Understanding volunteer commitment to a project: testing a conceptual model

PurposeIn Australia, it is estimated that volunteers provide over $14.6 billion of unpaid labour to not-for-profit organisations. Much of the work that volunteers undertake is within a project context, yet the impact of a project and its environment on volunteer commitment is unknown. A conceptual model proposes three categories of factors that impact volunteer commitment to a project: purposeful, emotional and contextual. The purpose of this research is to empirically explore the conceptual model of volunteer commitment with volunteers working on projects in order to seek support for, and refine, the model.Design/methodology/approachThe research design was exploratory and Q methodology was used as a framework to collect and analyse data. Forty-one Australian volunteers engaged in project-based tasks participated in the study.FindingsRefinement of the initial conceptual model of volunteer commitment is required. The three categories that influence volunteer commitment to a project should be labelled “my contribution”, “relationships” and “the project”. The revised model shows early evidence that the project itself is the main commitment building factor.Originality/valueWhilst volunteer retention is not a new field of knowledge, research such as this further informs not-for-profit organisations in their volunteer recruitment and retention practices.

Some Technical and Economic Consequences of Directional Drilling and Surveying Progress and Success

Directional drilling and surveying methods and capabilities have advanced considerably over the last four decades. Progress in this field represents some of the most innovative and notable technical achievements in recent years. However, these successes have introduced a level of complexity which may be hampering further progress. Some of the consequences are identified and examined and suggestions made as to how these might be managed. The developments have resulted in greater accuracy and reliability of tools and systems with associated economic advantages. Step outs have grown four-fold, horizontal laterals are routine and closely spaced wells can be drilled with confidence. Using steerable systems, well inclinations have reached 164.7° and more recently a horseshoe shaped well has been reported. The earlier software tools and analytic methods did not envisage these situations, but their capabilities have evolved. In this specialist field, heavy reliance has been placed on the work and de-facto standards of the various sub-committees that comprise the SPE Well Positioning Technical Section (WPTS) involving both operators and service companies. The tradition of cooperation between these volunteers is strong and together they have produced a range of technical papers, error models, e-books and training courses. Formal regulation and recommended practices have not kept pace with these developments. Work on the proposed API RP 78 has progressed more slowly than the ambitious timeline envisioned at the outset. With the burgeoning introduction of new systems and methods, complexity has also grown. The accumulated material poses an increasing maintenance burden, increasing cycle times and slowing both technical and administrative developments. By their nature, models are approximations and a balance between simplicity and complexity is required to ensure their predictions are fit for purpose and control can be maintained over their development without stifling innovation. Many of the tasks associated with managing the WPTS knowledge base are administrative and do not require extensive technical expertise. Alleviating this burden from the volunteers would free up valuable time to address important technical advancements and refine the framework in which these are managed. The loss of expertise in this specialist subject is being accelerated by the recent down-turn and exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. We conclude that there is a need to move the administration of the WPTS resources onto a more sustainable footing and that external funding will ensure that the knowledge base is consolidated and keeps pace with continuing developments. Funding alone is not a guarantee of success as the activities are still subject to the vagaries of volunteer commitment and careful management will be required. However, the WPTS has a sound 25-year track record of proven delivery and it remains the natural choice to spearhead these activities.

Promoting volunteer engagement in the heritage sector

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to offer insights into the processes associated with promoting volunteer engagement adopted by a large UK heritage attraction during a period of significant change. Engaged volunteers were regarded as essential to sustain, and where appropriate, to enhance the customer experience.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach was adopted. This involved review of relevant documentation and interviews and focus groups between researchers, managers and volunteers.FindingsWorking from the philosophical stance that information and involvement are strong predecessors to “buy-in”, the managers of the attraction used a series of initiatives that kept volunteers both informed and involved. These initiatives include a values-based induction programme, information and communication, training and development, and creating new narratives.Originality/valueVolunteer engagement influences volunteer commitment to the organisation. This case study offers some insights into initiatives adopted in one heritage organisation to promote volunteer engagement, and thereby provides a basis for other organisations to reflect on their practices in this area.

Committing to refugee resettlement volunteering: Attaching, detaching and displacing organizational ties

As members of local host communities, volunteers play an important role in effective long-term refugee resettlement. This study investigated the nature of volunteer commitment by organizational volunteers who were assigned a front-line role in organizing material assistance and providing information about cultural practices for newly arrived refugees. Using interview data from volunteers, organizational representatives, and organizational recruitment and training documents, the study found that volunteers’ commitment was structured by the presence and absence of volunteer coordinators, the organization’s clients and volunteers’ significant others. While insufficient ties to the organization or strong, competing ties from significant others led volunteers to detach themselves from the organization, overly strong affective ties with refugees displaced organizational ties, leading to volunteers’ organizational exit. This study problematizes an individual-centric, psychological notion of commitment; instead, it situates commitment as a collective communicative process whereby relevant stakeholders negotiate the relationships that tie them together. It thus expands the range of voices present in decisions about commitment and provides new data on how organizational and relational others impact sustainable volunteer management.

I Volunteer, Therefore I am? Factors Affecting Volunteer Role Identity

Volunteer role identity has long been of interest to social scientists seeking to understand volunteer commitment and the psychological consequences of volunteering. The study reported here tests the theory that predicts that people identify more strongly with the volunteer role as compensation for the absence of other productive roles. Using a sample ( n = 572) of Dutch volunteers over the age of 50, we find a strong association between age and volunteer role identity. For older volunteers, the volunteer role is a more important part of who they are. We find that retirement plays an important role in this. The retirement effect, in turn, is accounted for by the extra time retirees invest in the role, signaling a compensation strategy. We find a similar substitution effect for the unemployed/disabled, but not for widowhood. The study makes a contribution by situating the explanation of volunteer role identity within a life-course framework.

Intergenerational Programs in Schools

This study examined the prevalence, types, and perceived impact of intergenerational programs in schools. Programs involving senior volunteers assisting children, or children participating in activities with older people were considered. Of the schools reached, 47% reported intergenerational programming. Thirty-three schools in the Tel-Aviv region participated in the study. Data were collected from 85 seniors, 26 teachers, and 20 coordinators. Assessments included program characteristics, program preparation, and perceived benefits and difficulties. Both programs were reported to have beneficial effects for seniors and to benefit children in the academic, social, and emotional domains. However, programs appeared to attract different types of volunteers and different degrees of volunteer commitment. Findings suggest that there is a need to pay additional attention to both participants’ specific requests and needs and to the allocation of resources to improve the design and implementation of intergenerational programs.