Citizens serving government: The extent and distinctiveness of volunteer participation in local public agencies. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly

This article examines the extent of volunteer participation in local gov-ernment agencies, the distinctiveness of those volunteers in contrast to volunteers to other types of organizations, and the impact on public orga-nizations by volunteers. A review of recent research indicates that volun-teers can have a significant impact on the organizational practices and outcomes of local public agencies. The participation of volunteers in the provision and delivery of local gov-ernment services is not a new phenomenon. For example, citizen volun-teers have long been associated with police and fire services in the United States (Garry, 1980). Also, parent involvement in public schools and auxil-iaries in public hospitals (as well as private ones) have been common. Recently, as the nature of American society has changed, the demand for new kinds of volunteer services has arisen, such as language translators for non-English-speaking people and video technicians (Chavez and Hamer, 1988). With increasing concerns over budgetary reductions and the possi