The True Way Of Life

Volunteering is an important phenomenon worldwide. Volunteers provide essential social services, create and promote arts and culture, and contribute to associational life. Volunteering is an important form of social capital, volunteers contribute to civil society, and volunteers form social movements and carry out political advocacy. Volunteers form an important part of community organizations, and many community organizations are primarily or entirely made up of volunteers. In addition to being a means to these ends, volunteering is an end in itself, as it brings people together in relationships of solidarity and gives people a sense of purpose, meaning, and belonging. This article first defines volunteering and discusses the prevalence of volunteering in the United States. It then defines three types of community organizations in which people may volunteer: functional, moral, and interactive. It reviews the research on who volunteers and why, dividing causal factors into demographic characteristics, resources, motivations, social networks, and life course development. The third section discusses best practices in the management of volunteers.