No abstract

The characteristics of teenage volunteers are examined.

Using data from a national survey, this article analyzes the relationship between volunteering and attitudes regarding personal goals, the role and responsibility of government, the charitable responsibility of individuals, and confidence in charitable and noncharitable institutions. It focuses on the differences between volunteers and nonvolunteers and between vol unteers to organizations operating under three different auspices (public, for-profit, and nonprofit) and in eleven different types of volunteer activ ities. The findings reveal that, when controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and social roles, statistically significant differences in per sonal goals and attitudes exist between volunteers and nonvolunteers, as well as among volunteers found in the three sectors and in various types of activities.

This paper reports the findings of a study that examines the relationship between family life course status (based on marital status, parenthood, and age of youngest child) and volunteer behavior. Also, the impact of being a single parent on volunteering is examined. Married parents are more likely to volunteer generally and, specifically, in certain youth-oriented activities. However, the status of married-with-children is negatively associated with the aggregate number of hours volunteered, while there is a positive association between single parents with school-age children and hours devoted to certain activities. Single parents with preschool children have neither the social supports of married parents to share roles, nor the relative freedom enjoyed by single persons with no children or with school-age children, and are less likely to volunteer or devote time to organized volunteer activities.