Finland. A recent study published by the OK Study Centre shows that volunteers are one of the pillars of the welfare state. Their labour input produces a six-fold result compared to the amount of money invested in it.

What society produces as public services, volunteers are able to do far more efficiently.

“One euro invested in voluntary work produces a six-euro outcome,” summarises Juhani Laasanen, researcher doctor at the University of Helsinki’s Ruralia Institute.

As the basis for this claim, Laasanen presents new research information on four non-governmental organisations, whose members look after children, attend to the vitality of rural areas, participate in volunteer fire brigades and are involved in life-saving.

The study focused on the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, the Finnish 4H Federation, the Finnish National Rescue Association and the Finnish Red Cross. Together, these organisations work an annual total of 11 million hours and 6,700 years.

Voluntary work input supplements paid labour input

In monetary terms, voluntary work carried out within the four organisations has a value in excess of 130 million euros. This is the amount by which public service costs would increase if voluntary work were to be replaced with paid labour.

Wouldn’t it be dangerous if the decision-makers were to notice that volunteers could do things that society should take care of? Not so much… at least not from the viewpoint of OK Study Centre, the commissioners of this study.

“Nobody can force or oblige someone to do voluntary work. The public sector can only encourage people to volunteer. For example, by offering more educational resources,” says executive director Anitta Pehkonen.

Various organisations annually arrange more than 2,000 educational events in collaboration with the OK Study Centre and in 2009, there were more than 40,000 participants.

Anitta Pehkonen points out that the volunteers do not replace public services, but instead supplement them. The exception in this respect is the voluntary fire brigade activity, which is based on the agreements concluded with associations.

The Finnish National Rescue Association, which organises the voluntary fire brigade activity, is an especially significant producer of voluntary work. If the contribution of its volunteers were to be replaced with paid labour, the net increment in costs would be 80 million euros.

Voluntary work in statistics

The productivity of voluntary work has taken researchers by surprise. There was no previous knowledge of its magnitude. Experts estimate that the savings impact of the voluntary work produced by the tertiary sector amounts to billions of euros.

“The systematic statistical monitoring and follow-up of voluntary work would appear to be necessary. Once we have a comprehensive information base, we will be able to assess matters such as the fairness of the funding distributed by society,” says Juhani Laasanen.

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