Not just counting but making a difference: Developing a method to evaluate the impact of volunteer involvement across European nations: a critical review.

• In Event: Volunteering in the Third Sector

Abstract

Introduction
The European Union (2011) formally recognises that each country has different notions, definitions, and traditions when it comes to volunteer involvement. While recognising this diversity, European policy makers are now seeking ways to evaluate volunteer involvement within and across cultural contexts and languages. This presents the novel research challenge of developing a suitable methodology to enable evaluations across such boundaries. As a starting point, the European Union co-funded project ‘Volunteering Impact Measurement Training in Europe (V-CALC)’ intends to enable 800 volunteer managers and coordinators to measure and understand the impact of their volunteers (Centre for European Volunteering, 2022). One of the objectives of the project is to develop a suitable methodology which can work, translated into five languages, in at least four European nations simultaneously.

Aims
This paper aims to critically review the approach taken in the V-CALC project, as part of a formative evaluation, to develop a methodology to assess the impact of volunteer involvement, which can work within, and across, at least four European nations simultaneously.

Findings
Systematically comparing volunteer involvement in cross-national research goes back at least to the work of Anheier and Salomon (2001) and the evaluation of the first ‘International Year of Volunteers’ by Davis Smith and Ellis (2002). Different cultural concepts and contexts of volunteer involvement are also well established (see for example Lukka and Ellis Paine, 2001), and methodologies which enable organisations to evaluate the impact of volunteer involvement have also been developed (see for example Institute for Volunteering Research, 2004). They are currently also applied in Europe (see for example Bere et al., 2019).
However, the challenge of evaluating volunteer involvement impact has rarely been taken beyond and across national borders. There are distinct challenges accompanied with evaluating volunteer involvement, even if using only one language in different nations (See for example Hardill et al, 2022). A methodology needs to address differences in language, cultural concepts, and social political context (see for example Grotz and Leonard, 2022).
The V-CALC project (2023-2025) allocated a dedicated work package to develop a suitable methodology to support the design of an online platform, learning materials and teaching tools, which will be used simultaneously by practitioners in Albania, Croatia, Spain and Belgium, in five languages. The platform’s data collection and assessments will be designed to enable analysis within and across nations, offering local reports, but also a European picture. To achieve this, initially a ‘Theory of Change’ development approach was employed. The practical development of the ‘Theory of Change’ in meetings and consultations, was then extended to develop an outcome framework, with shared measures. The completion of the process exemplified that the entire V-CALC project is underpinned by a commitment to collaboration, co-production and respect for difference.

Conclusion
To evaluate the impact of volunteer involvement across nations, a methodology focused on inclusivity and collaboration, respectful of the different notions, definitions, and traditions, is able to address the distinct challenges arising from differences in language, cultural concepts and social political context.

References

Anheier, H.K. and Salamon L.M. (2001) Volunteering in cross-national perspective: Initial comparisons, Civil Society Working Paper 10, Centre for Civil Society at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Bere, I., Bere, D., and Pintea, C. (2019) Measuring and communicating the impact of volunteering – handbook for social institutions, Önkéntes Központ Alapítvány, Volunteering Hungary - Centre of Social Innovation. Available from:
https://sovol.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/measuringimpactofvolunteering_final.pdf

Centre for European Volunteering (2022) V-Calc, a page on the website of the Centre for European Volunteering, available from V-Calc | CEV (europeanvolunteercentre.org) [Accessed 08.08.2023]

Davis Smith, J. and Ellis, A. (Eds) (2002) IYV Global Evaluation Report, In association with the Development Resource Centre, South Africa. London: Institute for Volunteering Research.

European Commission (2011) Brussels, 20.9.2011 COM(2011) 568 final. COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEANPARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIALCOMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Communication on EU Policies and Volunteering: Recognising and Promoting Crossborder Voluntary Activities in the EU. Brussels: European Commission

Grotz, J. and Leonard, R. (2022) Volunteer Involvement: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hardill, I., Grotz, J., & Crawford, L. eds (2022). Mobilising voluntary action in the UK learning from the pandemic. Policy Press.

Institute for Volunteering Research (2004) Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit: A practical guide for measuring the impact of volunteering. London: Institute for Volunteering Research.

Locke, M. and Grotz, J. eds. (2022) Volunteering, research and the test of experience, Norwich: UEA Publishing Project.

Lukka, P. and Ellis, A. (2001) An exclusive construct? Exploring different cultural concepts of volunteering, Voluntary Action 3(3), 87-109. Available from https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/an-exclusive-construct-exploring-different-cultural-concepts-of-volunteering

Authors

• Jurgen Grotz, Institute for Volunteering Research

• Gabriella Civico, Centre for European Volunteering CEV

• Ellice Parkinson, University of East Anglia