Volunteers filling out the 2021 census were dismayed to see that their efforts were not fully represented in the data. While the census included a question asking if the applicant had volunteered, it does not follow-up for specific details about their volunteer work.
Census data is a critical component in the allocation of public funding for services including volunteering. Representing the areas where volunteering is most in demand in the next census would allow communities to access broader and more relevant services in the future.