Volunteering Davos

Volunteering in the UK has declined over the past 12 years.  Formal volunteering remains at historically low levels. This means that many charities are having difficulty recruiting the volunteers they need, so inhibiting their ability to scale their ambitions. Alongside this, robust data  supports the fact that volunteering is good for physical and mental wellbeing and for social cohesion and the building of resilient communities.  Therefore we are inhibiting our own success through the lack of focus on supporting ‘volunteering for all’ across every life stage.

Various ‘Visions for Volunteering’ set out goals for the 2020s but there is no roadmap, and the ecosystem is changing all the time.

Over the next 5-10 years as Britain faces economic and social challenges, including AI redefining work (or lack of it) for many, how can volunteering be the glue that can give everyone self-worth and improve the lives of others?

At the same time most charities are facing significant financial pressures and a challenge in both recruiting and retaining the volunteers we depend on.

On September 8 2026, Shaping the Future with Volunteering charities will come together to agree what needs to change if we are to realise the potential of volunteering. We recognise that charities, the State and businesses have been slow to change and adapt volunteering to respond to our changed world. But it is not too late. 

The Conference we will be considering key questions including:

• How do we enable more people to volunteer (increase the supply chain) whilst proving appropriate opportunities for everyone, no matter where they live, their background,  age or gender?

• What needs to change in how volunteering is seen by different stakeholders and the general public?

• What could charities themselves do differently?

• How can the State at all levels in all countries support more connected, resilient communities through volunteering?

Attending will be the Chief Executives of Shaping the Future charities, non-member charities with a core interest in volunteering, alongside relevant sector bodies and think tanks.

Like other Davos type events, this is a learning event not just  a ‘talking shop’. The key suggestions and points from the attending CEO’s will be captured at the end of each working group session, These will feed into the final session that identifies the actions and next steps so that we can drive an outcome to implement with partners in government and businesses as well as in the voluntary sector.

An opening address will set the challenge on what we should be doing to realise the potential of volunteering over the next decade. Each of three parallel working groups will be opened by a provocative speaker to open a wider debate.

This event is a key opportunity for the leadership of Shaping the Future to work together with other key stakeholders to raise the debate and action on our volunteering future.