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Two hundred two volunteers and l8 volunteer coordinators within the 25 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) in the Commonwealth of Virginia responded to two separate questionnaires regarding the AAA volunteer network. The survey revealed that the volunteer sample was predominately female, white, married, Protestant, retired, educated beyond high school, and that incomes for over 60% of the sample were below $20,000. Both volunteer and coordinator samples stated that the home delivered meals program involved the highest number of volunteers. The average time spent volunteering was 4.9 hours a week. The economic value of the volunteers' contributions was determined to be over $4 million within the fiscal year just ended, based on the minimum of $3.35. The volunteers reported having been recruited to volunteer in the AAA by friends, newspapers, and senior citizens' centers. Both samples agreed that meetings were the most often used orientation method. Training was most often done on-the-job according to both samples. The majority of coordinators reported using an informal type of evaluation for volunteers in the AAAs. / Master of Science

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The past two decades have seen a growing interest in volunteering in South Africa as the new democracy struggles with providing services while ensuring the economic and social inclusion of its populace. This interest is inspired by the desire, especially by government, to harness the benefits of volunteering to assist in dealing with the challenges of unemployment, poverty and inadequate levels of service delivery. However, because individual characteristics, needs and attitudes are linked to volunteering, it requires a careful understanding of its determinants and motivations if its potential for development is to be realised (Anheier & Salamon, 1999). This research therefore investigated which human, social and cultural capital variables best explain volunteering in South Africa. The aim was to understand how the interaction of poverty, inequality, and religious adherence in the country influence the chances of volunteering, the choice of activity and the sense people make of their participation. The understanding of this interaction is important, because as much as volunteering is “hailed as supporting democratic and participatory principles” the reality may be that it “perpetuates existing power imbalances”, and thereby serves to entrench existing inequalities (Hustinx, Cnaan & Handy, 2010, p. 426). To achieve the above aims the researcher adopted a holistic approach to the study of volunteering, with both an integrated theory and research design. Consequently, Wilson and Musick’s (1997) integrated resources theory of volunteering guided the study. Additionally, in line with the research aims and theory, a sequential mixed methods design was employed, consisting of two phases. In research Phase I, the 2001 South African wave of the World Values Survey was examined through logistic and descriptive analysis to examine the patterns and determinants of volunteering. In research Phase II, the study investigated which human, social and cultural capital factors feature in volunteers’ interpretations of their actions. The findings of Phase I revealed that most South Africans partake in formal volunteering and prefer to do so in religious, community and health and sports organisations. Additionally, they showed that, true to the findings of other studies, human capital is an important determinant of volunteering. The results indicate that human capital factors such as educational attainment and income form the basis for certain groups to be excluded from volunteer activities. Another interesting result among the human capital variables was the negative relationship between employment and volunteering. Prejudice and civic-mindedness were consistent positive predictors of volunteering among the social capital variables, while religiosity also came out as a significant predictor of volunteering. Participants’ narratives in research Phase II revealed that altruism and egoistic influences are important factors in decisions to volunteer. This is evident in how they understood volunteering as being an expression of ‘Ubuntu’, but at the same time a means to employment. Indeed, these two themes emerged as the most common themes in participants’ constructions. Most participants noted giving back to their communities as a reason, yet some also mentioned volunteering as a means to survive the harsh township life of poverty, unemployment and crime and violence. This instrumentalising of volunteering was also evident in the participants’ reasons to stay committed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oor die afgelope twee dekades was daar ʼn groeiende belangstelling in vrywilligheidswerk in Suid Afrika, soos die nuwe demokrasie sukkel om dienste te lewer asook ekonomiese en sosiale insluiting vir sy mense te verseker. Die belangstelling word ge-inspireër deur die begeerte, veral van die regering af, om die aktiwiteit se voordele om die probleme van werkloosheid, armoede en onvoldoende vlakke van diens- lewering te tuis. Egter, as gevolg van individuele karaktertrekke, behoeftes en houdings wat geheg is aan vrywilligheidswerk, is dit nodig vir ʼn begrip van die bepalings en motivering agter dit, as dit die potensiaal het om ontwikkeling aan te spoor (Anheier & Salamon, 1999). Met hierdie navorsing het ek ondersoek watter menselike, sosiale en kulturele veranderlikes vrywilligheidswerk in Suid Afrika die beste verduidelik. My doel is om te verstaan hoe die interaksie tussen armoede, ongelykhede en godsdienstige nakomste in die land, die kanse van vrywilligheidswerk, die keuse van aktiwiteit en die sin wat mense maak van hulle deelname impak. Dis belangrik om hierdie interaksie te verstaan, want alhoewel vrywilligheidswerk “[is] hailed as supporting democratic and participatory principles” die realiteit is dat “[it] perpetuates existing power imbalances”, en deur dit word ongelykhede vergerger (Hustinx et al., 2010, p. 426). Om die bogenoemde doelwitte te bereik, het ek ʼn holistiese benadering van die studie van vrywilligheidswerk aangeneem, met beide ʼn gëintegreerde teorie en navorsing ontwerp. Wilson en Musick’s (1997) gëintegreerde hulpbronne teorie van vrywilligheidswerk het die studie gelei. In lyn met die navorsing se doelwitte en teorie, het ek ʼn sekwensiële gemengde metodes ontwerp gebruik wat uit twee fase bestaan. In Fase I van die navorsing het ek die World Value Survey (2001) van Suid Afrika ontleed in ʼn logiese en beskrywende vorm om die patrone van die bepalings van vrywilligheids werk te ondersoek. In Fase II van die navorsing het ek die hulpbronne verwante faktore wat te vore kom in vrywilliges se interpretasies van hul aksies, ondersoek. Die resultate van Fase I wys dat meeste Suid Afrikaners deelneem aan formele vrywilligheidswerk en verkies om so te doen in ʼn godsdientige, gemeenskaplike, gesondheids of sport organisasie. Hulle wys ook dat, dieselfde soos in ander studies, menselike kapitaal ʼn baie belangrike bepaling is van vrywilligheidswerk. Die resultate bewys dat menselike kapitaal faktore soos ovoeding en inkomste die rede is hoekom sekere groepe uitgesluit is uit vrywilligheidswerk aktiwiteite. ʼn Ander interessante resultaat in die menselike faktore is dat daar ʼn negatiewe verhouding is tussen mense wat werk en vrywilligheidswerk. A Vooroordeel en burgerlike gee was die enigste twee faktore wat konstante, positiewe veranderlikes van vrywilligheidswerk in verband met menselike kapitaal was. Godsdiens het ook sterk voorgekom as ʼn rede vir vrywilligheidswerk, veral kerk bywoning. Deelnemers se beskrywings in Fase II van die navorsing wys dat altrϋisme en egoїstiese invloede belangrike faktore is in die keuse om vrywillige werk te doen. Die getuienis van hierdie is in die feit dat hulle vrywillige werk sien as ʼn uitdrukking van ‘Ubuntu’ en op dieselfde tyd ʼn manier om werk te bekom. Hierdie twee temas het na vore gekom uit verduidelikings vir hulle eerste vrywilligheidswerk. Baie deelnemers het gesê dat hulle terug gee aan hulle gemeenskappe. Dit was nog ʼn rede om vrywilligheidswerk te doen. Sommige het ook gesê dat vrywilligheidswerk een manier is om die swaar township lewe van armoede, werkloosheid, geweld en misdaad te oorleef. Dit was ook ʼn rede vir baie van die vrywilliges om getrou te bly aan vrywilligheidswerk.

本研究從人類學角度探討非牟利或慈善工作於香港的現況，以志願者及全職受薪工作人員為主要研究對象，並對他們的個人背景、以至他們對慈善工作的看法，作出詳細分析和比較。田野訪談結果顯示，慈善團體內的全職受薪工作人員，在業餘參與義務工作的原因各異；其參與義務工作的原因，不外乎偶然機會，又或是希望暫時逃離刻板的辦公室生活。然而，把他們慈善團體受薪工作與“意義掛勾的報導人當中，又以經濟獨立、服務性質屬於後勤者居多。 / 而志願者方面，他們參與義務工作的目的，主要為了獲取獨特經歷、學習技能、接觸社會上不同層面的人士，以及服務他人。本研究指出：雖然志願工作相對簡單，也不一定在表現上勝於全職行政服務工作，但是通常被認定為更具意義，也對服務對象更有助益。而通過田野訪談及觀察所得，志願工作者與全職職員在參與工作的動機最大不同之處，乃他們的家庭責任觀，以及經濟狀況。作者旨在說明“慈善相關工作的意義“，在香港這個社經氛圍底下，主要在於經濟獨立程度；由是，從參與慈善相關工作衍生出來的象徵性資本，在工作非為應付迫切經濟需要時，方才顯得重要。 / The present thesis is an attempt to understand the meaning of nonprofit work, both paid and unpaid, in Hong Kong. Specifically, I wish to understand the motivations individuals have for becoming involved in paid and volunteer nonprofit work, and how these individuals negotiate new identities for themselves through their involvement in this work. This thesis argues that, rather than a purely spontaneous outpouring of goodwill, altruism itself is a self-enhancement strategy and a counterbalance to the frustrations imposed by a capitalist society no longer able to offer the same promises for fulfillment in work that might have been expected previously. Altruistic acts, both paid and unpaid, are a way for individuals to renegotiate more positive identities for themselves. The “meaning in meaningful employment belongs disproportionately to those who already enjoy a comparatively great amount of economic freedom. Moving to lower levels of economic freedom finds individuals employed in altruistic roles more likely to perceive of their work as personally fulfilling, rather than identifying with the mission of their chosen organizations, while at the lowest levels, we find individuals who have merely ended up in their roles by accident. / The same self-enhancement strategy used by paid employees appears in the narratives of volunteers. While the primary spoken motivations of volunteers interviewed are to enjoy unique experiences and gain skills, to come into contact with different types of people, and to help others (confirming previous research on the reasons why people volunteer), the specific motivation a volunteer reports aligns closely with their relative level of socioeconomic mobility. Thus, the key difference between volunteers and full-time employees is that volunteers conceive of their volunteering as an enhancement of their primary identity as a worker or member of a family, rather than as a rejection of those roles. I argue that the life cycle of working-class and middle-class Hong Kong people makes societally meaningful employment a luxury that few can afford. In short, the ability to spend one’s time meaningfully is itself a marker of high socioeconomic standing. Thus, those with greater socioeconomic standing are more likely to be praised for their involvement, though their contribution is less reliable, their role is more interchangeable, and the work has the least interaction with the very problems they are trying to solve. Altruism functions as another form of cultural capital with which individuals fashion and assert their own place within the social hierarchy. