Volunteering
Volunteering is freely giving time and labor for community service.
Volunteering is the optional and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers have specialized training in fields such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue, while others provide services as needed, such as in response to natural disasters. The term has evolved from its military origins in the 17th century to encompass a wide range of charitable and community activities.
- first recorded non-military use
- 1630s
- percentage of US adult population volunt
- 26.5%
- total US volunteer hours (2012)
- 7.9 billion
- average hourly value of skills-based vol
- $220
Lore & Background
During the 19th century, the Great Awakening in America raised awareness of the disadvantaged and the movement against slavery. During the American Civil War, women volunteered to sew supplies for soldiers, and Clara Barton and a team of volunteers provided aid to servicemen.
Reader's Guide
Volunteering has evolved from military service to a broad social force, with formal organizations emerging in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Salvation Army, Rotary International, Kiwanis International, and Lions Clubs International were among the early charitable and service organizations. The Great Depression saw large-scale coordinated volunteering in the US, and World War II involved thousands of volunteer offices supporting military and home front needs. Volunteering now includes service learning, skills-based volunteering, virtual volunteering, micro-volunteering, environmental volunteering, and emergency response, with increasing importance as disasters grow in frequency and intensity.
Did You Know?
- The word 'volunteer' originally referred to someone who offered for military service, from Middle French 'voluntaire'.
- Skills-based volunteering is valued at an average of $220 per hour, compared to $18–20 for traditional volunteering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Volunteering in the labor & employment canon?
Volunteering is the act of an individual or group freely offering their time and labor toward community benefit, without being compelled or paid. It sits outside the traditional wage-employment framework and is defined by the donor's own choice to contribute.
How widespread is Volunteering in the United States?
Roughly 26.5 percent of the U.S. adult population participates in some form of volunteer work. In 2012 alone, Americans logged an estimated 7.9 billion hours of such service.
What kinds of roles does Volunteering cover?
The concept spans everything from highly trained contributions in medicine, education, and emergency rescue to more general community tasks. It also includes surge efforts such as responding to natural disasters, where volunteers fill whatever gaps are needed.
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