Women as Volunteers and Activists

Abstract

This study used logistic regression analysis on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience to identify characteristics associated with the likelihood of female volunteers' engaging in activities to change social conditions and with the likelihood of female activists' being volunteers. Results suggested that volunteers are more likely to be activists to the extent that they perceive what they do as making a difference. Furthermore, they are likely to be found in organizations reflecting their own affinity for activism. Work decreases the extent to which women volunteer but does not affect their propensity for activism. Prior volunteer experience partially offsets some of the decreased time devoted to voluntarism due to work. Implications regarding the relationship between voluntarism and activism and for promoting voluntary activism in general are discussed.