The Give and Take of Volunteering: Motives, Benefits, and Personal Connections among Irish Volunteers Export

@article{citeulike:3497931, abstract = {Abstract\ \ Volunteers are integral to the delivery of health and social services in many countries. Volunteer motivation is the key phenomenon around which research into the psychology of volunteering behaviour has been based in the recent past. This study comprised interviews with 26 volunteers working with eight health and social care organizations in Ireland. The study aimed to describe and interpret reasons for initial and continued volunteering involvement. Four key themes were proposed on the basis of a thematic analysis: volunteer motives; personal connections to organizations and causes; benefits; and challenges arising from volunteering. These themes are analysed in light of social psychological theory to better understand why people volunteer and maintain their involvement in the face of competing demands. The findings suggest that benefits and challenges merit a higher profile in research into the volunteer process, and that bonds of perceived obligation motivate many volunteers to begin and continue their involvement in health and social care.}, author = {Macneela, P\'{a}draig}, citeulike-article-id = {3497931}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11266-008-9058-8}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://www.springerlink.com/content/27r233113r3ju620}, day = {7}, doi = {10.1007/s11266-008-9058-8}, journal = {Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations}, keywords = {volunteer, volunteer\_benefits, volunteer\_motivation, volunteer\_organizations, volunteering\_ireland}, month = {June}, number = {2}, pages = {125--139}, posted-at = {2008-11-09 12:38:43}, priority = {2}, title = {The Give and Take of Volunteering: Motives, Benefits, and Personal Connections among Irish Volunteers}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11266-008-9058-8}, volume = {19}, year = {2008} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:3497931 L3 - citeulike-article-id:3497931 N2 - Abstract  Volunteers are integral to the delivery of health and social services in many countries. Volunteer motivation is the key phenomenon around which research into the psychology of volunteering behaviour has been based in the recent past. This study comprised interviews with 26 volunteers working with eight health and social care organizations in Ireland. The study aimed to describe and interpret reasons for initial and continued volunteering involvement. Four key themes were proposed on the basis of a thematic analysis: volunteer motives; personal connections to organizations and causes; benefits; and challenges arising from volunteering. These themes are analysed in light of social psychological theory to better understand why people volunteer and maintain their involvement in the face of competing demands. The findings suggest that benefits and challenges merit a higher profile in research into the volunteer process, and that bonds of perceived obligation motivate many volunteers to begin and continue their involvement in health and social care. IS - 2 JF - Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations EP - 139 TI - The Give and Take of Volunteering: Motives, Benefits, and Personal Connections among Irish Volunteers VL - 19 SP - 125 KW - volunteer KW - volunteer_benefits KW - volunteer_motivation KW - volunteer_organizations KW - volunteering_ireland AU - Macneela, Pádraig PY - 2008/06/07/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11266-008-9058-8 ER -