This wiki is no longer updated. It is posted here for archival purposes only. External links will NOT be fixed.The contents of this wiki are as such was on October 31, 2013.
The wiki used to be hosted at https://ict4empl.wikispaces.com/

For more information about the ICT4EMPL Future Work project, contact: jrc-ipts-is-NEWS@ec.europa.eu
For more information about virtual volunteering, contact the "Internet-mediated volunteering in the EU" paper's author, Jayne Cravens, at at www.coyotebroad.com/me/contact.html

Volunteering for Employability and Social Inclusion


This page is no longer updated; the final paper has been submitted.


This page lists some of the resources used to inform this project regarding how volunteering may contribute to employability - skills development, career exploration, contacts for paid work, job (paid work) advancement, etc. - and social inclusion.

Raising Effectiveness of Volunteering in Europe through Adult Learning (REVEAL) - "In spite of the increasingly recognised role of volunteering as a catalyst for social and economic development, many inefficiencies affect its impact and undermine its potential... REVEAL is designed to timely respond to the fact that volunteers carry out many managerial and organisational activities for which require specific training." The web site includes a tool that assesses the user’s knowledge and skills across a number of relevant areas (Project Management, Financial Management, Communication & Public Relations and Public Speaking, and HR Management and Volunteer Management). The site also provides free online training packages aimed to build the knowledge and skills of volunteers and volunteer managers throughout Europe regarding these subjects. Information is available in English, Spanish, Italian, Croatian, Romanian and Swedish.

Link between volunteering and employment ‘complicated’ says new research (2 July 2013). by Angela Ellis Paine, Stephen McKay and Domenico Moro. Press release excerpt: "Policy initiatives have often focused on volunteering as a route to employment. But new research suggests that the link between volunteering and increased employability should not always be assumed. A study by the Third Sector Research Centre finds that volunteering can have a positive effect on the likelihood of some people getting a job – but this varies according to who you are and how often you volunteer... Overall, volunteering on a monthly basis had a positive effect on the likelihood of people gaining employment. However, volunteering on a weekly or more frequent basis had a negative effect on moving into employment. Volunteering had the most positive effect on employment for those aged 45 – 60. Those volunteering on a monthly or slightly less frequent basis were more likely to get a job in the next year. Among 26 – 44 year olds, volunteering had very little effect on gaining employment. The research also found no positive correlation between volunteering and the chances of students and young people gaining employment. However, these figures are likely to be affected by the number of students still in full time education and perhaps not seeking work." The research analysed data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) from 1998 – 2008. The BHPS is a long running panel survey with data available from 1991 – 2008/9.

According to the 2013 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey, more than three out of every four HR executives in the USA take a job applicant’s skilled volunteering experience into account when making a hiring decision; and believe it makes them a more desirable candidate. Further, a strong majority of HR executives in the USA also responded positively when asked about whether volunteering to develop or improve skills would be valuable or recommended for college graduates (91 percent) and veterans (76 percent), respectively. However, when asked if they have ever considered volunteering at a nonprofit without pay in order to develop skills, leadership, and marketability, less than half of USA college seniors (46 percent) and military personnel (48 percent) responded positively. Further a little more than one-third of college seniors (39 percent) and military personnel (35 percent) described themselves as being willing to volunteer as long as it provided an opportunity to develop skills, leadership, and marketability for a future job.

Adonis, A. (2003, July 1). Youth unemployment: it's not age that matters but lack of skills. The Guardian. Retrieved fromhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/01/youth-unemployment-not-age-lack-of-skills

Brewis, G., Hill M. and Stevens, D. (2010, September). Valuing Volunteer Management Skills Skills Third Sector and Institute. Retrieved fromhttp://www.valuenetwork.org.uk/Documents%20for%20Website/Employability/IVR%20Valuing%20vol_managmt_skills.pdf

Cox, M. (2013). Volunteering Helped Me Find a Job. British Red Cross blog. Retrieved from http://blogs.redcross.org.uk/emergencies/2013/01/volunteering-helped-me-find-a-job/

