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Danielle Nugent

GSS 3604 H

Dr. Deb Figart

The Impact of Volunteering on Well-Being

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What kind of impact does volunteering have? What affects does volunteering

have on volunteers and what is the driving force behind volunteering? Volunteering

is an important part of the community, benefits positivity affect the community as

well as volunteers themselves. Individuals donate their time for a variety of

reasons. There is no set formula to determining the methods and reasoning behind

volunteering. However, studies show theories and statistics that give a better idea

as to why people volunteer. One thing is clear, volunteering has a profound positive

impact on society no matter what the organization. Through organizations like the

Peace Corps and Teach for American volunteers can volunteer their time as well as

increase their overall well-being. Volunteering serves as a way society can give back

to the community, after all we are all our “brothers keepers.” In return volunteers

receive a multitude of benefits including forming social connections, career benefits,

health benefits and even affecting our economy.

It is important to explain what volunteering is and describe some of the factors

that motivate a volunteer. The actual definition of volunteering is hard to define.

Volunteering has a different definition depending on the individual. Musick &

Wilson (2008) define volunteering as “voluntary, un-rewarded, organizes, and of

benefit to strangers” (p.14). On the other hand, O’Brien, Townsend, & Ebden (2010)

define volunteering as “an activity that involves spending time unpaid, doing

something that aims to benefit the environment or individuals or groups other than,

or in addition to, close relatives” (p. 528). Both definitions share similar

characteristics but the main similarity between the two is sacrificing of one’s time

for the benefit of another.

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 26.8% of Americans volunteer

on a regular basis (2012). The average age groups of individuals most likely to

volunteer are between the ages of 35 to 44 and 45 to 54 years old. Interestingly

enough, there is a correlation between education and volunteering. Individuals with

higher education levels were more likely to engage in volunteer work. College

graduates around the ages of 25 made up 42.4 percent of volunteers. High school

graduates had an 18.2 percentage involvement rate, with individuals with a high

school diploma making up 9.8 percent.

In a book, Well Being: The Five Essential Elements 150 different countries were

surveyed all around the world, and incorporated 98% of the world population.

Countries were studied over a longitudinal time frame of 50 years. The studies

found that there are five essential elements that directly impacted human well-

being. These five elements are career, social, financial, physical, and community.

Being rounded in these particular five elements leads to a happy and satisfying life.

One way or another the benefits of volunteering affect all areas of the five

elements. The one sub area that is directly impacted is community well-being.

Looking deeper into community well-being, this element begins with the basics

feelings of security and a safe environment. Once these feelings are accounted for,

individuals feel connected to their community. In turn, many feel the need to give

back, “When we get involved in our community and give back to society, it benefits

us as well as the recipients and our entire community. This “well-doing” promotes

deeper social interaction, enhanced meaning and purpose, and a more active

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lifestyle” (Rath & Harter, 2010 p.155). A strong sense of community wellbeing is

essential to the beginning steps to volunteering.

The benefits of volunteering are endless. Not only does volunteering help

others but in return volunteers also experience a sense of fulfillment in their life.

Whether it be the personal satisfaction of helping others or meeting new people and

creating new memories. Volunteers experience something intangible and unique

that is un-equivalent to any amount of pay. In the end most volunteers experience

increased levels in well-being and overall happiness. Volunteers gain many positive

feelings, like a sense of pride and a sense of accomplishment. In return for donating

their own time, volunteers receive positive feeling that benefits their own well-

being as well as others. One research experiment that looked into the benefits of

volunteering surveyed volunteers involved in environmental volunteering. 88

different people ranging from 16-76 with the average age being 43 were studied

using qualitative and quantitative data. Results showed a wide variety of positive

benefits. Some benefits included health and an overall increase in community well-

being. Data showed positive increases in physical, mental, and social well-being.

During the experiment 79% of volunteers experienced positive feelings and only

21% of volunteers experience negative feelings (O’Brien et. al 2010 p. 535-537).

What kind of positive feelings did volunteers experience? On average

volunteers showed improvements in fitness, an increased sense of alertness, and

when meeting new people feelings of stress were reduced. Other comments

included increased feelings of interest, feelings of control, and a sense of calmness.

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As mentioned before the three main areas affected were physical, metal, and social

well-being. These benefits directly affect Rath and Harter’s five essential elements

of well-being. Volunteering directly contributes to community well-being which

influences overall well-being in a society. These research findings suggest that

affects of volunteering extend into many different areas of the volunteers life.

