Volunteering and Subjective Well-Being

ITSSOIN is funded by the EU‘s Seventh Framework Programme

Volunteering and Subjective Well-BeingArjen de WitRené BekkersDanique Karamat AliDave Verkaik

Center for Philanthropic Studies

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

A World to Win Conference

March 22, 2017

Rotterdam


2ITSSOIN• Impact of the Third Sector on Social Innovation • ITSSOIN is a research project funded under the

European Commission’s 7th Framework Programme responding to a call to investigate “The impact of the third sector on socio-economic development in Europe”. • The project is a research collaboration between 11

European institutions led by the University of Heidelberg and runs from 2014-2017.• Visit https://itssoin.eu to get all the reports

https://itssoin.eu/


3The VU Amsterdam Team

René Bekkers – Arjen de Wit – Dave Verkaik – Danique Karamat Ali


4ITSSOIN Papers• D2.3. Bekkers, R. & Verkaik, D. (2015). Empirical

Analyses of Citizen Perceptions of the Third Sector in Europe. • D3.1. Bekkers, R. & De Wit, A. (2014). Participation

in volunteering: What helps and hinders. • D3.2. Bekkers, R., & Verkaik, D.J. (2015). How to

Estimate What Participation in Third Sector Activities Does for Participants.• D3.3. De Wit, A., Bekkers, R., Karamat Ali, D. &

Verkaik, D. (2015). Welfare Impacts of Participation.


5Today’s talk• D2.3. Bekkers, R. & Verkaik, D. (2015). Empirical

Analyses of Citizen Perceptions of the Third Sector in Europe. • D3.1. Bekkers, R. & De Wit, A. (2014). Participation

in volunteering: What helps and hinders. • D3.2. Bekkers, R., & Verkaik, D.J. (2015). How to

Estimate What Participation in Third Sector Activities Does for Participants.• D3.3. De Wit, A., Bekkers, R., Karamat Ali, D. &

Verkaik, D. (2015). Welfare Impacts of Participation.


6What is the impact of volunteering?

Does volunteer increase your well-being? Does volunteering make you healthier?


7What is the impact of volunteering?

Does volunteer increase your well-being? Does volunteering make you healthier?

For example through… increasing social networks strengthening personality producing a ‘warm glow’


8Our starting point• The literature on volunteering clearly shows a higher

level of well-being among volunteers.• The exciting possibility emerges that volunteering may

promote the well-being of participants.• BUT…the higher level of well-being among volunteers

may also be the result of a higher willingness to volunteer among citizens who have a higher level of well-being.• In this case, pre-existing levels of well-being determine

volunteer choices, but are not affected by them.


9So… how to estimate the

impact of volunteering?


10So… how to estimate the

impact of volunteering?


11Research Design• In the absence of experimental data that randomize

people into volunteering, we analyze changes over time.• We first graph the development in the lives of

citizens as they move into and out of volunteering.• However, these changes could still reflect

influences of omitted variables.• Therefore, we apply fixed effects regression models

to eliminate influences of stable characteristics of citizens. This is a conservative test.


12Six Longitudinal Panel Data Surveys

1. German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP)2. British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) /

Understanding Society3. Swiss Household Panel (SHP)4. Giving in the Netherlands Panel Survey (GINPS)5. Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe

(SHARE) 6. Longitudinal Ageing Study Amsterdam (LASA)


13Six Longitudinal Panel Data Surveys

Survey Years Responses Respondents

German Socio Economic Panel (GSOEP) 1984-2011 451,053 56,360

British Household Panel Survey / Understanding Society (BHPS)

1996-2012 111,062 20,798

Swiss Household Panel (SHP) 1999-2013 126,638 16,628

Giving in the Netherlands Panel Survey (GINPS)

2002-2014 8,930 2,795

Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

2004-2011 138,971 55,657

Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA)

1993-2006 9,069 2,732

ALL 1984-2014 845,733 154,970


14MeasuresWell-being Health

GSOEP General life satisfaction (0-10)

Satisfaction with health (0-10)

BHPS Satisfaction with life (1-7) Subjective health (1-7)

SHP Satisfaction with life (0-10) Subjective health (1-10)

GINPS n/a Subjective health (1-5)

SHARE Satisfaction with life (0-10) Subjective health (1-5)

LASA CES-D depressive symptoms (reversed, 0-60)

Subjective health (1-5)


15Results at a glanceWell-being Health

GSOEP + +BHPS + +SHP 0 +GINPS +SHARE + +LASA + 0


16

• In our analyses we use six large datasets covering fifteen countries in Europe. • In total, we analyzed 845.733 survey responses

from 154.970 different respondents. • In all datasets, only respondents aged 18 and over

who participated in more than one wave were selected.• We rescaled all outcomes on a scale from 0 to 1.


17Volunteers show higher well-being


18Well-being over time


19Well-being over time


20First difference models (18+)



21

In Europe

In the Netherlands


22Well-being benefits increase with age

Not volunteering Volunteering0.67

0.68

0.69

0.7

0.71

0.72

0.73

0.74

0.75

20 40 60 80

Life

satis

facti

on


23Well-being ‘effects’ in three models

GSOEP BHPS SHP GINPS SHARE LASA0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

OLSFDFE


24Volunteers feel healthier


25Older volunteers feel healthier


26Older volunteers feel healthier


29Health benefits increase with age

Not volunteering Volunteering0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

20 40 60 80

Subj

ectiv

e he

alth


30Health ‘effects’ in three models

GSOEP BHPS SHP GINPS SHARE LASA0

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

0.12

OLSFDFE


31Same results, different conclusions


34Next steps• A mega-analysis pooling all datasets.• Estimating quantile regression models.• Conducing a variety of robustness checks.• Examining mediators• Social networks, psychological strength

• Examining moderators• Refining volunteering: intensity, frequency, sector, task• Subgroups: gender, age, education, religion, baseline


35Thank you

René Bekkers – Arjen de Wit – Dave Verkaik – Danique Karamat Ali

Volunteering and Subjective Well-Being

Science

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