Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

The most popular volunteer activities for Russians are to participate in Saturday cleanups, to raise money or gather items for people in need or to transfer money to public organizations. 

MOSCOW, October 22, 2018. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a study devoted to Russian volunteering activities.

Over the recent year 36% have participated in Saturday cleanup day and community improvement activities. The most active participants live in rural area (42%).

A further 21% gathered funds and items for people in need; most of them come from Moscow and St Petersburg (25%). every fifth (19%) transferred money to public organizations; this share is 24% among residents of Moscow and St Petersburg. People aged 45-59 are more likely to do the above-mentioned activities than the other age groups (39%, 25%, 24%, respectively).

Eight percent of Russians have been volunteers; the share of volunteers among young Russians aged 18-24 is 22%.  At the same time, one-third of respondents (32%) have not participated in any public activity.    

The VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on October 12, 2018. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. 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 in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

 

Have you personally participated in any kind of public activities over a year? If yes, what kind of activities? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents)

 

Total respondents

Aged  18-24

Aged  25-34

Aged  35-44

Aged  45-59

Aged  60 and more

Saturday cleanup, neighborhood improvement

36

34

38

36

39

34

Raising money, gathering items for people in  a difficult situation (terrorist attack, natural disaster, treatment)

21

17

20

23

25

18

I transferred money to public organizations when they needed  

19

19

19

17

24

15

I worked as a volunteer (i.e.  provided free-of-charge support)

8

22

8

8

8

5

I worked at residents’ committees, cooperatives, territorial public self-government

7

0

4

6

10

9

Public hearings/discussions

6

5

5

7

4

6

Work of public organizations/NGOs

4

2

6

4

3

3

Actions, manifestations, riots

4

6

5

6

4

2

I participated in emergency relief operations (fires, floods, etc.)  

4

4

5

4

4

2

None of the above-mentioned  

32

35

31

29

27

37

Other  

5

0

5

6

4

6

Don’t know

2

1

2

2

1

  

Have you personally participated in any kind of public activities over a year? If yes, what kind of activities? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, % of total respondents)

 

Total respondents

Moscow and St.Petersburg

Million cities

More than 500 ths

100–500 ths

Less than 100 ths

Rural area

Saturday cleanup, neighborhood improvement

36

26

38

32

35

38

42

Raising money, gathering items for people in  a difficult situation (terrorist attack, natural disaster, treatment)

21

25

18

19

20

20

22

I transferred money to public organizations when they needed 

19

24

20

21

13

18

20

I worked as a volunteer (i.e.  provided free-of-charge support)

8

8

9

7

7

10

8

I worked at residents’ committees, cooperatives, territorial public self-government

7

11

9

10

6

5

5

Public hearings/discussions

6

5

5

6

3

5

9

Work of public organizations/ NGOs

4

9

4

3

3

3

4

Actions, manifestations, riots

4

8

6

3

4

5

3

I participated in emergency relief operations (fires, floods, etc.) 

4

2

2

3

3

4

6

None of the above-mentioned 

32

32

29

34

35

32

28

Other 

5

4

7

4

6

4

5

Don’t know

2

1

 0

 0

1

2

3

 

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

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