The Contribution of Personal and Social Resources to Volunteering among People Living in Poverty

2) The theory of empowerment (Peterson & Speer, 2000) is the basis for the selection of personal research resources (self-control and self-esteem), and for establishing the relationship between the variables in the research model.

The research design is a quantitative-statistical cross-sectional survey. Data was collected using questionnaires completed by 195 participants from across the country (Israel) aged 18 and above. The aim was to examine the unique factors contributing to the decision to volunteer among people living in poverty. The sample consisted of four groups: volunteers and non-volunteers, people living in poverty, and those not living in poverty. The research tool included questionnaires to measure sense of control, social support, self-esteem, belonging to the community, and socioeconomic level, along with background information about volunteering.

The results of the study indicated a significant correlation between volunteering and a sense of belonging to the community, such that among those who volunteered, there was a higher level of sense of belonging to the community. In addition, a significant effect was found for the interaction of age group and volunteering in relation to a sense of belonging to the community, such that among adults who volunteered, there was a higher sense of belonging to the community as well. Contradicting the study's hypotheses, no significant correlation between volunteering and self-control, self-esteem, and social support was found among the survey participants.

In the second part of the hypotheses, we examined the relationship between subjective and objective socioeconomic status and the decision to volunteer among the study participants. To test this hypothesis, we performed a logistical regression analysis with volunteering (a dichotomous variable of volunteers versus non-volunteers) as the dependent variable and socioeconomic status (subjective and objective) as one of the explanatory variables, along with four study measures (sense of control, self-esteem, social support, and sense of belonging to the community). The results of the regression analysis showed a significant correlation between subjective socioeconomic status and the decision to volunteer. Participants who subjectively perceived their economic status as better were almost three times more likely to volunteer compared to those who perceived their subjective economic status as not good. The objective measure of socioeconomic status did not have a contribution to the decision to volunteer.

To examine the question of whether personal and social resources (the four study measures) have a relationship with socioeconomic status and the decision to volunteer, we examined the "mediation model" of the study in two different ways:

1)    The subjective socioeconomic index.

2)    The objective socioeconomic index.

No correlation was found between any of the four study measures and objective socioeconomic status and the decision to volunteer. In the subjective index, a significant indirect effect was found only for the index of sense of belonging to the community. The correlation shows that a high level of subjective economic perception (wealth) is associated with a higher sense of belonging to the community, and a higher sense of belonging to the community is associated with a more positive tendency to volunteer. The indirect correlation found between socioeconomic status and the decision to volunteer through sense of belonging to the community is in addition to the direct connection found between subjective socioeconomic status and the decision to volunteer. In other words, study participants who reported a low subjective socioeconomic status also reported lower levels of sense of belonging to the community, which is also associated with a lower tendency to volunteer.

The current study was builds on previous research that has investigated the potential for volunteering to improve the lives of low-income people (Benenson & Stagg, 2016; Martinez, Crooks, Kim & Tanner, 2011; Sundeen, Raskoff & Garcia, 2007; Zanbar & Ellison, 2019). It has been found that for people living in poverty, volunteering can improve their lives and support their communities (Benenson & Stagg, 2016). Through volunteering, they can discover the power and mental empowerment that lies within them, leading to self-actualization and a better life (Martinez et al., 2011; Sundeen, Raskoff & Garcia, 2007; Fisher, 1999; Zanbar & Ellison, 2019). Of all four research measures, only sense of belonging to the community had a significant correlation with the decision to volunteer. Therefore, the main and most significant conclusion from the study was that to increase volunteering among people in general, and those living in poverty in particular, social workers must increase the sense of belonging of individuals within the community.

One possible explanation for this finding is related to "theory of social capital," which serves as the research framework and the selection of social resources in this study. High social capital in a social structure is characterized by a sense of mutual trust, high social interaction, exchange of information, and cooperation among members of the same community (Stone, 2001; Coleman, 1998). Studies have shown that high social capital predicts volunteering (Dee, 2004; Putnam, 1995), and that the resource of a sense of belonging to a community predicts high social capital (Stone, 2001; Coleman, 1988). When an individual feels a strong sense of belonging to the community in which they live, there is similarity between the characteristics of the community and their own characteristics. The individual experiences interdependence, common needs, a shared history, and more, and this increases their level of social capital (Friedman, 2015). Such belonging to the community expands social connections and opportunities, and greatly contributes to increasing the likelihood of the individual choosing to volunteer.

The finding that objective socioeconomic status (by income level) does not have a significant correlation with the decision to volunteer raises another conclusion. It emphasizes the concept of "empowerment theory," according to which everyone has the potential for strengths and skills that they can utilize (Fisher, 1999). People living in poverty also have abilities, knowledge, and a significant contribution to the community in which they live. The correlation between people living in poverty (measured by income) and not participating in volunteering was not confirmed in the current study. Only the aspect of self-perception of economic situation was found to have a significant correlation with the decision to volunteer. This finding contradicts the stereotype and social perception that the population living in poverty is weak and passive, deeply immersed in a "culture of dependence" and therefore not inclined to volunteering (Albee, 1981; Cohen, 2009).

The findings of this research are highly important at the practical, theoretical, and teaching levels. At the practical level, the findings identify the factors that motivate people in general, and particularly people in poverty, to choose volunteering. People tend to volunteer when they feel a high sense of belonging to the community. Therefore, to encourage volunteering in workplaces, activities must be created that strengthen and increase the sense of belonging to the community among individuals. Theoretically, the research expands existing knowledge about the characteristics that explain the decision to volunteer in general and in particular among people living in poverty, and renews empirical findings by showing that the social resource - a sense of belonging to the community - has a clear meaning and is more important than personal resources when it comes to volunteering. At the teaching level, the findings provide a reference for working with a population living in poverty and recruiting them to volunteer.