The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY 2026), calling on governments, civil society, and the private sector to recognise and strengthen volunteerism as a force for sustainable development. Khulisa Social Solutions welcomes this global declaration as a timely challenge to South Africa: volunteerism is powerful — but only when it is designed to achieve real outcomes, not just optics. 

VOLUNTEERISM IS NOT SMALL IN SOUTH AFRICA — BUT IT IS OFTEN UNDER-USED 

South Africa’s volunteer contribution is significant. Statistics South Africa has recorded growth in volunteering over time, with millions of people contributing unpaid time and skills to social causes. Volunteer hours run into the hundreds of millions annually, representing a substantial economic and social contribution. Various national estimates have placed the value of volunteer work in the billions of rand per year. These numbers tell a clear story: volunteerism is already a national asset. The real question is whether this effort is being translated into sustained social outcomes. 

THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH: TOO MUCH VOLUNTEERING IS DESIGNED FOR PHOTOS, NOT CHANGE 

Each year, Mandela Day generates a surge of volunteer activity across the country. Painting classrooms, distributing food parcels, and hosting once-off events can be positive and well-intentioned.  

However, these actions often become tokenistic when they replace long-term commitment, skills transfer, and measurable change. NGOs are frequently left carrying the administrative burden of coordinating volunteer days that look good externally but leave little lasting value behind. 

Volunteerism that prioritises visibility over impact risks, reinforcing the very capacity gaps it claims to address. 

CORPORATE CSI IS SUBSTANTIAL — BUT VOLUNTEERISM MUST BE MORE THAN A PR ADD-ON 

Corporate Social Investment in South Africa is significant, with billions of rand invested annually across education, health, social development, and community programmes. Many companies now include employee volunteering as part of their CSI strategies, and participation levels are high. 

Yet participation alone does not equal impact. A volunteer day that is not aligned to organisational needs, funded realistically, or followed up meaningfully can drain NGO capacity rather than strengthen it. Volunteerism must be treated as a strategic investment, not a marketing exercise. 

When volunteering works — and when it fails 

LOW-IMPACT VOLUNTEERING: ACTIVITY WITHOUT OUTCOMES 

In many cases, a corporate team completes a visible task such as painting or cleaning, with no connection to the deeper challenges faced by the organisation or community. Schools may still lack psychosocial support, governance capacity, safety planning, or educational resources. The intervention boosts morale briefly but does not shift outcomes. 

HIGH-IMPACT VOLUNTEERING: SKILLS-BASED AND SUSTAINED 

Where volunteers apply their professional skills — finance, governance, IT, communications, legal support, monitoring and evaluation — NGOs gain systems that continue working long after the volunteer leaves. These engagements are often less glamorous but far more transformative.  

PROGRAMME-BASED VOLUNTEERING: COMMITMENT OVER TIME 

The most effective volunteer initiatives are structured over months rather than days. Volunteers work with the same organisations over time, aligned to clear outcomes and supported by monitoring and reflection. These programmes result in genuine capability transfer and measurable improvement. 

HOW TO MAKE VOLUNTEERISM RELEVANT — AND NOT TOKENISTIC 

To ensure volunteerism creates real value, Khulisa calls for a shift in approach. Volunteer roles must be based on needs identified by communities and NGOs, not on what is easiest to organise in a single day. Skills-based volunteering should be prioritised, focusing on systems, governance, compliance, and sustainability rather than only physical tasks. 

Volunteerism must be budgeted for honestly. Hosting volunteers requires staff time, coordination, safeguarding, materials, and reporting. These costs must be recognised and funded. 

Impact should be measured by what changed, not by how many people participated. Strong volunteer programmes track improvements in systems, performance, and service delivery. 

Mandela Day should be a catalyst, not a substitute, for year-round, outcome-driven engagement. 

A KHULISA PROPOSAL FOR 2026: NATIONAL VOLUNTEER IMPACT DIALOGUES 

To support a shift from activity to impact, Khulisa Social Solutions proposes convening National Volunteer Impact Dialogues in 2026. Using AI-enabled dialogue circles, Khulisa will bring together corporate volunteers, NGOs, and community stakeholders to reflect honestly on volunteer experiences, assess real impact, identify systemic blockages, and generate evidence-based learning to inform future CSI and volunteer strategies. 

This approach aligns directly with the International Year of Volunteers’ emphasis on strengthening the contribution of volunteerism to sustainable development. “In 2026, we need to stop confusing visibility with value. Volunteerism must become a long-term capability strategy, not a calendar event,” said Lesley Ann van Selm, Managing Director of Khulisa Social Solutions. 

CALL TO ACTION 

Khulisa invites corporates with employee volunteer programmes, CSI leaders, NGO partners, and funders to participate in the 2026 Volunteer Impact Dialogues and help co-create a new standard for meaningful, evidence-based volunteerism in South Africa.