Preliminary Material / Fiona Duguid , Karsten Mündel and Daniel Schugurensky -- Introduction / Daniel Schugurensky -- Volunteer Work and Informal Learning: A Conceptual Discussion / Fiona Duguid , Karsten Mündel and Daniel Schugurensky -- Volunteer Work and Informal Learning: Major International and Canadian Trends / Susan Stowe -- Learning and Knowledge Transfer in Volunteering: Exploring the Experience of Red Cross Volunteers / Kunle Akingbola , Fiona Duguid and Martha Viveros -- Living and Learning Through Solidarity and Struggle: Assessing the Informal Learning of Frontier College Labourer-Teachers / J. Adam Perry -- The Experiences of Immigrants Who Volunteer to Improve Access the Labour Market: Pushing the Boundaries of “Volunteerism” / Bonnie Slade , Yang Cathy Luo and Daniel Schugurensky -- “Learning From Each Other”: Volunteers’ Learning Experiences in Housing Co-operatives / Fiona Duguid , Karsten Mündel and Daniel Schugurensky -- Learning Participatory Citizenship: Exploring the Informal Learning of Tenant Volunteers at Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) / Behrang Foroughi and Erica Mccollum -- Volunteers for Democracy: Informal Learning Through Participatory Budgeting / Daniel Schugurensky -- Creating Healthy Communities: The Transformative Potential of Volunteering in Community-Based Organizations / Karsten Mündel and Daniel Schugurensky -- Learning Through Volunteering in Social Movements: The Case of the Frente Cívico / Kate Rogers and Megan Haggerty -- Conclusions / Fiona Duguid , Karsten Mündel , Daniel Schugurensky and Megan Haggerty -- Contributors / Fiona Duguid , Karsten Mündel and Daniel Schugurensky.

Since most research on work focuses on paid work, and most literature on education concentrates on schools, it is not surprising that studies on the relations between work and learning emphasize the relations between paid employment and organized education. This unique book deals with an area that has been rarely covered in the literature on work and education: the connections between volunteer work and informal learning. Through a variety of examples, ranging from the Red Cross to teacher-labourers, from cooperatives to social housing, and from participatory democracy to environmental social movements, this volume examines the learning dimension of volunteer work in different contexts. It also considers the special case of volunteerism among recent immigrants. The case studies analyze three basic types of voluntary organizations: those providing social services, representing local communities and mobilizing for social change. The chapters include profiles of the actual work their members do and detailed accounts of the learning practices they are engaged in during their work, and the impact of such learning on their personal and professional development. The concluding chapter offers a comparative analysis, practical recommendations and steps for further research.

Description based on print version record.