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“Charity Begins at Home”: Informal Caring Barriers to Formal Volunteering Among Older People

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Simone Pettigrew Open the ORCID record for Simone Pettigrew [Opens in a new window] ,
Michelle Jongenelis ,
Ben Jackson  and
Robert U. Newton Open the ORCID record for Robert U. Newton [Opens in a new window]
Simone Pettigrew*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
Michelle Jongenelis*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
Ben Jackson*
Affiliation:
School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
Robert U. Newton*
Affiliation:
School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
*
Simone.pettigrew@curtin.edu.au
Michelle.jongenelis@curtin.edu.au
Ben.jackson@uwa.edu.au
r.newton@ecu.edu.au
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Abstract

Formal volunteering is an important economic and social activity. In many countries, prevalence of volunteering is decreasing overall, including among older people who constitute a major volunteering resource. This qualitative study explored reasons for non-volunteering among seniors, with a focus on those who attribute their non-volunteering to their existing helping commitments. Forty-nine Australian interviewees aged 60 + years described a range of social, psychological, and temporal factors that resulted in their prioritization of informal rather than formal volunteering activities. These factors are mapped onto a theoretical framework matrix, with social identity and social capital theories appearing to possess the most explanatory power. The findings suggest that programs designed to encourage formal volunteering among older people need to be implemented in a manner that recognizes that members of this group can hold many other responsibilities that limit their ability to participate, especially those assisting in the care of multiple generations.

Keywords

Formal volunteeringInformal volunteeringCaregivingQualitative analysis

Information

Type
Original Paper
Information
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 30 , Issue 5 , October 2019 , pp. 921 - 931
Copyright
Copyright © International Society for Third-Sector Research and The Johns Hopkins University 2018

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