One in three people volunteered in 2012: NVPC survey

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The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) says Singapore sees a record number of volunteers in 2012, compared to 2010. Its survey, conducted once every two years, shows one in three people volunteered last year, compared to one in five, in 2010.

Mr Hosea Lai, Head of Volunteerism Division at National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, said: "People are more aware of the needs in the community. One good example is how people are now taking control in the community. We are hearing a lot about the 'kampung' spirit, and how people should be helping neighbours."

But NVPC's survey also showed a lack of regular volunteers. Seven in 10 do so occasionally, rather than weekly or monthly.

It's not uncommon for volunteerism to take a back seat when youths eventually join the workforce. And the more they focus on their careers, chances are, the less time they have for volunteer work.

But that's starting to change. According to NVPC, in the last three to five years, more working adults are making time to give back to society. And that's why NVPC has set up the Corporate Community Investment team in 2011 - just to cater to this group.

NVPC used to get about 100 calls a year, from companies asking about volunteer opportunities. Today, the figure is nearly five times more.

Also on the rise is the number of retiree volunteers. In 2012, 19 per cent of retirees interviewed said they volunteered, up from 16 per cent in 2010.

For organisations like the Cancer Society, volunteers are vital resources. It sees about 1,300 volunteers a year, most of whom help out at least four hours a week. Some 35 per cent of them are active volunteers, who spend more than 10 hours a week. Of these, some 20 people spend about 50 hours a week volunteering.

Studies have shown that people are happier when they give. For some, the experience they derived from volunteering helped turn their own lives around.