Gender, Educational Attainment and the value of unpaid Helping and Voluntary Work

Abstract

Previous research has shown that more highly educated people are more likely to engage in voluntary work through formally constituted organisations. Research with time use data confirms this but shows that the less educated, particularly women, engage in more unpaid helping to unrelated people outside their households. Both types of activity are important to social cohesion, but little is known about the types of activities and organisations involved. This paper explores these issues in detail, using data from the UK 2000 Time Use Survey. Estimates of the market value of different types of activity are presented and discussed in relation to educational attainment and the life-time trajectories associated with particular levels of qualification.