Involuntary Volunteerism: What Happens When You Require People to 'Do Good?'

The voluntary nature of volunteerism has increasingly been called into question, particularly in situations where people are required to volunteer as part of a class or activity. This study questioned 357 students at a diverse urban university about their experiences with volunteerism, both as part of a class and not part of a class. Results suggest a disconnect between what participants "think" when asked about their hypothetical views about involuntary volunteering, versus their actual attitudes after having engaged in mandated service for a class. Although negative perceptions existed when participants thought about being forced to volunteer, after actually volunteering, the vast majority were very supportive of the experience. Overall, taken together the results suggest that the experience of forced volunteerism did not have a negative impact on future volunteer intentions.