Does volunteering improve employability? Insights from the British Household Panel Survey and beyond

Paine, Angela Ellis; McKay, Stephen; Moro, Domenico

doi:10.1332/204080513x13807974909244

Cited by 42 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(27 reference statements)

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“…This is because the impact of reduced social capital from reduced mental health is less in older life-stages. The mechanisms by which this takes place could be that much civic engagement typically takes place in middle and older age groups [47]. Relatively greater social support and organisational recruitment mechanisms in these age groups, and particularly for females, have been shown to counter how reductions in mental health can lead to more social isolation [27].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is because of the obvious link between ageing and health [46]. The age groups of 16 to 29 years; 30 to 64 years; and, 65 years plus were adopted to both echo WHO guidelines on health and physical activity but also recognising that a lot of civic and social engagement, for example through volunteering, tends to take place in middle age rather than younger or very old age groups [47]. The use of age groups in the interactions distinguishes the effect of the constant accrual of age from how health at a particular stage of life affects social capital.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effect of health on social capital; a longitudinal observation study of the UK

2020

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Background: UK health policy increasingly focusses on health as an asset. This represents a shift of focus away from specific risk factors towards the more holistic capacity by which integrated care assets in the community support improvements in both health and the wider flourishing of individuals. Though the social determinants of health are well known, relatively little research has focussed on the impact of an individual's health on their social outcomes. This research investigates how improved health can deliver a social return through the development of social capital. Methods: An observational study is undertaken on 25 years of longitudinal data, from 1991, drawn from the harmonised British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and Understanding Society Survey (USS). Fixed effects instrumental variable panel data regression analysis is undertaken on individuals. The number of memberships of social organisations, as a measure of structural social capital, is regressed on subjectively measured general health and GHQ12 (Likert) scores. Distinction is drawn between males and females. Results: Improved general health increases social capital though differences exist between males and females. Interaction effects, that identify the impacts of health for different age groups, reveal that the effect of increased health on social capital is enhanced for males as they age. However, in the case of females increases in general health increase social capital only in connection with their age group. In contrast mental illness generally reduces social capital for males and females, and these effects are reduced through aging. Conclusions: Investing in health as an asset can improve the social outcomes of individuals. Increasing the outcomes requires tailoring integrated care systems to ensure that opportunities for social engagement are available to individuals and reflect age groups. Targeting improvements in mental health is required, particularly for younger age groups, to promote social capital. The results suggest the importance of ensuring that opportunity for engagement in social and civic organisation be linked to general and mental health care support.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of health on social capital; a longitudinal observation study of the UK

2020

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“…Participation may be motivated by the accrual of benefits to the individual volunteer in terms of, for example, social contact, skills development or networking, which may be perceived to positively influence future employment prospects (Holdsworth and Brewis ; Paine et al . ; Volunteering Australia ).…”

Section: Unpaid Work As Volunteeringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ubiquitous yet Ambiguous: An Integrative Review of Unpaid Work

Grant-Smith

McDonald

2017

Int J Management Reviews

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The expansion of participation in unpaid work such as internships, volunteering and educationally focused work placements may constitute evidence of deleterious changes to labour markets increasingly characterized by competition, precarious work and prolonged transitions to secure employment. Unpaid work, although under-researched, is increasingly relevant in times of ubiquitous unpaid internships and the use of volunteers in roles that would have been previously paid. Yet there remains a lack of clarity in terminology and focus across studies of unpaid work. This review article addresses this concern through two primary aims. First, we review the available literature around unpaid work setting out five themes: characterizations of unpaid work; the prevalence and underlying drivers of unpaid work; the apparent benefits of participation; the costs of participation; and regulatory and structural responses to unpaid work. Together, these themes set out a holistic interpretation of the accumulated state of knowledge in this area of inquiry including the implications for organizations, employers, higher education institutions, policy makers and unpaid workers. The second aim is to synthesise the current and emerging insights arising from the review as a matrix which delineates four distinct forms of unpaid work along two dimensions -purpose of participation and level of participatory discretion. The review and resulting matrix provides conceptual clarity around unpaid work practices that informs future research. It also raises pragmatic implications for institutional and managerial decision-making which is cognisant of the range of risks, costs, benefits and ethical issues associated with unpaid work. 1 We acknowledge that the policy details outlined in this manuscript are a reflection of the particular timeframe in which the research took place and as such is subject to change. However, we have included policy issues so that the reader is offered a snapshot of the policy and practice landscape relevant to unpaid work at the time of writing, and to which many of the papers cited respond.

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“…As noted by Ellis Paine, McKay and Moro (2013), most of these studies rely on the views of volunteers, specific social groups (women, refugees and higher education students) and rely on small sample sizes or anecdotal evidence (see also Booth, Park and Glomb 2009). They tend to suggest that competence development is one of the benefits of involvement in volunteering.…”

Section: Volunteering and Competence Development: The Empirical Basementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ellis Paine et al (2013) argue that the desire to learn new skills can be an important motivator for volunteering. Kamerade and Ellis Paine (2014) report that several studies suggest that volunteering enhances individual employability, through gains in aspects such as knowledge, skills, work attitudes, confidence, self-esteem (Hirst, 2001;Nichols and Ralston, 2011).…”

Section: Volunteering and Competence Development: The Empirical Basementioning

confidence: 99%

The investment model of volunteering in the EU-27 countries: volunteering, skills development and employability. A multi-level analysis

Souto-Otero

Shields

2016

European Societies

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This article contributes to a better understanding of the social acceptance of the investment model of volunteering, that is, the view that volunteering can enhance employability through the development of professionally relevant knowledge and competences. Based on the analysis of Eurobarometer data, the article explores: (1) the prevalence of the investment model of volunteering in the EU-27 countries and the extent to which this varies between individuals with the potential to make hiring decisions (IHP) and the general population, (2) the demographic factors associated with the acceptance of this model, (3) whether national differences in the acceptance of the model are better explained by variation between countries or cross-national demographic factors and (4) whether national institutional characteristics related to the competitiveness of the national labour market, the specificity of the education system, the strength of the continuing vocational training system and cultural factors influence acceptance. The results show that the acceptance of the investment model of volunteering is relatively widespread in Europe and that variation in the acceptance of the investment model amongst the general population is driven by both individual (age and class) and between-country differences (related to the strength of training for unemployed people), but variation is more attributable to differences between countries than cross-national demographic groups. IHP, on the other hand, tend to be more homogenous in their acceptance of the investment model than the general population.

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Does volunteering improve employability? Insights from the British Household Panel Survey and beyond

Cited by 42 publications

References 21 publications

The effect of health on social capital; a longitudinal observation study of the UK

The effect of health on social capital; a longitudinal observation study of the UK

Ubiquitous yet Ambiguous: An Integrative Review of Unpaid Work

The investment model of volunteering in the EU-27 countries: volunteering, skills development and employability. A multi-level analysis

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