One important area that impacts the volunteer is social well-being. Social well-

being deals with close relationships and forming social connections. Individuals

with high social well-being enjoy life, are more healthy, and on average have more

positive energy. The recommended amount of time spent socializing is six hours

each day (Rath & Harter 2010 p.154). Social well-being includes social contact,

meeting new people and being able to network. Friendships and strong bonds are

often formed between the volunteers themselves and the people they help. These

friendships can continue throughout life. Social contact with others also impacts

mental heath. A constant social interaction with others can keep people mentally

stimulated and increase their self worth. The friendships and bonds formed

through volunteering help elevate stress and mental fatigue (O’Brien, et. al 2010 p.

538-541).

Volunteering can be compare to a give and receive system. Those who give

of themselves also receive something in return. Studies show a wide array of

benefits; these benefits range from positive feelings as shown in the previous

experiment to benefits in personal health. For example, some outcomes of

volunteering include an increased sense of trust in others and an increase in social

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and political participation. Volunteering can impact ones health and has even been

shown to lower mortality and depression in people (Grimm, Spring, Dietz 2007 p.

11). Using data from the U.S Census Bureau and the Center for Disease Control one

study linked volunteering to increased overall health benefits. “We find that states

with a high volunteer rate also have lower rates of mortality and incidences of heart

disease”(Grimm, et. al 2010 p. 11). This data shows a direct correlation between

health benefits and volunteering. It is interesting to look at the correlation between

the benefits of volunteering and the five essential elements of well-being.

Source: Grimm, Spring, & Dietz 2007 p.14

Several motivational factors such as feelings of compassion and developing

new skills motivate and compel individuals to volunteer. “The reason for

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performing the act is more important than the act itself” (Musick & Wilson 2008 p.

57). Every individual has their own personal reason for volunteering it is difficult to

pinpoint why individuals volunteer but general assumptions are understood. One

experiment narrowed down six major reasons for involvement. In an experiment by

Nathanson and Eggleston (1993) (cited in Musick & Wilson 2008) included fifty-

three ombudsman workers and fifty-three ombudsman volunteers at a nursing

facility. Individuals were asked about their reasons and motivation factors for

volunteering. Even though individuals were doing the same job they each gave

various reasons for their motivation. The main reason for volunteering was concern

for the elderly. 28% of volunteers were looking to give back to their community.

20% volunteered because a loved one had benefited from being in similar situation.

5 percent volunteered solely out of compassion for the elderly. Seven percent

choose to volunteer at the nursing facility to use and develop their skills (Musick &

Wilson 2008 p. 57). Exact reasons for volunteering are open to interpretation, but

studies have been conducted to gain a better understanding. Through empirical

studies, the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) has determined six main

motivators factors. Volunteers become involved because of values, enhancements,

social, career, protective, and understanding reasons. Many of these choices for

volunteering overlap and involve multiple factors. Values encompass personal goals

for the wellbeing of others. People who volunteer for value reasons are interested

primarily in helping others. Enhancements deal with learning new skills, meeting

new people, and traveling different places. The social function of volunteering is

very important because it gives people a chance to connect with others. Eight out of

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ten volunteers enjoy volunteering because they can be with others that are

interested in similar areas. Career is the fourth motive for volunteering. Benefits

include gaining work skills, networking, and resume building. Protective motivation

includes help with inner conflict, social justices and emotional needs. The last

function for motivation is understanding, understanding in regards to personal

growth and self-esteem. This helps individuals discover who they are (Musick &

Wilson 2008 p. 57-63).

According to Rath and Harter (2010) career well-being is one of the most

important factors in the five essential elements of overall well-being. In a way these

elements overlap and directly affect one another. One way to incorporate two

elements together is by career volunteering. By carefully choosing volunteering

activities, one can increase their career and community well-being. Volunteering

can be a key instrument in career development; however the value of volunteering

is often underestimated. Volunteering can be used to help job seekers explore

potential careers and develop other interests. The time they invest can help them

gain experiences and knowledge in different fields and learn new job skills. In turn

these job skills can be beneficial and be used to build a diverse and attention-

grabbing resume. Being strategically smart can open doors to future careers

opportunities. One company called Call to Careers specializes in making job seekers

appear marketable. They assist in career coaching and resume writing services.

This company advises job seekers to find an organization where ones skills and

services are needed. They urge volunteers to be picky about where they donate

their time. When choosing the right organization volunteering can be used as a way

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to network, it can open doors and lead to potentially new careers (Estrin, Michael

2012).

When volunteering an individual should look for an organization that not

only helps them build their resume or gain experience but an organization that

interests them. An issue or topic that they could be excited and passionate about.

Excitement is contagious; it is a characteristic that people can easily relate to. It

makes individuals stand out and be more memorable. Once considered a side note,

the value of volunteering has greatly grown. Employers look for future employees

who are caring and willing to sacrifice their time for others. These valuable

qualities make jobseekers stand out. Leland (2011) stated, “LinkedIn, the

professional networking site, added a field for members to list their volunteer work

in their profiles, after a survey found that 41 percent of employers said they

considered volunteer work as important as paid work, and that 20 percent said they

had made a hiring decision based on volunteer work.” The importance of

volunteering is no longer being underestimated.

