The high rates for educational, sporting or recreational fields among middle-aged people no doubt reflects the involvement of parents in the activities in which their children are involved. Hours worked as a volunteer While people aged 35-44 had the highest participation in voluntary work, they did not work the most hours. In general, the number of hours worked as a volunteer increased with the age of the volunteer. This correlates with the decrease in family and paid work commitments which come with increasing age. Overall, there was considerable variation in the hours volunteers worked.
Most people carry out volunteer work for more than one reason.
That is, they or a family member were previously involved with the organisation for which they then performed voluntary work. Inequality between Women and Men in Rural Australia , Oxford University Press, Melbourne.