In this article, we critically investigate the role that volunteering can have in the labor market inclusion of migrants. We consider how volunteering can both enhance and hinder inclusion through a comparison of two different contexts: Finland and the United Kingdom, where both welfare state and migration regimes are differently shaped. We also question whether volunteering to gain work experience can be defined as “volunteering” or whether it corresponds more with a definition of unpaid labor. Our research is based on 104 interviews with migrants (including refugees and asylum seekers) from various nationalities. We find that volunteering is used in both countries as a way to gain work experience, in the absence of opportunities to enter regular employment. However, volunteering rarely directly leads to employment even though it may facilitate it indirectly and, thus, risks trapping migrants in a vicious cycle that does not always lead to labor market inclusion.

Rethinking the Role of Volunteering in the Labor Market Inclusion of Migrants / Bontenbal, I.; Calo, F.; Montgomery, T.; Baglioni, S.. - In: NONPROFIT AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR QUARTERLY. - ISSN 1552-7395. - 53:1(2023), pp. 107-126. [10.1177/08997640231162352]

Rethinking the Role of Volunteering in the Labor Market Inclusion of Migrants

Baglioni S.
2023-01-01

Abstract

In this article, we critically investigate the role that volunteering can have in the labor market inclusion of migrants. We consider how volunteering can both enhance and hinder inclusion through a comparison of two different contexts: Finland and the United Kingdom, where both welfare state and migration regimes are differently shaped. We also question whether volunteering to gain work experience can be defined as “volunteering” or whether it corresponds more with a definition of unpaid labor. Our research is based on 104 interviews with migrants (including refugees and asylum seekers) from various nationalities. We find that volunteering is used in both countries as a way to gain work experience, in the absence of opportunities to enter regular employment. However, volunteering rarely directly leads to employment even though it may facilitate it indirectly and, thus, risks trapping migrants in a vicious cycle that does not always lead to labor market inclusion.
2023
Rethinking the Role of Volunteering in the Labor Market Inclusion of Migrants / Bontenbal, I.; Calo, F.; Montgomery, T.; Baglioni, S.. - In: NONPROFIT AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR QUARTERLY. - ISSN 1552-7395. - 53:1(2023), pp. 107-126. [10.1177/08997640231162352]
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11381/3000694
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 1
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact