Volunteers contributing tens of millions of hours in NZ

These hours were worked by 679,580 volunteers. About 19.3 per cent of the total hours – some 6.7 million hours – were devoted to religious activities, which was the highest sector percentage, ahead of health at 14.2 per cent and education/training at 12.3 per cent.

Religious activities ranked second in terms of the types of volunteer activities among registered charities at 19.2 per cent, behind the provision of services – such as counselling – at 34.3 per cent.

The top five charities in terms of volunteer contribution were Hato Hone St John, Playcentre Aotearoa, The Salvation Army, Assistance Dogs NZ and NZ Red Cross. More than 6.6 million volunteer hours are contributed annually across these five organisations.

The data for these figures is self-reported and comes from annual returns by registered charities.

Charities Services director Charlotte Stanley said volunteer support underpins the reach and impact of charities right across the country.

“Our sincere thanks to these dedicated volunteers for another generous year of contribution,” she said.

Ms Stanley added that the timely submission of annual returns and financial statements by charities is not simply a compliance requirement – it is central to transparency.

“It allows the public and funders to make informed decisions about where they direct their support, and it enables the regulator to maintain effective oversight of the sector. We greatly appreciate charities prioritising their reporting obligations, which has a direct impact on public trust,” she said.

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