Overview
- About 27 million people volunteered in 2024, equal to roughly 37% of the population and down from around 31 million in 2019.
- Commitment deepened among those active: 24% gave three to five hours weekly and 19% six hours or more, both up by two to three points from 2019.
- Participation fell most in culture and music, schools and kindergartens, and church or religious activities, while rescue services, volunteer fire brigades and civil protection recorded gains.
- Engagement rates are similar for women and men, highest among 30–49 year-olds, drop sharply after 75, and are higher among people with more formal education.
- The sixth Freiwilligensurvey is based on about 27,500 telephone interviews conducted in 2023–2024, with a short report released today and a fuller analysis to follow.