In addition when purposefully planned, volunteering can also be used as a

means to explore possible career paths while benefiting others. Volunteering can be

used as a vehicle to increase two important elements of well-being: community and

career. Education plays a key role in volunteering. Some organizations such as like

the Peace Corps and Teach for America strive to educate children around the world

and in our own country.

One organization dedicated to serving their country by spreading peace and

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working in developing countries is the Peace Corps. Created in 1960 by John F.

Kennedy, the Peace Corps mission is to spread peace through the world and create

friendships by helping others.

“The Peace Corps reassured a broad cross-section of Americans during a

turbulent period that there was at least one aspect of their nation’s policy

that was indisputably good. It symbolized what America wanted to be, and

what much of the world wanted America to be: superhero, protector of the

disenfranchised, defender of the democratic faith.” (Hoffman- Cobbs 1998 p.

1)

Since the creation of the Peace Corps, the organization has grown and spread to 139

different host countries with over 210,000 Peace Corps Volunteers. Volunteers

serve for a 27 months period. The first 2 to 3 months volunteers receive training in

their assigned field. There are many different areas volunteers can work in. Some

areas include education, youth and community development, health, business,

information communication technology, and agriculture. One of the largest areas

needing assistance is education. In this area, volunteers work with students and

teachers to improve teaching methods, classroom management, increased parental

involvement, and work on gender equality in the classroom. Volunteers also work

to get the students involved by providing after school activities and functions. In

return, volunteers gain unique experiences and valuable skills. The Peace Corps

provide volunteers with life changing experiences. Volunteers have the opportunity

to become fluent in a foreign language, develop confidence, independent judgment,

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and a gain a greater understanding of other cultures. Other benefits include

learning to adapt to new and challenging experiences as well as communication

skills.

Peace Corps volunteers carry their experiences with them throughout life.

After serving in the Peace Corps volunteers go on to work in a wide variety of

careers. They gain confidence and pride in themselves “Returned volunteers joined

the ranks of elder statesman to become senators and congressmen, heads of

corporations, and organizers of nonprofit institutions. The largest number, more

than one-fourth, became teachers of the nation’s children. The second largest

number went into business” (Hoffman- Cobbs 1998 p. 257). Former Peace Corps

use their experience and carry their experience with them throughout life.

The Peace Corps website has a section where alumni volunteers write about

their time in the Peace Corps. Volunteers vary in ages, locations served, and jobs

they were assigned. One common reoccurring theme in their writings is the

profound impact volunteering had on them. The Peace Corps is a life changing and

rewarding experience, many volunteers take away something special after their

stay. Pamela Cohelan Benson writes

“For two years we lived in Barrio Inaclagan, Quezon, Philippines, sharing the

joys as well as the sorrows of the lives of those around us. Our counterparts

taught us as much as we taught them. We planned lessons together, attended

in-service training sessions, and once demonstrated how to make a model of

the solar system using local limes. We talked endlessly about questions of

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teaching and learning. By far the most important lesson I learned as a young

Peace Corps teacher collaborating with a counterpart in a Philippines

classroom was that if you’re not taking pleasure in your work and your

students aren’t looking forward to your class, your effectiveness as an

educator is questionable…My answer is that, like so many others, I was

changed forever by my life and work in the Philippines.” (Peace Corps 2012)

Sarah Ambriz, a former volunteer, was sent to Guyana. Sarah graduated with

a degree in psychology and Spanish; and served as the head librarian while teaching

literacy courses. Ms Ambriz says, "Despite the change of culture, and resources, I

gained a lot of skills in literacy, teaching and enriching education" (Myers, 2011,

para. 4). Another volunteer Ms. Logan stated how the experience impacted her,

"You get a little perspective on life and you're not quite as caught up in yourself as

you were and you think 'what can I do to improve my community?'"(Myers, 2011,

para. 20). Volunteers experience many of the same feelings after returning. They

are positively affected and view the world in a whole new light.

Another organization that offers volunteer opportunities while providing

career development experience is Teach For America (TFA). Their mission is

focused on helping children in America. Often school districts in high poverty areas

have high population density, low income levels, and high crime rates. Many

teachers avoid taking positions in these areas (Heilig, Cole, Springel 2011 p. 389).

TFA strives to break these cycles and give students a chance at a better education. It

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is no surprise that teacher’s quality directly impacts the quality of their schools.

Effective teachers can have an enormous impact on student achievement.

