Event and club volunteer potential: the case of women’s rugby in England

Abstract

Volunteering in sports is typically associated with sports-club systems or sport events. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential of harnessing volunteer activity in different contexts, as a result of previous sports club volunteering experience and to establish what determines the decision to volunteer and to continue volunteering. This is important for government policy, given the current objectives to promote a 'Big Society' and reduce public expenditure. A total of 168 volunteers involved in women's rugby in England completed a web-based survey. Factor analysis was employed to summarise volunteers' satisfaction with their experience.The analysis yielded six reliable factors of volunteers' satisfaction. Regression analysis was then applied to identify which aspects of satisfaction, which motivations, how much previous sports engagement and which socio-demographic characteristics had an impact on actual volunteering for the women's rugby world cup, and future plans for volunteering in a rugby club at a rugby event, or at other sport events. Regression results provide statistical support for the transfer of volunteer efforts across activities. Thus, the UK government may meet its objectives to stimulate a Big Society and widen community engagement through sport volunteering, by acknowledging that social mobility varies between and within 2 sports and is determined by the experiences, interests, motives and characteristics of both the individual volunteers and Voluntary Sport Organisations (VSOs).

Post-Event Volunteering Legacy: Did the London 2012 Games Induce a Sustainable Volunteer Engagement?

“…However, the main limitation of these studies is that they account for the intended rather than the actual volunteering behaviour [25]. What is imperative to consider though is the sustainability of volunteer efforts after the Olympic Games and the long-term perspective of a legacy in order to maximise and capitalise on the benefits, event-related skills, and training in the post-Games period [26]. Nevertheless, a volunteering legacy outcome depends on a number of factors including not only training to support the event, but also training that aims to develop volunteers in the long term as well as the existence of other development strategies in place to support the commitment of individuals to volunteering acts in the future [21].…”

“…For example, the choice to volunteer depends on a range of microeconomic and macroeconomic factors and the multitude of existing social networks that an individual has formed rather than on their place of residence [25][26][27]. In this regard, decisions to volunteer or participate in sport depend on an individuals' interest towards the relative activities compared to alternatives, their socio-economic background, and the relative influence from their peers and mutual acquaintances [25][26][27].…”

“…In this regard, decisions to volunteer or participate in sport depend on an individuals' interest towards the relative activities compared to alternatives, their socio-economic background, and the relative influence from their peers and mutual acquaintances [25][26][27]. In addition, individuals or organisations with an already highly established relational network are more likely to engage in social capital activities; that is to form social bonds and develop trust by engaging in different pursuits provided that other mediating factors such as time, effort placed, costs, and other required resources are controlled [26][27][28].…”

“…For example, volunteering in sport-clubs reflects the interests of like-minded people, which stem from the love of the sport and the volunteers' desire to help the club to function or to help their children to participate in sports [25][26][27]. These volunteers perceive that their needs cannot be met in other volunteering contexts [25][26][27]. In this regard, membership is restricted to outsiders since VSCs often do not call out to new volunteers, but wait for the latter to approach them and volunteer for them [26][27][28].…”

“…These volunteers perceive that their needs cannot be met in other volunteering contexts [25][26][27]. In this regard, membership is restricted to outsiders since VSCs often do not call out to new volunteers, but wait for the latter to approach them and volunteer for them [26][27][28]. This is also relevant with regards to the motivations associated with volunteering at mega-events.…”