Who is Being Served? The Impact of Student Volunteering on Local Community Organizations

Abstract

This research investigated how local community-based and nonprofit organizations benefit from cooperation with community-based learning (CBL) initiatives such as service learning, internships, and volunteering. By examining data from local organizations that cooperate with a campus-based student volunteer program, the authors empirically assessed the extent to which local organizations benefit from cooperation with CBL initiatives. The data enabled comparisons of the relative contributions of university student volunteers and off-campus volunteers recruited from the larger community. The authors found that student volunteers constitute a substantial pool of volunteer labor for local organizations, yet they play different roles than community volunteers, roles that vary by organizational form. Student volunteers are generally the least likely to provide or help plan and coordinate services compared with community volunteers. These differences can be offset by a modest amount of training for student volunteers. The findings do not support the notion that students are used exclusively for routine tasks.