Rethinking Volunteering as a Form of Unpaid Work

Abstract

This article aims to problematize the ways in which volunteering is presently conceptualized, theorized, and studied by positioning it as a form of unpaid labor. Over six focal points, the article highlights areas that deserve closer scrutiny: the question of when volunteering is work; the formal–informal and paid–unpaid distinctions of work; the notion of “choice,” especially volunteering as the lack of paid work choices; the assumption that volunteer work is similar to informal work; and a recognition that volunteering consists of many different forms of activities, not just one.

Stereotypes of volunteers and nonprofit organizations' professionalization: A two‐study article

“…Second, findings from Study 2 show that when volunteers consider that NPOs are becoming increasingly professionalized, they consider their ingroup (i.e., volunteers) as less warm. This somehow supports the idea that money can drive out love (Overgaard, 2019): the trend to be more productive and business‐like (i.e., preoccupied with money) impacts volunteers as a group typically (self‐)perceived as “loving” or caring. This could be a risk or unintended negative side effect of professionalization (Ferreira et al, 2015), since altruism (i.e., showing warmth) is at the heart of the volunteers' role.…”

“…Moreover, although rarely related to the idea of paid labour, competence has been depicted as not being aligned with the typical orientations or values that volunteers adopt in their work, suggesting that competence is inconsistent with the idea of volunteering (Boezeman & Ellemers, 2008; Ruoranen et al, 2016). Moreover, as Overgaard (2019) noted, one belief that still prevails regarding volunteering is that “money drives out love.” This could be translated here in terms of stereotypes: from the moment money (paid employment) enters into play, love, kindness, and warmth leave it.…”

Career volunteering as good work in do-it-yourself heritage institutions: A serious leisure perspective

“…This conceptualisation involves thinking about volunteering not as the unpaid equivalent of paid labour (cf. Overgaard, 2019), but as an activity that is defined by complex relations between work and leisure. Although not paid for their labour, the volunteers of our study gain an array of personal and social rewards – developing skills and knowledges, forming social relationships and so on – while also contributing to the common good through the preservation of cultural heritage that might otherwise be lost or forgotten.…”

“…Dekker and Halman (2003: 1) outline the key elements of volunteering as follows: ‘It is non-obligatory; it is carried out (among other things) for the benefit of others, society as a whole or a specific organization; it is unpaid; and, somewhat less common, it takes place in an organised context.’ Keleman et al (2017: 1240) observe that volunteering ‘remains under-theorised by academia, being almost completely overlooked by the sociology of work’ (see also Taylor, 2004). For instance, volunteering has been conceptualised as the ‘unpaid opposite of paid labour’ (Overgaard, 2019: 129). In the sociology of work, ‘unpaid labour’ connotes inequality and injustice – a deficit model that does not always recognise ‘that a great deal of the labour that goes into sustaining and enhancing life in modern societies is unpaid’ (Hesmondhalgh, 2010: 276).…”

Volunteerism, mental health, and well-being in the lesbian, gay and bisexual community

“…Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) volunteers provide needed contributions to social service organizations yet are often a hidden, under-recognized, and rarely surveyed community across the fields of social work, volunteerism, and mental health research (Gates & Lillie, 2020;Gates et al, 2016). Volunteers are defined as those who engage in community activities, under the auspices of a social service organization, in a regular and sustained way and often without remuneration, recognition, or reward (Overgaard, 2019). Within mental health settings, volunteers often provide support to consumers with mental health conditions and their families; contribute to community education and outreach associated with raising awareness about the impact of mental health issues on the community; and advocate on a policy level for human rights protections for people affected by chronic and persistent mental health issues.…”