Happy to Help? Exploring the Factors Associated with Variations in Rates of Volunteering Across Europe

Abstract

This is the unspecified version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link AbstractThe frequency of formal volunteering varies widely across European countries, and rates of formal volunteering are especially low among Eastern European countries. Why are there such large differences in volunteering rates when it is known that volunteering is beneficial for well-being? Using data from the latest round of the European Social Survey, we test three hypotheses to explain these cross-national differences in volunteering. We ask whether people in countries with low frequencies of volunteering spend more of their time on informal volunteering activities; whether they differ on socio-demographic variables which are known to be linked to volunteering rates; or whether they show less well-being benefit from formal volunteering. Contrary to the first hypothesis, we find a positive correlation between formal and informal volunteering. We further conclude that national differences in rates of volunteering cannot be fully explained by differences in the social, psychological or cultural factors associated with volunteering nor the outcome of volunteering. It is likely that contextual factors, such as a country's historical background or institutions, determine levels of volunteering to a large extent.

Fertility and Life Satisfaction in Rural Ethiopia

“…In the last twenty years, numerous studies in developed countries have shown parents reporting significantly lower or not significantly different well-being compared to non-parents with the number of children negatively affecting the most diverse subjective well-being measures (Clark and Oswald, 2002;Di Tella et al, 2003;Dockery, 2010;Hansen, 2012;Peiró, 2006;Plagnol and Huppert, 2010). Nevertheless, the link between these two variables appears mitigated or even reversed by the effect of other factors: parity, gender, marital status, economic status, welfare state.…”

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