Accounting for the Varieties of Volunteering: New Global Statistical Standards Tested (Nonprofit and Civil Society Studies)

For a long time, volunteering lacked standardized data sets allowing methodologically robust comparative analyses and global policy making. Starting from 2011, the International Labour Office (ILO) and the United Nations (UN) have provided global statistical standards for organization-based and direct volunteering which offer path-breaking opportunities. The global statistical standards on volunteering are however only relatively known. They also have to face difficult methodological and substantial challenges: Can they really account for the local varieties of volunteering in the different areas of the world? Does their adoption further develop our knowledge of volunteering both at national and international level? Beyond illustrating which innovations these statistical standards bring and critically assessing the tensions between the global guidelines and the local differences, the book shows how the ILO and the UN standards can be implemented into national statistics and which advancements in the understanding of characters, antecedents and impacts of contemporary organization-based and direct volunteering they allow. The Volume takes Italy as an illustrative case that offers global value. This multidisciplinary book demonstrates that a holistic approach to the implementation of the ILO and UN guidelines permits to virtuously balance international statistical standards and locally embedded cultures as well as to move knowledge of volunteering forward in a complexity-driven agenda. The book provides tools, evidences and inspiration for scholars, statistical agencies, practitioners and policy-makers. Acknowledgements Reference Contents Chapter 1: Common Core and Variety of Volunteering: Testing International Standards in Italy 1.1 The Varieties of Volunteering: A Global Puzzle 1.1.1 The Challenge of Defining Volunteering 1.1.2 New Global Statistical Standards on Volunteering Emerge 1.1.3 A Step Forward: Illustrating, Critically Addressing and Testing the New Global Standards 1.2 Italian Heterogeneity: A Substantial Test-Case for the Global Statistical Standards 1.2.1 Italy, or Rather Italies: A Glimpse of a Mosaic Country 1.2.2 The Heterogeneity of the Italian Context in the Literature on (Un)Civicness and Social Participation 1.2.3 The Heterogeneity of the Italian Context in This Volume 1.3 Generating and Using Data on Volunteering: The Values of the Volume 1.3.1 A Partnership-Based Volume 1.3.2 The Structure of the Volume References Part I: Accounting for Volunteering and Its Varieties. A Global Challenge Chapter 2: The Commonalities of Volunteering: How Consensus Global Definitions Accommodate Regional Variations and Why It Is Important to Use Them 2.1 Introduction 2.1.1 A Sector Hidden in Plain Sight 2.1.2 Not Just an Academic Matter 2.1.3 In Search of Global Volunteering: The Game Plan 2.2 Toward a Consensus Conceptualization of Volunteering: The Approach 2.2.1 Key Criteria for an Acceptable Consensus Conceptualization of Volunteering 2.2.2 Three Operational Features for Meeting These Criteria 2.3 Key Challenges to Devising a Cross-national Comparative Conceptualization and Approach for Measuring Volunteer Work 2.3.1 A Contested Terrain 2.3.2 Significant Elements of Commonality 2.3.3 Divergences in the Understanding of These Common Elements 2.4 Operational Steps for Implementing This Inquiry 2.4.1 The Johns Hopkins Comparative Nonprofit Sector Project (JHU/CNP) 2.4.2 Penetrating the System of National Accounts: The UN Nonprofit Handbook Project 2.4.3 The ILO Manual on the Measurement of Volunteer Work 2.4.4 The EU Third Sector Project and the UN Satellite Account on Nonprofit and Related Institutions and Volunteer Work (UNSD, 2018) 2.5 Conceptualizing and Measuring Volunteering: From the What and the Why to the How 2.5.1 Defining Volunteering 2.5.2 What to Measure? 2.5.3 Designing the Measurement Instrument 2.6 Next Steps: A Promising Foundation for Future Volunteering Research 2.6.1 Final Thoughts References Chapter 3: Varieties and Changes of Volunteering: Challenges for an International Standard on Voluntary Action 3.1 Introduction 3.2 In Search of a Standard Understanding of Volunteering: An Unpacified Field 3.2.1 A Polyphonic and Multi-level Domain 3.2.2 The “Embeddedness Question” of Formal Definitions of Volunteering 3.2.3 Dealing with a Changing Phenomenon 3.2.4 The Understanding of Volunteering in the ILO Manual 3.3 Volunteering in Anglo-Saxon Countries 3.4 Volunteering in Continental Europe 3.5 Volunteering in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) 3.6 Volunteering in Sub-Saharan Africa 3.7 Volunteering in East Asia Area 3.8 Discussion