Civil organisations work to bring change. Recruitment, training and engagement of volunteers in their activities are daily practices for some organisations. Tulip Foundation works with its partners in Europe on the needs, practices and standards in measuring the social impact of volunteering. In order to gain a better picture of the understanding and the practices in Bulgaria we encouraged colleagues from civil organisations to fill a short questionnaire in the end of January this year. In less than a month some 100 organisations filled the form. We thank everyone who shared his/her opinion.

Close to 84% of respondents regularly work with volunteers. Most of them are local organisations. Significant fact is that almost 80% of organisations provide training and support for their volunteers or rely on another organisation to do so.

The practice of measuring the social impact of volunteers is somewhat limited, but still more than half of the organisations (60%) are committed to it. Nearly equal numbers of organisations measure the impact regularly or sometimes. Most of them have developed their own indicators and less that 4% apply a concrete method.

As most significant indicators are defined the change in volunteers themselves as acquired skills, confidence and experience  (80% ) and the change in lives of people supported by the volunteers (65%). The change of attitude in local community is important for 35% of organisations. The most definite is the conclusion that measuring the social impact is important - 85% find it very important and the rest believe it is somewhat important. Two thirds of respondents share the belief that measuring the effect of volunteering has its importance for everyone.

You can find the results here.