Advancing and sustaining volunteerism: Investigating the multifaceted challenges and obstacles to volunteer engagement


Aslan H., TUNCAY T.

Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, cilt.23, sa.3, ss.724-751, 2023 (SSCI) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 23 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1111/asap.12369
  • Dergi Adı: Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, Geobase, PAIS International, Political Science Complete, Psycinfo, Public Affairs Index, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.724-751
  • Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Individuals across the globe engage in volunteering activities for various purposes, such as contributing to eradicating poverty, enhancing basic health and education, ensuring access to potable water and proper sanitation, addressing environmental concerns and climate change, mitigating disaster risks, and combating social exclusion and violent conflicts. The ongoing development and sustainability of volunteering are imperative to maintain progress and warrant attention. This study explores the impediments and challenges associated with the development and sustainability of volunteering, encompassing a broad spectrum of factors, from micro-level individual aspects to macro-level structural elements. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 30 managers within the volunteering sector. The narratives were subjected to thematic analysis, leading to the identification and examination of four distinct themes at various levels. The primary findings underscore the significance of personal experiences, familial backgrounds, organizational structures, and the socio-political milieu in which they function for comprehending the challenges and barriers to volunteering. In conclusion, this study shows that there are wide-ranging and multidimensional challenges and barriers to the development and sustainability of volunteering activities. Therefore, analyzing these problems in coordination with the stakeholders of the volunteering field, making arrangements and developing practices may ensure the development of the volunteering field.