Volunteering Among Female Homemakers: A Longitudinal Perspective

Although some evidence suggests that homemakers may engage more in formal volunteering than employed women, the pattern remains inconclusive, and the influence of time and place is understudied. This study investigates: “How does volunteering behavior of women differ when they are homemaking compared to when they are working, and what role does the residential and cultural context play?” Using Swiss Household Panel data (1999–2023), with a sample of 1517 women, we apply fixed-effects regression models. We find that women are equally likely to volunteer when homemaking as when working, but they contribute more hours. This positive effect is weaker for city-center residents, for those born after 1975 (vs. 1960–1975) and nowadays for recent movers. In conclusion, although homemakers volunteer more hours, this varies with residential and cultural context, and their (re)entry into the labor market is unlikely to substantially affect how many individuals engage in the formal voluntary sector.