Inadvertent Volunteer Managers

Nesbit, Rebecca; Rimes, Heather; Christensen, Robert K.; Brudney, Jeffrey L.

doi:10.1177/0734371x15576409

Cited by 16 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 50 publications

(96 reference statements)

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“…The collective learning process, in particular, may form an encouraging culture that embraces science as a promising and desirable career alternative for those who do not have a formal scientific background. Therefore, while recruiting volunteers, the governing body should support potential volunteers in forming realistic expectations about what benefit and knowledge they will receive for sharpening their future career competitiveness (Kappelides, Cuskelly, & Hoye, 2019;Nesbit, Rimes, Christensen, & Brudney, 2016). Our findings suggest that the volunteers' satisfaction with the science project embodies their favorable evaluation of their work's outcomes, which profoundly influence the expectations of future development in a science career.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 85%

Factors driving volunteers’ interest in science careers: self-efficacy, social support and satisfaction

et al. 2023

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Citizen science initiatives offer an informal way to encourage the general public to engage in science learning, and contributes to the development of a more stable supply of science professionals by arousing volunteers' enthusiasm for a science career. This study aimed to identify the contribution that science service makes to volunteers' experience and the influence it has on the relationship between their experience and beliefs, and on their eventual career orientation. This study tested the effect of social cognitive variables on volunteers' career interests in science using Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT). The sample consisted of 241 volunteers taking part in a science volunteer project which is administered by the Ministry of Science and Technology in Taiwan. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) and PROCESS Macro 4.1 to test the structural relationships and mediating hypotheses proposed in this study. Building on the SCCT, our findings indicated that self-efficacy in science service, satisfaction with science service, and social support are contributing factors to the science volunteers' career interest in a scientific profession. This study adds to the SCCT literature by clarifying how a volunteer-based citizen science initiative as an informal science learning platform may affect the participants' career decisions.

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Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 85%

Factors driving volunteers’ interest in science careers: self-efficacy, social support and satisfaction

et al. 2023

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Exploring the Dynamics of Volunteer and Staff Interactions

Rimes

Nesbit²,

Christensen

et al. 2017

Nonprofit Mgmnt & Ldrshp

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The quality of the relationships between volunteers and paid staff can have far-reaching consequences for organizations that utilize volunteer programs to support service delivery. We utilize a mixed methods case study design to explore volunteer and staff perceptions of their mutual interactions within a large library system in the southeastern United States. We consider which areas of these interactions might be vulnerable to conflict. Our findings suggest that conflict is likely to arise due to communication problems, behavioral or attitudinal issues, perceptions of job vulnerability, divergent expectations, lack of trust, and workflow integration hurdles. We argue that to avoid these tensions and promote effective service delivery, staff members must have appropriate training and preparation to interact successfully with volunteers.VOLUNTEERS SERVE AS key sources of human capital for many organizations in the public and nonprofi t spheres, often working in conjunction with the paid staff in those organizations (Gidron 1985 ). Engaging volunteers requires investments of eff ort, time, training, and fi scal resources so that both organizations and volunteers benefi t. Nancy Macduff ( 2012 , 256) argues that "the relationship between volunteers and staff can infl uence the success or failure of a program … and the ability to make positive organizational changes." As such, a purposive volunteer-staff relationship is critical. Despite the importance of these working relationships, many organizations fall prey to the misperception that volunteers are a source of "free labor" (Handy and Mook 2011 ). Such organizations may inadequately invest in the management of these valuable human resources (Hager and Brudney 2004 ;Machin and Paine 2008 ). Too often, paid employees fi nd themselves inadvertently directing and supervising volunteer labor, rather than being trained and prepared to take on this role (Nesbit et al. 2016 ). Th is situation can be particularly challenging when organizations increase their use of volunteers, such as during times of fi scal constraint when increased reliance on volunteers is often utilized as a strategy to reduce personnel costs (Brudney

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Kommunale Verwaltungen und freiwilliges Engagement: Chancen und Hindernisse der Kooperation in Zeiten komplexer Herausforderungen

Lenz

2024

Handbuch Lokale Integrationspolitik

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Inadvertent Volunteer Managers

Cited by 16 publications

References 50 publications

Factors driving volunteers’ interest in science careers: self-efficacy, social support and satisfaction

Factors driving volunteers’ interest in science careers: self-efficacy, social support and satisfaction

Exploring the Dynamics of Volunteer and Staff Interactions

Kommunale Verwaltungen und freiwilliges Engagement: Chancen und Hindernisse der Kooperation in Zeiten komplexer Herausforderungen

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