The University of Pretoria (UP) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV) are set to launch the Global Volunteer Index (GVI), a first-of-its-kind tool, to measure the contribution of volunteers to sustainable development worldwide.
The project is led by Professor Samuel Manda, of the University of Pretoria.
The GVI introduces a data-driven framework to quantify volunteer impact, empowering governments and development partners with deeper insight into the critical role of volunteerism in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Prof Manda said “this Index builds a compelling case for investing in volunteerism as a force for change.”
Through the GVI, researchers are hoping to make a data-driven case for increased investment in volunteerism, as a force for achieving sustainable development.
They have developed a framework, that is still in its early phase, to introduce a globally relevant methodology for collecting and analysing volunteer data.
A comprehensive Framework for the Global Volunteer Index is expected to be published later this year, in the State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR).
Picture: University of Pretoria