Volunteering in Cross-National Perspective: Initial Comparisons

Anheier and Salamon shed some light on volunteering in different parts of the world by exploring the conceptions and patterns of voluntary action cross-nationally. As a cultural and economic phenomenon, volunteering is part of the way societies are organized, how they allocate social responsibilities, and how much engagement and participation they expect from citizens

Below the radar in a Big Society? Reflections on community engagement, empowerment and social action in a changing policy context

‘The Big Society’ has become a key element of the Coalition’s Government policy platform, not only on the delivery of public services by the formal and funded voluntary sector but also in terms of communities, more informal third sector activities and individual citizens. Whilst the term itself is recent, and accompanied by the ‘new language’ of social action, there are continuities between the current Coalition policy objectives and those of the previous New Labour administration: the devolution of powers to the local level, the reconfiguration of services and promotion of community engagement, empowerment and active citizenship. This working paper explores the debates about, ‘below the radar’ (BTR) community groups and their assumed role in delivering ‘big society’. It argues that the motivators for community action are, and have been, ill understood in policy circles. Further, there is and has been little systematic analysis of the power relationship between the state (both locally and nationally) communities and neighbourhoods which can inform meaningful debate on devolution and localism. The paper examines the implications of the ‘new’ policy environment for small community groups and asks can such activity, which has often been independent of, and operated outside the state, be co-opted to deliver particular government policy objectives

Making the Most of Volunteers

No one doubts the potential value of volunteers; the tougher issue is getting the most out of them. Unfortunately, volunteers are both scarce and much-needed in the human service field. This report summarizes P/PV's work over the years with organizations that use volunteers. The analysis discovered that three functions -- screening, training and ongoing management -- are key to maximizing volunteer value and minimizing damage. The report also links those functions quantitatively to the impact that programs achieved, and estimates their cost

The Future of the Church

Organizational change in Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Exploring the role of volunteers in social care for older adults

Purpose This paper aims to report the findings of a study that explores the contribution volunteers make to social care for older adults, identifying lessons for the social care sector and policymakers. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory multiple case study design was used to capture the perspectives and experiences of managers of services, volunteer co-ordinators, volunteers, paid care staff and older people. Seven diverse social care organisations took part in the study drawn from three locations in the South West of England. Findings This study identified three distinct models of volunteer contribution to social care services for older people. Although the contributions made by volunteers to services are valued, the study drew attention to some of the challenges related to their involvement. Research limitations/implications The organisations taking part in this small-scale study were all based in the South West of England, and the findings are therefore not generalisable but contribute to the growing evidence base related to this important field. Practical implications This study demonstrates the importance of the volunteer co-ordinator role and suggests that it is properly funded and resourced. It also confirms the importance of volunteers receiving appropriate training and support. Originality/value Given the increasing involvement of volunteers in the provision of social care, this paper provides lessons to ensure the role of volunteers in social care enhances rather than diminishes the quality of care provided

Civic Renewal and the Regulation of Non-profits

Civic Renewal and the Regulation of Non-profits analyzes four understandings of civic renewal, elaborated in the wake of Robert Putnam\u27s book Bowling Alone, in light of the federal regulatory scheme imposed upon voluntary associations that qualify as exempt organizations under the Internal Revenue Code. These perspectives emphasize the primacy of one or more of the following as indispensable elements of civic health: (1) cooperation and effective collective action, (2) self-governance (3) equality and representative institutions, and (4) the moral character of the community or the public spiritedness of citizens. The study analyzes how the different assumptions and purposes of these distinct perspectives on civic health suggest different, sometimes incompatible, recommendations for civic life and, by implication, for how voluntary associations should be regulated. Because voluntary associations are central to most prescriptions for revitalizing civic health, the analysis reviews the empirical data bearing on the dynamics of associations and the impact participation has on association members. I then evaluate the expectations expressed by advocates of civic renewal in light of these empirical findings. I conclude that increased participation in voluntary organizations has the potential to further the civic goals of the first (cooperation) and third (equality and representative institutions) perspectives. In contrast, based upon the empirical evidence reviewed, I question whether it is reasonable or useful for civic renewal advocates to portray associational life as an important potential source of increased public spiritedness (the fourth perspective) or the attributes necessary for reflective self-governance (the second perspective). The alternative is for those who emphasize the latter two aspects of civic health to recognize that certain substantive civic values must be nurtured in areas outside of the formal institutions of civic life rather than expected as the automatic or likely byproduct of a robust civil society. The heart of the study takes these findings and uses them to evaluate the existing regulation of voluntary associations by the Internal Revenue Code (the predominant source of the federal regulation of non-profits). In particular, I seek to clarify the ways in which existing tax rules further or undermine one or more of the civic goals elaborated in the first part. This part of the analysis also makes specific recommendations for regulatory reform to enhance the usefulness of non-profits for furthering the goals of each of the four civic renewal understandings

An Institutional Approach to Donor Control: From Dyadic Ties to a Field‐Level Analysis

Literature on the nonprofit sector focuses on charities and their interactions with clients or governmental agencies; donors are studied less often. Studies on philanthropy do examine donors but tend to focus on microlevel factors to explain their behavior. This study, in contrast, draws on institutional theory to show that macrolevel factors affect donor behavior. It also extends the institutional framework by examining the field‐level configurations in which donors and fundraisers are embedded. Employing the case of workplace charity, this new model highlights how the composition of the organizational field structures fundraisers and donors alike, shaping fundraisers’ strategies of solicitation and, therefore, the extent of donor control.This research was supported by grants from the Aspen Institute’s Nonprofit Sector Research Fund and the National Science Foundation. I thank Susan Eckstein, Julian Go, Heather MacIndoe, Susan Ostrander, audiences in the departments of sociology at Boston University, Emory University, Ohio State University, University of Arizona, and the University of Chicago, various participants in the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Organizations and Markets Workshop and the MIT‐Sloan School of Management Organization Studies Group Seminar Series, and AJS reviewers for helpful comments on earlier versions. Direct correspondence to Emily Barman, Deparment of Sociology, Boston University, 96 Cummington Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115

State of the World's Volunteerism Report: Universal Values for Global Well-being

The focus of this report is on the universal values that motivate people the world over to volunteer for the common good and on the impact of volunteer action on societies and individuals. The authors advocate the power of volunteering to promote cooperation, encourage participation and contribute to the well-being of individuals and of society as a whole