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Mc Kay, Scott Alan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 144-149). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / 論文摘要 --- p.iii / Declaration of Anonymity and Confidentiality --- p.iv / Acknowledgements --- p.v / List of Figures --- p.vii / Table of Contents --- p.viii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / About Hong Kong’s nonprofit sector --- p.3 / Literature Review --- p.7 / Objectives and Significance --- p.28 / Methodology --- p.30 / Chapter Overview --- p.35 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Employees of NGOs --- p.37 / Public performance and private selves: the meaning-motivated employee --- p.38 / Challenge and Moral Ambiguity: Experience-motivated Employees --- p.56 / Chance and Personal Connection: Unmotivated Employees --- p.65 / Conclusion --- p.73 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Volunteers of NGOs --- p.76 / Community, Altruism and the Abstract Meaning of Volunteer Work --- p.77 / Self-enhancement and Growing Up: Experience-Oriented Volunteering --- p.91 / The Influence of the Life Cycle --- p.113 / The Social Hierarchy of Moral Capital --- p.117 / Conclusion --- p.121 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Conclusion --- p.123 / The Thesis --- p.124 / Analysis --- p.125 / Limitations of the study --- p.130 / Suggestions for further research --- p.133 / Final Thoughts --- p.136 / References cited --- p.137

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: On a global scale, there are substantial studies about volunteerism. However, literature on volunteerism in South Africa, especially qualitative studies, is limited. The limited literature in South Africa does, however, suggest differences between Northern and Southern global contexts in terms of motivation for volunteering. In order to further build the South African literature in this area, this study explored the experiences of volunteers in a Stellenbosch based NPO. Their experiences encapsulate their motivations, challenges, and benefits of volunteering in their role as mentors to marginalised youth in this area. An overarching developmental framework was utilised to understand the volunteers’ motivations, and supplementary perspectives (Role-ID theory; citizenship and mentoring) were used to explore and contextualise their experiences. Within this framework, a qualitative methodology was employed to explore, gather, describe, and interpret the data. Two group interviews with 5 participants each were conducted. This was supplemented by 3 individual interviews. An interpretive phenomenological analytical approach was used to analyse the data. Findings suggested that other-oriented motivations, citizenship, sense of belonging, social exchange, self-enhancement, positive role model identity, improved personal and familial relations, wilderness solo experience, personal satisfaction and reward in seeing the fruit of their labour were some of the significant themes that emerged for volunteers from their volunteer experience. The main challenge they faced was that of transport mobility to keep mentor appointments. The implications of the findings for South African perspectives on volunteering are discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wêreldwyd is daar navorsing gedoen oor vrywillige werk. Die literatuur is nietemin in hierdie vakgebied beperk, veral met betrekking tot kwalitatiewe studies in die Suid Afrikaanse konteks. Die Suid-Afrikaanse literatuur wat wel bestaan dui daarop aan dat daar sommige verskille bestaan tussen navorsing wat in die globale Noorde en Suide gedoen is. Die verskil is die van vrywillige werkers se motiverings om vrywillige werk te doen. Om Suid Afrikaanse navorsing in die gebied te versterk, fokus hierdie studie op die ervaringe van vrywillige werkers by ‘n nie-staat/regerings organisasie in Stellenbosch, Wes-Kaap. Hul ervaringe bestaan uit hul motiverings, uitdagings, en wat hulle beskou as voordele van hul rolle as mentors vir gemarginaliseerde jeug in die omgewing. ‘n Oorkoepelende ontwikkelingraamwerk was benut, om die motivering van vrywilligers en die aanvullende perspektiewe (burgerskap, mentorskap en identiteits-rol teorie) te verstaan en ook om verder hul ervaringe te verken en te kontekstualiseer. 'n Kwalitatiewe metodologie is binne hierdie raamwerk gebruik om data te verken, versamel, beskryf, en te interpreteer. Twee groeps onderhoude van vyf deelnemers elk, was uitgevoer. Dit was verder aangevul met drie individuele onderhoude. ‘n Interpreterende fenomenologiese analitiese benadering was benut om die data te analiseer. Bevindings het die navorsing in hierdie gebied weerspiëel. Ander-georiënteerde motiverings, burgerskap, aanvaarding, sosiale uitruiling, self-verbetering, positiewe rol-model identiteit, en verbeterde persoonlike- en gesinsverhoudings, wildernis alleen ervaringe, persoonlike bevrediging, en om die ‘beloning’ te sien van hul harde werk, was sommige van die beduidende temas wat na vore gekom het. Die een groot probleem wat vrywilligers ervaar het, was die van toeganklikheid van vervoer om hul mentorskap afsprake na te kom. Die implikasies van die bevindings vir Suid Afrikaanse perspektiewe op die gebied word bespreek.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

