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Volunteering Levels and Number of Hours Recorded
The number of individuals who volunteered reached its highest recorded level in the INDEPENDENT SECTOR series of surveys, almost 56% - a 13.7% increase in the rate of volunteering. The percentage of the adult population volunteering increased by almost 6 percentage points - a significant increase since 1995 when 49% reported volunteering. The average hours volunteered per week were 3.5, a decline from 4.2 hours in 1995. In 1998 an estimated 109.4 million adults volunteered, representing an 18% increase over the 93 million adults who volunteered in 1995.
Based on the latest data available on the average
hourly wage for nonagricultural workers as published in the Economic
Report of the President, the assigned hourly wage for volunteers
is $15.39.
Volunteers gave an estimated total of 19.9 billion hours in both formal and informal2 volunteering in 1998, about 2% lower than the total of 20.3 billion hours in 1995. Americans who volunteered formally in 1998 gave 15.8 billion hours, representing a small increase over the 15.7 billion hours they gave in 1995. These hours represented the equivalent of 9.3 million full-time employees, compared with 9.2 million equivalent full-time employees in 1995. The value of volunteer time was estimated at $225.9 billion, compared with $201.6 billion in 1995. Since 1987, the total value of volunteer time increased by 28% over and above the rate of inflation - over 30% since 1991. Americans who volunteered informally gave 4.1 billion hours in 1998, an 11% decrease from the 4.6 billion hours given in 1995.
Both the number and percentage of the adult population that reported volunteering increased significantly from 1995 to 1998 and was 10 percentage points higher than in 1987, although the total weekly hours per volunteer and the estimated total annual hours volunteered declined. The average number of hours volunteered may have declined due to the broader participation of individuals who did not regularly volunteer.
Type of Volunteer Work Performed and Activity Areas
Volunteer activities performed were varied and ranged from fundraising to service for a religious organization. The most popular areas of volunteer activity were:
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Direct service activity like serving food, undertaking repairs or shopping on behalf of others (24%) |
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fundraising (16%) |
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informal volunteering (15%) |
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religion (14%) |
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giving advice or counseling (11%) |
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youth (11%) |
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organizing an event (10%) |
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visiting people or offering companionship (9%) |
Frequency of Volunteering
For 41% of volunteers, serving is a sporadic, one-time activity. An almost equal number (39%) of volunteers preferred to volunteer at a scheduled time, either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Only a small number (9%) reported volunteering only at special times of the year such as Christmas or Hanukkah.
Why People Volunteer
Volunteers were asked a series of questions about the reasons they volunteered. The findings confirm what is already well known: volunteering provides a variety of personal benefits and satisfaction, in addition to the benefits received by nonprofit organizations and society as a whole.
The most important reasons cited were :
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feeling compassion for those in need (86%) |
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having an interest in the activity or work (72%) |
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gaining a new perspective on things (70%) |
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the importance of the activity to people the volunteer respects (63%) |
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