How we measure impact
The GIVE Framework
The Global Index of Volunteer Engagement is a measurement framework from the UN's 2026 State of the World's Volunteerism Report. It goes beyond counting hours to capture what volunteering truly contributes — to people, communities, economies, and the systems that support it.
Developed by UN Volunteers and the University of Pretoria. Adopted by Volunteers as the foundation for how we recognise contribution.
Why hours aren't enough
Most platforms count hours and stop there. But a volunteer who gives 100 hours to one organisation is different from someone who gives 100 hours across five causes in five regions. Both are valuable — in different ways. GIVE captures this.
Multidimensional
Four dimensions instead of a single number. A richer picture of contribution.
Recognition, not gamification
Understated milestones that honour sustained commitment, not leaderboard competition.
Informal volunteering counts
Log hours outside the platform. Helping a neighbour is volunteering too.
Four dimensions of value
Every volunteer's dashboard shows their GIVE profile across these four dimensions — drawn from the UN framework and adapted for Aotearoa.
Individual value
Personal growth and fulfilment
Volunteering builds skills, confidence, and wellbeing. GIVE recognises that the benefits to the volunteer matter — not just the output they produce.
- Hours volunteered and activities completed
- Milestone progression (First Step through to Legend)
- Skills developed across different categories
Societal value
Trust, cohesion, and community resilience
When people volunteer consistently across different organisations and causes, they weave the social fabric that holds communities together. GIVE measures this breadth and depth.
- Number of organisations supported
- Breadth across different cause areas
- Consistency — consecutive months of contribution
Economic value
Contribution to the local economy
Using the ILO replacement cost method and Stats NZ median hourly earnings ($31.61), we estimate the economic equivalent of volunteer hours. This isn't about reducing mahi to money — it's about making the invisible visible.
- Economic equivalent of hours contributed
- Value benchmarked against NZ median wage
- Methodology aligned with ILO and Stats NZ
Enabling environment
Strengthening the ecosystem for volunteering
GIVE recognises that some actions strengthen volunteering itself — not just a single cause. Tracking informal volunteering, engaging across categories, and participating during IVY 2026 all contribute.
- Logging hours outside the platform (informal volunteering)
- Diverse engagement across 3+ cause areas
- Active participation during IVY 2026
How we use GIVE
Your personal GIVE profile
When you sign up for opportunities and log hours, your dashboard builds a GIVE profile automatically. You can see your individual, societal, economic, and enabling dimensions at a glance.
Economic value estimation
We use the ILO replacement cost method — your hours multiplied by the NZ median wage ($31.61/hr, Stats NZ). This makes the economic contribution of volunteering visible without reducing your mahi to a dollar figure.
Informal volunteering
Log volunteer hours that happen outside the platform — coaching a sports team, helping at your marae, supporting a neighbour. GIVE recognises that not all volunteering is organised.
Company impact reports
For companies booking team volunteer days, GIVE dimensions feed into social impact and sustainability reporting. Real data, aligned with a UN framework.
Built on evidence
The GIVE framework was developed by UN Volunteers and the University of Pretoria as part of the 2026 State of the World's Volunteerism Report — the most comprehensive global study of volunteering ever published, covering measurement, policy, and practice.
See your impact
Sign in to view your GIVE profile — or start volunteering to build one.