University students are likely to be an important source of volunteers now and in the future. A study found that while university student volunteers and non-volunteers had similar personal characteristics, volunteers showed greater openness to new experiences. The most common volunteer activities of university students were teaching/coaching (24%) and providing care/support (24%). They volunteered most for schools (23%), social services (22%), and arts/recreation (18%). To retain university student volunteers, organizations should offer opportunities for them to expand responsibilities, try new approaches, and continue learning new skills.

1. I N T E R N A T I O N A L
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I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Y E A R O F
V O L U N T E E R S
V O L U N T E E R S
Y E A R O F
University Students as Volunteers
University students
as volunteers
The more education a person has, the
more likely he or she is to volunteer.
Today’s university students are likely
to be an important source of volunteers
for decades to come. What do we know
about these young people?
University students who volunteer
have the same personal and economic
characteristics as those who do not
volunteer, but they show a greater
openness to experience, according to
research undertaken for the
International Year of Volunteers.1
These students are characterized by
intellectual curiosity, active
imaginations, independent judgment,
and a preference for variety in their
lives.
Where they volunteer
and what they do
The most common volunteer activities
done by university students who
participated in this study were
teaching and coaching (24%) and
providing care or support to others
(24%).
Students volunteered most frequently
for schools (23%), social service
organizations (22%), arts, recreation
and social clubs (18%), and health
organizations (11%). Unlike older
adults, very few (7%) volunteered
through religious organizations.
University student volunteers in the
study contributed 23 hours per month
on average. More than one-half (56%)
were involved in two or more
volunteer activities.
Most Common Volunteer Activities
for University Students, by Percentage
Most Common Organizations Chosen by
University Students for Volunteering
Number of VolunteerActivities Taken on by
University Students
24% 24%
14% 13%
9%
16%
0%
50%
100%
Teaching or
Coaching
Providing Care
or Support to
Others
Organizing or
Supervising
Activities or
Events
Canvassing,
Campaigning or
Fundraising
Office/Admin-
istrative Work
Other
23% 22%
18%
11% 9% 7% 10%
0%
50%
100%
Schools Social Service
Organizations
Arts,
Recreation
and Social
Clubs
Health
Organizations
Sports
Organizations
Religious
Organizations
Other
44%
30%
19%
7%
0%
50%
100%
1 Activity 2 Activities 3 Activities 4 Activities

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IYVResearch
Program
For more information
on this and other
research projects visit
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Y E A R O F
V O L U N T E E R S
Research Program, Canadian Centre for Philanthropy
425 University Avenue, Suite 600
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1T6
Tel: 416.597.2293 Fax: 416.597.2294 E-mail: ccpresearch@ccp.ca
For more information on the International Year of Volunteers,
visit www.nonprofitscan.ca.
The Community Engagement Division of Human Resources
Development Canada (HRDC) provided financial support to this
project. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily
reflect those of HRDC, the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy, or
Volunteer Canada.
© 2002 Canadian Centre for Philanthropy
Susan Phillips
Carleton University
Brian R. Little
Carleton University
Laura Goodine
Carleton University
Quick Fact
Students who are satisfied
with their volunteer
activites report greater
satisfaction with their
academic work, their
physical health, and life in
general. They have a
greater sense of meaning
and purpose in life.
University Students’ Reasons
for Volunteering
1
The study surveyed 146 volunteers and non-volunteers from
first-year psychology courses at an Ontario university.
2
For each volunteer project that they were engaged in, students
were asked to give the reasons (as many as they wanted) they
were involved in it.
68%
34%
23% 22%
16% 15%
12%
4%
0%
50%
100%
Values Under-
standing
Enjoyment/
Fun
Enhance-
ment
Social Career Required Other
Why university
students volunteer
As the above figure shows, the most
common reason university students gave for
volunteering was that it fit with their
personal values (68%).2
One-third (34%)
volunteered to acquire and exercise new
skills and explore personal strengths
(Understanding). Almost one in four (22%)
got involved to feel needed and to feel
better about themselves (Enhancement).
What makes volunteering
satisfying for university
students?
University students find volunteering most
satisfying when they:
Learn new skills that can be used in
the work force.
Make new friends.
Feel “passionately engaged.”
What this means
for voluntary organizations
If university student volunteers perform
narrowly focused, routine activities with little
opportunity to find their own niche, learn
new things or test out values, they will likely
be dissatisfied with their volunteer
experience.
To retain university students as volunteers,
voluntary organizations should find ways to
allow their student volunteers to grow. They
can do this by:
Offering student volunteers the chance
to expand their volunteer
responsibilities.
Providing opportunities for student
volunteers to experiment with new
ways of doing things.
Helping student volunteers learn new
things.