Susan Baines

More and more is being expected of volunteers and the voluntary sector in the UK. But what does it mean to be a volunteer today? This book seeks to add new insights into individual action in that part of the economy that is beyond the state and the market. Volunteering is examined from the perspective of the individual, the organisation, and the community (of place, identity or interest).

This report takes a critical look at the costs and benefits for individuals and families of turning to self-employment as a route out of economic disadvantage. Drawing on in-depth interviews with self-employed people, their partners and children, the report argues that self-employment is much more likely to be a household rather than an individual undertaking. It makes the case for the need to consider work-life balance in relation to the self-employed.