Work in Voluntary Welfare Organizations A Sociological Study of Voluntary Welfare Organizations in Sweden

Since Sweden has one of the most comprehensive welfare states, the role of voluntary organizations active in the field of welfare is often neglected. The unique Swedish nonprofit sector is characterized by 1) the tradition of popular mass movements in which members are central and the real owners of the organization, 2) large membership and volunteering, but low employment levels, 3) dominance in the fields of culture and recreation, but the relative marginalization in welfare. This Ph.D. dissertation empirically studies work and the perception of work in voluntary welfare organizations (VWOs) in Sweden. A series of 38 interviews were performed with employees and volunteers in VWOs: 1) a children's rights organization; 2) a women's center; 3) a volunteer bureau; and 4) a humanitarian organization. A quantitative survey of some 200 VWOs supplements the qualitative data.Chartrand, Sebastien is the author of 'Work in Voluntary Welfare Organizations A Sociological Study of Voluntary Welfare Organizations in Sweden', published 2004 under ISBN 9789172658325 and ISBN 9172658320.