and Conclusions References Chapter 4: Different Contexts, Different Data: A Review of Statistical Sources on Volunteering and Some Steps Beyond 4.1 Introduction 4.2 ILO Research Activities Related to the Measurement of Volunteer Work 4.3 Findings of the ILO Research 4.3.1 Data Sources Used to Measure Volunteer Work 4.3.2 Differences in Definitions of Volunteer Work Applied in Statistical Surveys 4.3.2.1 Voluntariness of Engagement in Unpaid Work 4.3.2.2 Unpaid Nature of Work 4.3.2.3 Work for the Benefit of Others 4.3.3 Reference Periods Applied in Measurement 4.3.4 Data Collection Period 4.4 Measurement Objectives 4.5 Questionnaire Design: Recommendations 4.6 Further Research Work References Chapter 5: Lessons Learned in Applying the International Official Statistical Standards to Volunteering: The Italian Experience 5.1 Issues of Method, Before and Beyond Methodology 5.2 Statistics on Nonprofits in Italy 5.2.1 Historical Excursus: Development of the Statistical System on Nonprofit Institutions 5.2.2 Statistics on Nonprofit Institutions: State of the Art 5.2.3 Definitions and Classifications Adopted 5.2.4 Organization-Based Volunteering in Nonprofit Institutions 5.2.5 Relationships with Stakeholders 5.3 Statistics on Volunteer Work in Italy 5.3.1 Historical Sources on Households: Methodological Issues, Problems and Gaps 5.3.2 The Adoption of the ILO Manual on the Measurement of Volunteer Work: Lessons from the Italian Implementation 5.3.3 Values Added through the Multi-Stakeholder Partnership 5.4 Satellite Account on Nonprofit and Related Institutions 5.4.1 The System of National Accounts: How It Works and Which Are Its Limitations for an Adequate Representation of the Third Sector 5.4.2 Teasing out the NPIs Hidden in the System of National Accounts 5.4.3 An Innovation Element: The Satellite Account of the Third Sector 5.4.4 Italian Nonprofit Satellite Account: Work in Progress 5.4.5 Issues of Perimeter: A Modular Approach 5.5 Data: Infrastructure for Human Development References Part II: Volunteering in Italy. A Test-Bed for the Global Statistical Standards Chapter 6: Heterogeneity of Context, Varieties of Volunteering: The Italian Case in an International Perspective 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Accounting for the Varieties of Volunteering in Complex Countries: The Social Embeddedness Hypothesis Revised 6.2.1 Making Social Embeddedness Hypothesis Multi-Scalar 6.2.2 Connecting Social Embeddedness Hypothesis to Meso- and Micro-Level Features 6.2.3 Defining the Multiple Contextual Features Affecting Volunteering 6.2.4 Adjusting the Social Embeddedness Hypothesis to the Complexity of Volunteering 6.3 The Social Embeddedness of Volunteering in Complex Countries: Dealing with the Italian Case 6.3.1 The Italian Diversity, as you Probably (Don’t) Know It 6.3.2 Italian Fragmentation and Antecedents of Volunteering 6.3.2.1 Demographic Features 6.3.2.2 Status Features 6.3.2.3 Participation Features 6.3.2.4 Contextual Features 6.4 Complex Country, Complex Volunteering? A Situated Analysis of the Varieties of Volunteering in Italy Through the Global Statistical Standards References Chapter 7: Volunteering in Italy: Characteristics and Profiles of Organization-Based and Direct Volunteers 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Volunteering in Italy: Rates and Characters of Organization-Based and Direct Volunteering 7.2.1 The Number of Volunteers 7.2.2 The Number of Hours Volunteered 7.2.3 Macro-typologies of Voluntary Engagement 7.2.4 Territorial Varieties in the Dimensions of Volunteering in Italy 7.2.4.1 Excavating Beneath the Surface of the North–South Cleavage 7.2.4.2 Beyond Regions, Urbanization as Determinant 7.2.4.3 Quantity of Time Determined by Territorial Characteristics 7.2.5 The Institutional Setting and the Field in Organization-Based Volunteer Work 7.2.6 Duration of Voluntary Activity 7.2.7 Multiple Commitments 7.3 Profiles of Volunteers: An Explorative Analysis 7.3.1 Framing and Methodology 7.3.2 Profiles of Organization-Based Volunteers 7.3.2.1 Committed Caregivers 7.3.2.2 Religious Educators 7.3.2.3 New Recruits 7.3.2.4 Investors in Culture 7.3.2.5 Sportsmen 7.3.2.6 Blood Donors 7.3.2.7 Leaders 7.3.3 Profiles of Direct Volunteers 7.3.3.1 Those Who... Lend a Helping Hand 7.3.3.2 Those Ladies Which... One Cannot Do Without 7.3.3.3 Those Who... Choose to Do It on Their Own 7.3.3.4 Those Who... to Donate Go Straight to the Hospital 7.3.4 The Diverse Presence of Volunteer Profiles in the Italian Territories 7.4 Conclusive Remarks References Chapter 8: Volunteer Work and Its Interrelationship with the Labor Market 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Literature Review on the Relationship Between Volunteering, Employment, and Employability 