Do you think Canadians are generous? It's hard to get a sense of the bigger picture, although year in and year out the stats show that religious folk in this country give more, per capita, than others and not just to their own congregational and denominational causes.
Yesterday I read a piece on the BBC website that says Canadians are among the more generous people in the world. The survey - conducted by the UK's Charities Aid Foundation - suggests that well-being is a more reliable indicator of philanthropy than wealth. The survey took place in 153 countries, covering 95% of the world's population. The "World Giving Index" placed Australia and New Zealand jat the top, with Canada tied for third with Ireland. Our neighbours in the US were fifth and the UK eighth. The index aims to analyse global generosity in giving money, time as a volunteer or helping a stranger.
While it might make sense that wealthier nations are more generous, what is more surprising was that near the top too are poorer countries like Sri Lanka, Guyana and Turkmenistan. These are countries which also registered high levels of contentment, a key factor in generosity.
Do you consider yourself to be generous? Do you feel that you could or should do more? Is your giving motivated by your faith? Since I wrote this I found another article in the Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-ranked-second-most-charitable-in-the-world/article1700518/
I think Canadians are a very generous society. I see this on a daily basis at the hospital where I work. A lot of activities in the hospital are possible because of the generous volunteers we have working there. I also had the opportunity to work in a hospital in Miami last winter and did not see the same level of volunteer services there. This is only a small sampling, but enough to convince me that the stats are close.
ReplyDeleteI would have guessed that well being would have been a better indicator of generosity than wealth, from my own experiences. Some of the most contented people
ReplyDeleteI know are also the most generous spirits I know, and not surprisingly, also people of great faith.
Thanks to both of you for your thoughts. I wonder, Caroline, about your experience of the age of volunteers. Of course it makes sense that retired folk have time to give, but I wonder whether we are encouraging our young people to be generous in every aspect of their lives.
ReplyDeleteThis summer we spent time with two couples, friends, who are very generous within their communities, even though they have modest incomes. You're right Laura that generosity is not tied to financial prosperity.