Read the FP Analytics Insight Brief to explore the data, case studies, and policy recommendations shaping the future of volunteerism, and learn how elevating service today can drive sustainable development tomorrow.
More than one billion people volunteer globally, contributing labor equivalent to 61 million full-time workers every month. Yet despite this enormous contribution, volunteerism remains largely overlooked in public policy: only 20 percent of countries have formally integrated volunteering into their national development strategies. This disconnect comes at a critical moment, as communities worldwide face growing challenges related to youth unemployment, climate change, and social cohesion.
A new Insight Brief by FP Analytics, produced with support from CorpsAfrica, examines how volunteerism can drive entrepreneurship, expand youth employment opportunities, and enhance climate and community resilience. Released ahead of the United Nations’ International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development in 2026, the brief outlines the policies and investments needed to elevate volunteerism as a core pillar of sustainable development.
CorpsAfrica’s Approach: Transforming Development Through Local Leadership
Volunteerism is the foundation of CorpsAfrica’s work. By placing young African volunteers in their own communities to lead high-impact projects, CorpsAfrica demonstrates how local leadership, service, and development go hand in hand.
This Insight Brief reinforces what CorpsAfrica sees every day: when young people are trusted, supported, and embedded in their communities, volunteering becomes a catalyst for lasting change.
We believe African youth, working alongside local communities, have the knowledge and capacity to address some of the most pressing challenges in their own countries. Our role is to listen, connect, and support communities as they lead their own development.
We apply proven best practices in international development that prioritize community ownership and collaboration. By bringing together local leaders, community members, NGOs, and development partners, we help ensure that solutions are practical, inclusive, and sustainable.
Building Africa’s Next Generation of Leaders
CorpsAfrica offers a transformative experience for emerging African leaders. Volunteers are challenged to step outside their comfort zones, develop practical leadership skills, and build strong personal and professional networks. At the same time, they contribute meaningfully to the well-being and resilience of their own communities.
CorpsAfrica’s approach is low-cost, high-impact, and scalable across countries and across the continent. Participatory development and co-creation are central to everything we do. By trusting communities to lead and supporting youth to serve, CorpsAfrica demonstrates how volunteerism can deliver real, measurable development outcomes.
As global attention turns toward the role of volunteerism in sustainable development, CorpsAfrica continues to show what is possible when service is locally led and community-driven.