8.2.1 The Relationship Between Volunteering and Employment 8.2.2 Volunteering Improves Employability 8.2.3 The Replacement Hypothesis 8.3 The Narratives of Volunteering 8.3.1 The Text Mining Approach to Profiling Volunteer Activity 8.3.2 Volunteering as a Driver for New Occupations 8.4 What Do the Volunteers Do? 8.4.1 Occupational Characteristics of Volunteer Activities 8.4.2 Differences of Voluntary Occupations Across the Italian Territory 8.5 Volunteer Work and Paid Work in Comparison 8.5.1 A Skills Comparison of Employed Volunteers 8.5.2 Volunteers and Employability: Different Activities for Different Motivations 8.6 Skills Necessary for Volunteer Activities 8.7 Concluding Remarks References Chapter 9: A Late-ModernTransformation of the Motivations to Volunteer? A Social Perspective on Italy 9.1 Introduction 9.2 A Social Perspective of the Meanings of Volunteering and Some Hypotheses 9.2.1 Studying MTV: Two Directions 9.2.2 Territory, Life Course, and Status: Frames for a Social Understanding of the Meanings of Volunteering 9.3 Empirical Data, Analytical Strategy, and Results 9.3.1 Data 9.3.2 Analytical Strategy 9.3.3 Regression Results 9.3.3.1 Religious MTV 9.3.3.2 Civic MTV 9.3.3.3 Social and Self−Oriented MTV 9.3.3.4 Perceived Impacts and Meanings 9.4 Discussion and Conclusions References Part III: Boosting the Research on Antecedents and Impacts of Volunteering Chapter 10: The Antecedents to Volunteering in Italy: Toward a Complexity-Driven Perspective 10.1 Introduction 10.2 The Routes of the Antecedents of Volunteering: A Complexity-Driven Perspective 10.3 The Antecedents of Italian Volunteering: Analytical Strategy and Descriptive Statistics 10.3.1 The Life-Course Route 10.3.2 The Social Centrality Route 10.3.3 The Collective Identity Route 10.3.4 The Contextual Route 10.4 Discussion and Conclusions References Chapter 11: Volunteering and Trust: New Insights on a Classical Topic 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Trust and Social Capital 11.2.1 The Theoretical Framework 11.2.2 Trust and Volunteering: An Uncertain Connection 11.2.3 The Complex Role of Volunteer Work 11.3 Empirical Evidence 11.3.1 Operational Concepts and Measurement Issues 11.3.2 Basic Models and Descriptive Evidence 11.3.3 Multilevel Models and Inference 11.3.4 Variance Decomposition 11.3.5 Estimated Effects of Volunteering on Trust 11.3.6 Territorial Heterogeneity 11.4 Conclusions References Chapter 12: Learning Democratic Attitudes and Skills: Politics and Volunteer Engagement 12.1 Does Volunteer Activism Influence Political Attitudes and Behavior? 12.2 The Role of Associationism in a Participatory Democracy 12.3 The Different Forms of Political Participation 12.4 Politics, Associationism, and Volunteering in Italy 12.5 Volunteering and Political Participation 12.6 Social Centrality, Politics, and the Commitment to Volunteering 12.7 Political Participation and Volunteering: A Spurious Relationship? 12.8 Conclusions: Associative Participation as a School of Democracy for the Working Class References Chapter 13: Volunteering and Subjective Well-being 13.1 Personal, Psychological, and Social Well-being 13.2 The Factors that Contribute to Subjective Well-being 13.2.1 Volunteering and Subjective Well-being 13.2.2 Evidence from Cross-National Surveys 13.3 Evidence from the Italian Aspects of Daily Life Survey 13.3.1 Volunteers more Satisfied than Non-volunteers 13.3.2 Higher Satisfaction Scores for Organized Longtime Volunteers 13.3.3 Irrelevance of the Field of Activity 13.3.4 Volunteers Committed on Several Fronts More Satisfied than Volunteers Engaged in Only One Group 13.3.5 Significant Territorial Differences in Well-being 13.4 Conclusions References Chapter 14: Volunteering in a Complexity-Driven Perspective. Methodological and Substantial Lessons for a New Research Agenda 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Implementing the New International Statistical Standards on Volunteering in Italy: Key Features of a Holistic Approach 14.3 New Body of Knowledge. Findings about Italian Volunteering and beyond 14.3.1 Our Research Agenda 14.3.2 Uncovering Characteristics, Types, and Antecedents of Direct Volunteering 14.3.3 Deepening Knowledge on the Characteristics of Organization-Based Volunteering 14.3.4 Exploring the Relationships Between Different Types of Work 14.3.5 Unpacking the Different Layers of Antecedents of Volunteering 14.3.6 Moving Forward the Debate about the Impacts of Volunteering on Volunteers and Society 14.4 Methodological Challenges in Volunteering Research 14.5 Substantial Challenges for Future Research on Volunteering References Statistical Appendix The Italian Volunteering Survey Questionnaire: A Guidance Tool for the Implementation of the ILO Module Index