The research study examined the leadership training practices: sense of urgency, envisioning, influencing, communicating, team building, risk taking, and anchoring among volunteer mentors in nonprofit Christian organizations. The study was approached with the assumption that many leadership practices were not present in the volunteer mentor training and their inclusion would enhance the performance or efficiency of the volunteer mentor as they serve the at-risk population. The researcher used a two phase methodology which allowed for assumptions that any inherent biases in particular data sources, investigator, and methods were neutralized. The leadership training practices were viewed using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. In Phase 1 (qualitative) eight respondents were interviewed; and in Phase 2 (quantitative), one hundred and two respondents participated by responding to a Likert scale questionnaire. The volunteer mentor population and the sample were described with great precision. Protocols used to select and delimit the samples were described in detail. Limitations in the generalizations of the findings of the study to other samples and/or populations were stated. The development and validation of the data instruments to be used to collect data from the samples were described (see Appendix 1). Based on the responses of the volunteer mentors, the leadership practices: sense of urgency, influencing, communicating, and team building were perceived to be significantly present during training. Risk taking, anchoring, and envisioning were the leadership practices perceived by the volunteer mentors as not significantly present in the training. There were more leadership practices present in the training of volunteer mentors than the researcher assumed. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

The thesis deals with a motivation of workers in the non-profit sector who participate in a run of organizations as volunteers. In the theoretical part basic concepts are explained with an emphasis on personality and motivation. Specifics of the non-profit sector and a voluntary question are clarified and in conclusion selected nonprofit organization -- Association of Scouts and Guides of the Czech Republic is presented. The practical part is an empirical research. In its framework, results of a survey are evaluated, validity of the defined hypotheses is tested and a motivation program is proposed with the aim of workers'satisfaction and motivation increase.

This essay studies what affects individual’s political participation in Sweden. Specifically, it examines what affects resources, motivation and networks has on individual’s political participation and if these effects have a greater or lesser impact during election year compared to non- election year. The study applies the civic voluntarism model as theory. According to the theory, individuals who are more motivated and have a good access to resources and networks participate more in politics. This study relies on a quantitative method completed with a logistic regressions analysis and the empirical data used was obtained from SOMinstitute, Gothenburg University. Our research concluded that individuals with more access to resources, networks and high political motivation are more likely to participate in the politics of Sweden. Furthermore, the study revealed that effects of motivation and network has a stronger impact on individual’s political participation in Sweden under election year compared to non-election year.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-04T22:00:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 1 / Nenhuma / Este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar o discurso sobre o voluntariado na Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos – UNISINOS. O texto busca, a partir das teorias da ação, entender as relações que se estabelecem entre sujeito e subjetividade, assim como as implicações para um agir solidário. Documentos e revistas são utilizadas na pesquisa com o intuito de elucidar a questão proposta. A pesquisa apontou para a pluralidade de posicionamentos nos discursos, decorrência natural que caracteriza uma Universidade. A partir da análise realizada, extraímos proposições, objetivando a construção de um entendimento que seja representativo para a comunidade da UNISINOS sobre o voluntariado. / This study aimed at presenting the discourse concerning voluntarism in the University do Vale do Rio dos Sinos – UNISINOS. The text searches from the theoriesof action, to understand the relations that are established between suject and subjectivity as well as the implications for a solidary action. Documents and interviens were used in the research aiming at clarifying the study question. The study indicated to a plurality of orientations in the discourses, a natural result that characterizes a University. Staring from de carried out analysis we elaborated propositions with the goal to build an understanding about voluntarism.