Substantial claims are made about the extent and impacts of volunteering, often characterised by limited engagement with research evidence. Volunteering is highly stratified, so whether it can bridge social divisions in an unequal society is questionable. Volunteering may have some benefits for individuals and communities, but these impacts are often marginal; volunteering is not a treatment that can be prescribed with certainty. There is certainly a strong 'spirit of service' evident in the British population, but it requires considerable faith to believe that it can be extended to all. This book provides a comprehensive and original overview of evidence about the patterns and impacts of volunteering, underpinning a novel, but sceptical, assessment of the contributions of voluntary action to British society.

Reviews

'Volunteering is so important to our society but is so often misunderstood and misinterpreted. John Mohan brings together all the evidence we have in a compelling way to tell the real story of UK volunteering and does a great service to academia, charities, policy makers and government. It's a book that has been needed for a long time.'
Dan Corry, Chief Executive, New Philanthropy Capital

'This long overdue analysis is a welcome contribution to our understanding of the scope and impact of volunteering. Based upon a wide-ranging review of post-war trends, policies and practice, this thought-provoking critical analysis challenges widely held views on volunteering. It ultimately questions why policy makers and practitioners alike are interested in volunteering - and provides insights into how we might support it in the future. Volunteering shouldn't be taken for granted - and this analysis should inform volunteering policy and practice over the coming decade.'
Karl Wilding, University of Kent

'Volunteering is as old as time - both universal and politically highly contested. In this insightful panoramic view, John Mohan skilfully both interrogates the debate about volunteering and at the same time promotes its real and eternal value.'
Julia Unwin, Chair of Civil Society Futures Inquiry 2017-19

'This wide-ranging review of the data on volunteering will be valuable for anyone with an interest in this topic. For those working with and leading volunteers, it offers an accessible route into engaging with the breadth of academic data on volunteering, and to understanding the changing policy context within which it has been operating in recent years.'
Helen Timbrell, Centre for Charity Effectiveness

Introduction

Part I Frameworks

1 Concepts and definitions: hunting Snarks and 'mapping volunteerland'
2 Trends in voluntary action

Part II Contours

Introduction to Part II
3 Diversity and inequality in voluntary action
4 Core and periphery
5 Community-level variations in voluntary action: places don't volunteer, people do
6 Circumstances, habits and trajectories: journeys into and through volunteering

Part III Impacts

Introduction to Part III
7 Do not expect miracles: the impacts of voluntary action
8 Volunteering, employability and policy
9 Volunteering, health and well-being
10 Volunteering and civic engagement

Part IV Changing contexts

Introduction to Part IV
11 Demographic change, economic circumstances and attitudes to volunteering
12 Cultivating and conserving the spirit of service
13 COVID-19 and voluntary action

Conclusions: Beveridge and the spirit of service
References
Index