Volunteer stereotypes, stigma, and relational identity projects

Abstract

Purpose-This paper seeks to enhance understanding of nonprofit marketing and consumer identities by exploring volunteering as a form of symbolic consumption. Specifically, it seeks to examine how young people-both volunteers and non-volunteers-understand and relate to volunteer stereotypes, and how they manage stigma in negotiating their social identities in relation to volunteering. Design/methodology/approach-Grounded in consumer culture theory, the study uses mixed qualitative methods, incorporating focus groups, paired and individual interviews, and a projective drawing task. Findings-Five volunteering-related stereotypes were identified: the older charity shop worker, the sweet singleton, the environmental protestor, the ordinary volunteer and the nonvolunteer. Participants related to positive and negative attributes of these stereotypes in different ways. This led volunteers and non-volunteers to engage in a range of impression management strategies, some of which bolstered their own identities by stigmatising other groups. Research limitations-The sample was drawn from 39 16-24 year-olds living in Scotland. Practical implications-Since stereotypes are acknowledged as a major barrier to volunteering, particularly among young people, a greater understanding of how these stereotypes are understood and negotiated can assist nonprofit marketers in recruiting and retaining volunteers. Originality/value-This paper draws on theories of consumer culture and stigma to explore volunteering as a form of symbolic consumption; examines volunteering stereotypes among both volunteers and non-volunteers; and uses multiple qualitative methods to facilitate articulation of young people's experiences in this area.

Volunteer and keep volunteering: a look through TSR

“…NVivo (version 11) was used to create the categories, so we could codify the excerpts (Bardin, 2011, Gomes, 2009. Four categories were identified, driven by the theoretical basis of this work: "initial motivation", representing all the reasons that led respondents to start volunteering (Bachman et al, 2016;Garcia & Moreno, 2010); "permanency motivation", which identifies all the reasons that made the interviewees continue volunteering (Bachman et al, 2016;Garcia & Moreno, 2010;Wei et al, 2012, Mulder et al, 2015; "meanings", comprehending all meanings attributed to voluntary work (Banister & Hogg, 2004;Ho & O'Donohoe, 2014, Reed II et al, 2016; and "identity", which represents the behavior of belonging to a group of volunteers that form their identity and the impact they identified this new activity had in their lives (Bachman et al, 2016;Banister and Hogg, 2004;Ho and O'Donohoe, 2014;Reed II et al, 2016). All the authors discussed the patterns until we reached a consensus about the main motivations of beginning and permanence, the meanings, and the relation to the identity provided by the volunteer work.…”

“…The self-concept theory is one of the most comprehensive approaches to identity construction (Ho & O'Donohoe, 2014). Epstein (1973) clarifies that, in a general way, self-concept is understood as a subsystem of concepts that individuals possess of themselves that helps in the experiences' data organization, mainly related to social interactions, for the construction of actions and reactions, as well as to help meeting needs while avoiding disapproval and anxiety.…”

“…In addition, Epstein (1973) argues that it is important for the individual's life that self-concept is maintained and balanced. Thus, as individuals and consumers, people will act, and therefore consume, directed by the formation and communication of their identity (Epstein, 1973, Sirgy, 1982, Belk, 19882013;2016), so that what is aligned with the desired self will be consumed and what is not will be avoided (Ho & O'Donohoe, 2014).…”

“…Furthermore, volunteers were asked to describe the profile of an individual who performs volunteer work as a way of investigating what they project as their strengths (Ho & O'Donohoe, 2014). The most attributed characteristic to volunteers was the willingness to help others.…”

Volunteer choice of nonprofit organisation: an integrated framework

“…Despite a vast body of work interrogating why people volunteer generically (Ho andO'Donohoe, 2014, Randle andDolnicar, 2011), there remains minimal theoretical insight into the choice of specific organisations by volunteers. Given the economic significance of the sector, prevalence of volunteering amongst the population, and the pressing need to support the vulnerable, this is an oversight.…”