russian landline and mobile phone numbers was used. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

Various non-governmental, non-profit, volunteer organizations created on a voluntary basis are operating in Russia. They are trade unions, political, environmental and religious organizations, etc. In your opinion, are the activities of these organizations of great or little benefit in our region? Or do you not know anything about the activities of non-profit organizations in our region? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	Total respondents	Moscow and St Petersburg	Million-plus cities	500-950 thousand inhabitants	100—500 thousand	Less than 100 thousand	Rural area
Of great benefit	38	48	40	40	36	32	38
Of little benefit	13	10	16	12	16	16	10
I know nothing about the activities of NGOs	49	42	44	48	48	52	52

Various non-governmental, non-profit, volunteer organizations created on a voluntary basis are operating in Russia. They are trade unions, political, environmental and religious organizations, etc. In your opinion, are the activities of these organizations of great or little benefit in our region? Or do you not know anything about the activities of non-profit organizations in our region? ( closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents )
	Total respondents	Incomplete secondary education	Secondary education (school, vocational school)	Specialized secondary education (technical school)	Incomplete higher (not less than three years in a higher education institution), higher education
Of great benefit	38	31	33	34	44
Of little benefit	13	4	12	14	14
I know nothing about the activities of NGOs	46	60	53	50	38
Don’t know	3	5	2	2	4

In your opinion, should the state and governmental agencies in general help volunteers and activists of social movements or non-profit organizations? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	2019	2021
Rather yes	88	85
Rather no	6	8
Don’t know	6	7

Have you personally given to charity or participated in any volunteer activities over the recent four-five years, or not? If so, what kind of activities? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents)
	2007	2009	2017	2019	2021
I gave toys, different items (to child care homes, rest homes, residential care homes)	19	18	27	30	24
I paid money into the accounts of people in need (for treatment, surgery, etc.)	4	5	32	26	21
I gave alms	36	32	30	24	16
I paid money into the accounts of charities, foundations	4	3	17	20	15
I participated in volunteering (i.e. I worked voluntarily at crisis centers, hospitals, rest homes, social services)	3	2	6	9	7
I took part in the organization of or have been to charity events (concerts, exhibitions, charitable lotteries, auctions)	4	2	8	10	6
Other (specify )	-	-	-	2	11
No participation in charities	50	53	30	30	40
Don’t know	0	1	1	1	2

Have you personally given to charity or participated in any volunteer activities over the recent four-five years, or not? If so, what kind of activities? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents)
	Total respondents	Aged 18-24	25-34	35-44	45-59	60 +
I gave toys, different items (to child care homes, rest homes, residential care homes)	24	20	27	27	24	20
I paid money into the accounts of people in need (for treatment, surgery, etc.)	21	12	24	24	20	21
I gave alms	16	14	24	15	16	13
I paid money into the accounts of charities, foundations	15	6	21	21	13	10
I participated in volunteering (i.e. I worked voluntarily at crisis centers, hospitals, rest homes, social services)	7	20	8	7	5	2
I took part in the organization of or have been to charity events (concerts, exhibitions, charitable lotteries, auctions)	6	14	7	6	7	2
Other (specify )	11	9	11	9	11	11
No participation in charities	40	39	35	39	36	49
Don’t know	2	4	1	1	2	2

Have you personally given to charity or participated in any volunteer activities over the recent four-five years, or not? If so, what kind of activities? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents )
	Total respondents	Incomplete secondary education	Secondary education (school, vocational school)	Specialized secondary education (technical school)	Incomplete higher (not less than three years in a higher education institution), higher education
I gave toys, different items (to child care homes, rest homes, residential care homes)	24	22	19	20	28
I paid money into the accounts of people in need (for treatment, surgery, etc.)	21	8	13	18	28
I gave alms	16	14	12	17	18
I paid money into the accounts of charities, foundations	15	1	7	11	21
I participated in volunteering (i.e. I worked voluntarily at crisis centers, hospitals, rest homes, social services)	7	6	6	4	9
I took part in the organization of or have been to charity events (concerts, exhibitions, charitable lotteries, auctions)	6	1	3	4	10
Other (specify )	11	7	8	11	12
No participation in charities	40	59	53	43	31
Don’t know	2	3	2	1	2

In your opinion, do the activities of various non–profit organizations have an impact on the level of trust between people, or not? If so, do they make the trust levels go up or down? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	Total respondents
No impact	15
They make the trust levels go up	62
They make the trust levels go down	6
Don’t know	17

In your opinion, should the control of citizens and civic associations over the government’s commitment to fulfil its duties and responsibilities be strengthened, or not? ( closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	Total respondents	Incomplete secondary education	Secondary education (school, vocational school)	Specialized secondary education (technical school)	Incomplete higher (not less than three years in a higher education institution), higher education
The control should be strengthened	72	66	65	71	77
The control should not be strengthened	16	20	21	14	15
Don’t know	12	14	14	15	8

Read the article in Russian

Topics:

Society