Chair: Joshua Bishop, Grand Valley State University

Volunteerism in Child Welfare: The Well-Being of Adults Who Volunteer with Children at Risk of Maltreatment
Joshua Bishop, Grand Valley State University

Using curvilinear regression and confirmatory factor analysis, this study investigated seven dimensions of well-being among adults who volunteer with children at risk of maltreatment. Despite the time and emotional demands of this type of volunteering, respondents reported a high degree of well-being with no decreases at higher volunteerism intensities.

Unpacking bonding and bridging social capital among volunteers in small nonprofits
Alison Doherty, Western University; Swarali Patil, Western University; Katie Misener, University of Waterloo

This paper shares member-based community organization volunteers’ perceptions of what it means to be “more similar” or “more different” in relation to other volunteers with whom they have meaningful and energizing connections in the nonprofit setting. Personality, approach to volunteer tasks, and lifestyle were reported to be the most notable bases of bonding or bridging connections. The findings expand the predominant focus to date on socioeconomic characteristics. They provide a springboard for a renewed investigation of bonding and bridging connections with respect to the generation of social capital in general, and among volunteers in the small nonprofit setting in particular.

Social activism in transition. An analysis of the causes of activists‚ resigning from working and volunteering in the third sector
Aleksandra Belina, The Institute of Sociology at the University of Warsaw

The paper provides a qualitative analysis of the reasons behind voluntary and paid job termination by former volunteers and workers of non-profit organisations in Warsaw. The analysis is based on 18 semi-structured interviews conducted among former volunteers and workers of NGOs. The results shows that NGOs struggle with a plethora of problems and obstacles related to managemental, financial and relational aspects. Research discloses a phenomenon of‚ social activism in transition. The majority of the interviewees strived to situate voluntary and paid work in NGOs between legally framed, highly formalized activity with growing business standards and unrestrained, mission-based acts of kindness.