Volunteering in the United Kingdom: The Spirit of Service

Substantial claims are made about the extent and impacts of volunteering, often characterised by limited engagement with research evidence. Volunteering is highly stratified, so whether it can bridge social divisions in an unequal society is questionable. Volunteering may have some benefits for individuals and communities, but these impacts are often marginal; volunteering is not a treatment that can be prescribed with certainty. There is certainly a strong ’spirit of service’ evident in the British population, but it requires considerable faith to believe that it can be extended to all. This book provides a comprehensive and original overview of evidence about the patterns and impacts of volunteering, underpinning a novel, but sceptical, assessment of the contributions of voluntary action to British society.

John Mohan is Professor of Social Policy at the University of Birmingham.