Happy to help: welfare effects of a nationwide volunteering programme

Krekel, Christian ORCID: 0000-0001-5960-3891, Shreedhar, Ganga ORCID: 0000-0003-2517-2485, Lee, Helen, Marshall, Claire, Boler, Alison, Smith, Allison and Dolan, Paul (2024) Happy to help: welfare effects of a nationwide volunteering programme. Review of Economics and Statistics. pp. 1-64. ISSN 0034-6535

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Abstract

We study the wellbeing returns from volunteering in England's National Health Service (NHS) Volunteer Responders, set up in response to Covid-19. Using linked survey and administrative data, we exploit the oversubscription of volunteers and the random allocation of tasks via an app to establish causality. Volunteers show stronger wellbeing and feelings of belongingness and connectedness to their local area. Welfare analyses suggest that the benefits of the programme substantially exceeded its costs. We are the first to study the welfare effects of a nationwide volunteering programme. Our findings show that pro-social behaviour improves personal wellbeing as well as social welfare.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2024
Divisions:	?? UNIT000030 ??
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine H Social Sciences
JEL classification:	I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I3 - Welfare and Poverty > I31 - General Welfare; Basic Needs; Living Standards; Quality of Life; Happiness I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I3 - Welfare and Poverty > I38 - Government Policy; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D61 - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D64 - Altruism
Date Deposited:	02 Dec 2024 10:18
Last Modified:	07 May 2025 07:31
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/126209

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