1. What are the benefits of volunteering for volunteers?
Arjen de Wit
René Bekkers
Danique Karamat Ali
Dave Verkaik
44th ARNOVA Conference
Center for Philanthropic Studies
November 20, 2015
VU University Amsterdam
Chicago

2. ITSSOIN Impact of the Third Sector on Social Innovation
ITSSOIN is a research project funded under the European Commission’s 7th Framework Programme responding to a call to investigate “The impact of the third sector on socio-economic development in Europe”.
The project is a research collaboration between 11 European institutions led by the University of Heidelberg and runs from
Visit to get all the reports

3. The VU Amsterdam Team
René Bekkers – Arjen de Wit – Dave Verkaik – Danique Karamat Ali

4. ITSSOIN Papers
D2.3. Bekkers, R. & Verkaik, D. (2015). Empirical Analyses of Citizen Perceptions of the Third Sector in Europe.
D3.1. Bekkers, R. & De Wit, A. (2014). Participation in volunteering: What helps and hinders.
D3.2. Bekkers, R., & Verkaik, D.J. (2015). How to Estimate What Participation in Third Sector Activities Does for Participants.
D3.3. De Wit, A., Bekkers, R., Karamat Ali, D. & Verkaik, D. (2015). Welfare Impacts of Participation.

5. Today’s talk
D2.3. Bekkers, R. & Verkaik, D. (2015). Empirical Analyses of Citizen Perceptions of the Third Sector in Europe.
D3.1. Bekkers, R. & De Wit, A. (2014). Participation in volunteering: What helps and hinders.
D3.2. Bekkers, R., & Verkaik, D.J. (2015). How to Estimate What Participation in Third Sector Activities Does for Participants.
D3.3. De Wit, A., Bekkers, R., Karamat Ali, D. & Verkaik, D. (2015). Welfare Impacts of Participation.

6. Our starting point
The literature on volunteering clearly shows a higher level of well-being among volunteers.
The exciting possibility emerges that volunteering may promote the well-being of participants.
BUT…the higher level of wellbeing among volunteers may also be the result of a higher willingness to volunteer among citizens who have a higher level of wellbeing.
In this case, pre-existing levels of well-being determine volunteer choices, but are not affected by them.

7. So… how to estimate the impact of volunteering?

8. So… how to estimate the impact of volunteering?

9. Research Design
In the absence of experimental data that randomize people into volunteering, we analyze changes over time.
We first graph the development in the lives of citizens as they move into and out of volunteering.
However, these changes could still reflect influences of omitted variables.
Therefore, we apply fixed effects regression models to eliminate influences of stable characteristics of citizens. This is a conservative test.

10. What is the impact of volunteering?
Does volunteering make you healthier?
Does volunteer increase your well-being?
Does volunteering increase your social network?
Does volunteering strengthen your position on the job market?

11. Six Longitudinal Panel Data Surveys
German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP)
British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) / Understanding Society
Swiss Household Panel (SHP)
Giving in the Netherlands Panel Survey (GINPS)
Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)
Longitudinal Ageing Study Amsterdam (LASA)

12. Six Longitudinal Panel Data Surveys
Years
Responses
Respondents
German Socio Economic Panel (GSOEP)
451,053
56,360
British Household Panel Survey / Understanding Society (BHPS)
111,062
20,798
Swiss Household Panel (SHP)
126,638
16,628
Giving in the Netherlands Panel Survey (GINPS)
8,930
2,795
Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)
138,971
55,657
Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA)
9,069
2,732
ALL
845,733
154,970

13. Results at a glance Healthy Happy Working Networking GSOEP + BHPS -
SHP
GINPS
SHARE
LASA

14. In our analyses we use six large datasets covering fifteen countries in Europe.
In total, we analysed survey responses from different respondents.
In all datasets, only respondents aged 18 and over who participated in more than one wave were selected.
We rescaled all outcomes on a scale from 0 to 1.

15. Volunteers are happier

16. Happiness over time

17. Happiness over time

18. First difference models (18+)

19. Happiness among 55+
In Europe
In the Netherlands

20. Volunteers feel healthier

21. Older volunteers feel healthier

22. Older volunteers feel healthier

23. First difference estimates (55+)

24. Health among 18+

25. Happiness ‘effects’ in three models

26. Health ‘effects’ in three models

27. Paid work

28. Social networks

29. Next steps A mega-analysis pooling all datasets.
Estimating quantile regression models.
Conducing a variety of robustness checks.
Examining moderators
Refining volunteering: intensity, frequency, sector, task
Subgroups: gender, age, education, religion, baseline
Examining mediators
Social networks, psychological strength