Sustaining volunteering in Australia: Converting the non-volunteers

• In Event: Voluntarism as a Digital and Renewable Resource

Abstract

Volunteering has many benefits for the volunteer, the beneficiaries, the volunteer-involving organisations, the community and to governments (Haski-Leventhal, Hustinx & Handy, 2011), but in the case of Australia, the setting for the current study, the most recent data shows that only a proportion of the population reveal that they have volunteered in the past 12 months (ABS, 2015). This paper reports on a study which seeks to identify how to increase volunteer participation by converting non-volunteers to volunteering and all its benefits.
Not surprisingly, most research on volunteering has examined current volunteers and there is a paucity of research on non-volunteers globally (Boezeman & Ellemers, 2008) and no studies in Australia. Australian national statistics reveal that non-volunteering is associated with factors such as poor health or unemployment (ABS, 2011) but the story is much more complex than these data reveal. Previous research has identified that in order to volunteer, individuals need to have the right combination of willingness (e.g. attitudes, motives and values), ability and availability, collectively called the individual’s level of volunteerability (Meijs, Ten Hoorn and Brudney, 2006). Increasing volunteerability is about overcoming a range of barriers that prevent people from volunteering and suggests that people volunteer more as their willingness, capability and availability increase (Haski-Leventhal, Meijs, & Hustinx, 2010). Factors such as juggling jobs, education, friends, a family tradition of volunteering and overcoming social anxiety may increase volunteerablity (Handy & Cnaan, 2007; Wilson, 2012).
In this paper, we report on an exploratory research project using focus groups, which allow for the collection of detailed and descriptive data, Including the provision of flexibility if unanticipated issues emerge (Krueger & Casey, 2000). A series of 12 focus groups were conducted: four with current volunteers (volunteered in the previous 12 months); four with non-active volunteers (volunteered in the past 5 years but not in the past 12 months) and four with non-volunteers (not volunteered in the past 5 years).

The focus groups revealed data on all the dimensions of volunteerability. Willingness to volunteer was affected by individuals’ knowledge of volunteering and having access to volunteering opportunities. Individuals reported that volunteering was often a transactional relationship. They volunteered in order to gain work experience or for reduced club fees. Most non-volunteers expressed some willingness to volunteer under certain conditions. In terms of capability, volunteers and non-volunteers described the perceived skills required for volunteering and discussed skills they hold or lack. All participants were very busy people but non-volunteers and former volunteers were sceptical about actually having the time to volunteer. Some were reluctant to commit time on a regular or long-term basis.
The findings suggest that volunteer-involving organisations need to be clear about the benefits they can offer to their target cohort. They need to show potential volunteers how obstacles can be removed or addressed, mainly by offering a variety of volunteering opportunities and combining volunteering with other life demands, such as work and/or family.

Authors

• Debbie Haski-Leventhal, Macquarie Graduate School of Management

• Lucas Meijs, Erasmus University Rotterdam

• Kirsten Holmes, Curtin University

• Leonie Lockstone-Binney, William Angliss Institute

• Melanie Oppenheimer, Flinders University of South Australia