European Commission (2004). Joint report on social inclusion. Luxembourg, Publications Office of the European Union. Retrieved fromhttp://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_inclusion/docs/final_joint_inclusion_report_2003_en.pdf

European Commission (2013). Youth Policy. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-policies/social-inclusion_en.htm

Eurofound, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (2012). Volunteering - A force for change. Retrieved from
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/resourcepacks/volunteering.htm

European Framework (2006). Key competences for lifelong learning. Retrieved fromhttp://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/education_training_youth/lifelong_learning/c11090_en.htm

Gay, P. (1998) Getting into work: The role of volunteering in improved employability. Institute for Volunteering Research. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ivr.org.uk/images/stories/Institute-of-Volunteering-Research/Migrated-Resources/Documents/G/GETTING-INTO-WORK.pdf

Geoghegan, T. (2005, December 7). Is volunteering just for the privileged few? BBC News Magazine. Retrieved fromhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4504684.stm

McCloughan P., Batt W. H., Costine M., Scully D. (2011). Second European Quality of Life Survey, Participation in volunteering and unpaid work. EUFOUND (EUropean Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working COnditions). Retrieved from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2011/02/en/1/EF1102EN.pdf

Newton B., Oakley J., Pollard E. (2011). Volunteering: Supporting transitions. vinspired. Retrieved from http://vplatform-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/admin_assets/datas/1879/original/Volunteering-%20Supporting%20Transitions%20FINAL.pdf

Observatorio Navarro de Empleo (2012). 10 competencias críticas para la empleabilidad de los jóvenes, con instituciones educativas y empresas navarras. Servicio Navarro de Empleo at the Confederación de Empresarios de Navarra. Retrieved from http://ifuturo.org/es/publicaciones/habilidades%20criticas%20para%20empleabilidad%20de%20jovenes%20navarros.pdf

Shalayeva, K. (2012). Volunteering of Young People in Europe. The European Knowledge Centre of Youth Policies (EKCYP), a partnership between the European Union and the Council of Europe. Retrieved from
http://youth-partnership-eu.coe.int/youth-partnership/documents/EKCYP/Youth_Policy/docs/Voluntary/Research/Summary_report_VOLUNTEERING_OF_YOUNG_PEOPLE_IN_EUROPE.pdf

STEMNET - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Network (2010). Top 10 Employability Skills. University of Exeter. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk/dl/93e86358c0c032a84ba9f51a225a24507d2286f8/3058-Employability_skills_guide.pdf

Skills – Third Sector (2008). Volunteer Managers, National Occupational Standards. Retrieved from http://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/documents/NOS_Volunteer_Managers_Full_Version_NEW.pdf

Spera C., Ghertner R., Nerino A., DiTommaso A., (2013). Volunteering as a Pathway to Employment: Does Volunteering Increase Odds of Finding a Job for the Out of Work? Corporation for National and Community Service. Retrieved from http://www.nationalservice.gov/sites/default/files/upload/employment_research_report.pdf

Strauss, S. (2008). Volunteering and social inclusion: Interrelations between unemployment and civic engagement in Germany and Great Britain. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden.


VERSO-Volunteers for European Employment (2012). VERSO in short. Retrieved from http://verso.au.dk/news/verso-in-short/

Wiki Contents


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If you are interested in virtual volunteering, not just as it applies to Europe but as it is undertaken worldwide, please see the Virtual Volunteering Wiki, which continues to be updated.

For more information on how organizations can leverage Internet-mediated volunteering, see:

The ICT4EMPL wiki is now hosted by Jayne Cravens, who is also its author. She is NOT an employee of the European Commission.

For information on the ICT4EMPL project not already covered in this blog, for information regarding the future of the project, or for information on any European Commission projects, contact jrc-ipts-is-NEWS@ec.europa.eu

Return to ICT4EMPL wiki home page.