Sense of Community and Being a Volunteer Among the Young-Old

Abstract

This study tests the hypothesis derived from Omoto and Snyder’s context-and-process model that sense of community is an independent predictor of volunteering among young-old adults. A secondary analysis was carried out on data from the U.S. Survey of Midlife Development using respondents 60-74 years old (N = 653). Controlling for demographic factors and human, social, and cultural capital variables, a logistic regression model indicated that as sense of community increased, the likelihood of volunteering increased. Among the control variables, working 40 or more hr per week (relative to not working) and being divorced, separated, or widowed (relative to being married) were associated with lower rates of volunteering. The likelihood of volunteering increased as education, organizational ties, church attendance, and generative concern increased. Efforts to retain young-old adult volunteers should emphasize how the organization’s activities reflect humanitarian values, provide opportunities to show a concern for the community, and benefit community members.