IV.  PUBLIC SOCIETY / BENEFIT

SAN MATEO COUNTY

TYPES OF SERVICES CATEGORIES

24.  VOLUNTEER SERVICES

• 50% of all volunteers are employed outside the home. Volunteers now have to be recruited from the workplace. Corporations need to be encouraged to create release time programs in which employees volunteer on company time. 45% of all Americans donate an average of 4.7 hours a week to volunteer work. The largest percentage of volunteer time goes to religious organizations, informal education and health activities, in that order. Women still are the largest group of volunteers. There is a clear relationship between contributing volunteer time and giving: a higher percentage of volunteers donate money to charities than those who do not volunteer.

• There is a need for at-risk youth to serve their communities. Since many volunteer service programs include skills training, exposure to workplace requirements, and a chance to build a resume, these services clearly have a value for disadvantaged youth. Besides, servicing others can give young people who sense themselves as victims a chance to develop a sense of self-worth with a positive outlook for the future.

• Other people who benefit from the training and socialization of volunteer experience are people in transition such as immigrants, women entering the workforce, youth, those leaving the mental health system and those leaving the criminal justice system.

• Companionship services which link volunteers to clients need mote volunteers. Such services for the elderly and homebound prevent or delay costly institutionalization