When it comes to organized religion, there’s plenty of opportunities to give and give back. But what about people who don’t believe?

A paper by David Speed and Penny Egdell entitled, “Eternally Damned, Yet Socially Conscious? The Volunteerism of Canadian Atheists” addresses the question—are atheists just less inclined to volunteer than religious people?

The data suggests that atheists likely have fewer opportunities to volunteer but are similarly inclined to volunteer, according to Ryan Burge, data scientist and Faith Counts research director.

Watch the video: Ryan explains more about the paper

However, no matter what one believes, faith-based groups, which play a vital role in responding to rising societal issues, often provide volunteering opportunities for all, regardless of faith background, to contribute in a meaningful way.