TFA has impacted around 3 million students, their goal is to work with the

school and community to recruit, train, and support teachers. Their mission is to

lessen inequalities in America, and help poor communities. “Nine-year-olds growing

up in low-income communities are, on average, three grade levels behind their

higher-income peers. Half do not graduate from high school, and those who do have

reading and math skills at only the eighth-grade level. The TFA program gives these

students an edge” (Katz 2007). TFA fights for social inequalities in our own country,

and is a valuable organization.

There is a link between the economy and volunteering. “Economists think of

volunteer work as unpaid productive labor, in part because it is easier to measure it

with empirical indicators. But this tells us nothing about the diverse meaning of

volunteer work, nor does it explain why productive labor is, in this case, unpaid”

(Musick & Wilson 2008 p.12). GPD and other economic growth methods measure

economic growth and progress, but do not take into consideration the important

values and issues like health care, education, social services, and environmental

protection. They are solely based on numbers and percentages. Volunteering is

often over looked in these measures, but the benefits have a profound effect on

volunteer’s lives and the economy. These benefits reach in and affect many areas of

volunteer’s well-being, including social, career, and health benefits not to mention

the benefits to the economy. Society benefits when people volunteer by not having

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to paying these people thus saving the tax payer money. In turn over all well-being

rises leading to a happier society.

Volunteering opens doors to unthinkable opportunities. The benefits of

volunteering are endless; they include health, social, career opportunities, and an

overall increase in wellbeing. Volunteering starts with positive community feelings,

which is one of the five essential elements of wellbeing. “Community wellbeing isn’t

the first thing people think about when they evaluate their overall wellbeing. But

this element can actually be the differentiator between a good life and a great one”

(Rath & Harter, 2010 p.93). Reasons for involvement differ greatly, but the deed

itself speaks volumes. Organizations like the Peace Corps and Teach for America

offer life changing volunteer opportunities, where the volunteers can gain life-

changing experience and it can help them decided which career path they can

choose. Volunteering has many positive benefits for both the giver and the receiver.

Individuals need to find a cause they are passionate about and just begin donating

their time, energy and self. In donating their time people just may find that the real

beneficiaries are themselves. So get involved and help a brother out because in the

end we are all our “brother’s keeper.”

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Works CitedBureau of Statistics (2012, Feburary 22). Volunteering in the United States-2011. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/volun.pdf

Estrin, Michael. (2012, May 24). How volunteering can help you land the right job. Fox News Network. Retrieved from http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/05/24/how-volunteering-can-help-land-right-job/

Finkelstein, Marccia A., & Brannick, Michael T. (2007). APPLYING THEORIES OF INSTITUTIONAL HELPING TO INFORMAL VOLUNTEERING: MOTIVES, ROLE IDENTITY, AND PROSOCIAL PERSONALITY. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 35(1), 101-114.

Grimm, Robert, Spring , Kimberly, & Dietz, Nathan. Office of Research and Policy Development, Corporation for National and Community Service. (2007). The health benefits of volunteering: A review of recent research. Retrieved from website: http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/07_0506_hbr.pdf

Heilig, Julian, Cole, Heather. A., & Springel, Marilyn. A. (2011). ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION AND TEACH FOR AMERICA: THE SEARCH FOR HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS. Kansas Journal Of Law & Public Policy, 20(3), 388-412.

Hoffman-Cobbs., Elizabeth (1998). All You Need Is Love: Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Katz, Samantha, J. (2007). Teach for America, hope for the future. Bioscience, 57(9), 735-735. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/216473534?accountid=14183

Leland, John. (2011, November 1). Volunteering rises on the résumé. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/02/giving/volunteer-work-gains-stature-on-a-resume.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

McAdam, Doug, & Brandt, Cynthia (2009). Assessing the Effects of Voluntary Youth Service: The Case of Teach for America. Social Forces, 88(2), 945-969.

Musick, Marc A. & Wilson, John (2008). Volunteers: A Social Profile. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Myers, Jimmy. (2011, Dec 06). Years later, peace corps impact still felt. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/908472323?accountid=14183

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Office of Inspectoral General. (August, 2011 09). Volunteering in America. Retrieved from http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov

O’Brien, Liz, Townsend, Mardie, & Ebden, Matthew. (2010). ‘Doing Something Positive’: Volunteers’ Experiences of the Well-Being Benefits Derived from Practical Conservation Activities in Nature. Voluntas: International Journal Of Voluntary & Nonprofit Organizations, 21(4), 525-545. doi:10.1007/s11266-010-9149-1

Peace Corps. (July , 2012 16). Retrieved from http://www.peacecorps.gov

Rath, Tom & Harter, Jim (2010). Well Being: The Five Essential Elements. New York: Gallup Press.

Teach for America. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.teachforamerica.org