The meaning of volunteering: An investigation into the experiences of volunteers in a changing organisation

Greening, Leanne 2021. The meaning of volunteering: An investigation into the experiences of volunteers in a changing organisation. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Summary: The unpaid efforts of volunteers are a unique resource that play a crucial role in sustaining the social and economic well-being of communities throughout the world (Cuskelly et al 2006). In the UK alone, recent estimates suggest that the contribution of the voluntary sector may range somewhere between £18.2bn and £200bn (NVCO 2020; Fanklin et al 2020). Undoubtedly, volunteers form an important part of the voluntary labour force with many organisations being mostly or entirely staffed by volunteers (Einolf 2018). Volunteer retention is tied to the survival of many voluntary organisations and is consequently, a critical management function in the voluntary sector. However, there is a dearth of empirical research which explores the factors that sustain individuals in their volunteer work (Alfes et al 2014). To contribute to this empirical gap, a greater understanding of the meaning of volunteering, in both a conceptual and existential sense, is necessary. To empirically and theoretically develop this body of work, research must address the largely neglected matter of the ‘volunteer experience’ as this will provide insight into volunteers’ perceptions of, and feelings towards, their organisations and their volunteering efforts (Wilson 2012). This thesis takes the necessary step to investigate the experiences of volunteers in one changing voluntary organisation. It focusses on the nature of engagement, as well as what volunteering means to those who do it. At the centre of this research, is the dynamic of organisational change and what affect this has on volunteers, their experiences and the meanings they ascribe to their volunteering efforts. This research draws on 40 semi-structured interviews to deepen understandings of the relationship between organisational change, meaning and identity. In so doing, this research investigates firstly, the various ways that volunteers conceptualise, experience and attribute meaning to their roles and secondly, the effect of organisational change on the volunteer experience.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Business (Including Economics)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	voluntary sector, organisational change, professionalisation, volunteering, crisis line, meaning, identity, ownership
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	22 September 2021
Last Modified:	22 Sep 2021 14:33
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/144356

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