‘A rose by any other name …’ Revisiting the question: ‘what exactly is volunteering?’ Working paper series: Paper one Angela Ellis Paine, Matthew Hill and Colin Rochester 2010 About the Institute for Volunteering Research The Institute for Volunteering Research (IVR) is a specialist research and consultancy agency focusing on volunteering. It was set up in 1997 in response to the increased demand for research on volunteering. Since then IVR has carried out a wide variety of research, consultancy and evaluation projects on many different aspects of volunteering, including four national surveys of volunteering. IVR aims to: Carry out and commission research on different aspects of volunteering at a variety of levels Disseminate findings so as to maximise the policy and practice impact Act as a focal point for research on volunteering Develop links with bodies involved in volunteering research in England, the UK and other countries, with a view to sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas Stimulate and contribute to education and training on volunteering. For more information, visit: www.ivr.org.uk IVR is an initiative of Volunteering England in research partnership with Birkbeck, University of London 2 ‘A rose by any other name …’ Revisiting the question: ‘what exactly is volunteering?’ Contents 1. Introduction and rationale 2. Delineating the field of volunteering 3. Dimensions of volunteering 4. Entering the field of volunteering 5. Discussion and conclusions References ‘A rose by any other name …’ Revisiting the question: ‘what exactly is volunteering?’ 3 1. Introduction and rationale Do we really need another paper examining the research agendas focusing on different forms of different ways in which volunteering has been volunteering if we don’t know what the boundaries defined? Does it really matter? Is it possible to of volunteering are? We could go on. Reflecting on come up with a settled and practical definition? these challenges and shortcomings led us to a belief We think that we do, that it does, and that in the need for this paper. Its primary aim, therefore, (broadly) it is. A number of different factors have is to be clearer and more explicit, for ourselves and led us to these conclusions and have helped to for those who read our work, about how we define define the aims of this paper. and describe volunteering and therefore our own field of interest. In doing so, we hope this will shape and “…so many preconceptions and inform our future work. stereotypes have become attached to Our decision to write this paper, however, was based volunteering that they make it difficult to on broader considerations than a concern about our conceptualise and define.” own agenda. We also believe that there have been (Graham, 2004:16) a number of developments within the policy and practice of volunteering that have called into question the definition of volunteering and have given rise to a Our own agenda need to readdress this very basic question. Since 1997 the Institute for Volunteering Research (IVR) has conducted a wide-ranging Developments in policy research programme on different aspects of volunteering, primarily in the UK but also and practice internationally. Each year we publish numerous In the first place, there is an ongoing circular debate reports and articles on volunteering. Looking back within the volunteering movement about the utility at these, however, it is surprising how few explicitly of the term ‘volunteering’. At frequent intervals a address the very basic question of what exactly we search is conducted for a word which is not exclusive are including in our field of study. Beyond reiterating or exclusionary (see for example Lukka and Ellis standard definitions of volunteering, and with a few Paine, 2001; IVR, 2004) and one which is not notable exceptions, it seems this is something we accompanied by enduring stereotypes. This quest have largely taken for granted. has so far led to the conclusion that other terms are It is certainly something that IVR staff members have equally problematic and that it makes more sense to discussed amongst ourselves but not something that continue to use ‘volunteering’ and to concentrate on we have often been explicit about in our writing. Not challenging the stereotypes and broadening people’s being clear about what we define as volunteering, and understanding of what it encompasses (see for therefore what we include within our field of study, example Ellis, 2004). has a number of implications. It makes comparative studies difficult – how do we or anyone else know if we are studying similar phenomena? It makes explaining why we chose or chose not to study certain activities more difficult – how do we prioritise different 4 ‘A rose by any other name …’ Revisiting the question: ‘what exactly is volunteering?’ The need for clarity Perhaps more fundamentally, volunteering is We think that this search can be useful in the changing, as is the context in which it takes following ways: place (Rochester et al, 2010). This means that it For research and theory building is important that we revisit earlier definitions of The lack of clarity about the boundaries of the field volunteering to check that they have stood the test of and the absence of generally recognised typologies time. In particular a number of developments in the of the kinds of activities that take place within it has policy and practice of volunteering have, we believe, meant that there are at least two major obstacles challenged perceptions of what is inside and what in the way of developing adequate theoretical is outside the boundaries of the field. These include explanations of volunteering. The first of these is volunteering schemes that have allowed explicit the relatively limited base on which the sector’s payments; that have been linked closely to citizenship understanding of volunteering is built. We know a rights; and that have been built into educational great deal more about certain kinds of voluntary programmes. We will discuss these in more detail activity than others; our evidence base is heavily later in this paper, but, for the moment, will note biased towards volunteering which contributes to the that they are interesting developments that have work of comparatively large and formally organised stimulated a great deal of debate and discussion agencies in the broad field of social welfare. There about whether they are or are not volunteering. has been much less research on volunteering in This discussion is important if we are to be clear small scale and informal organisational settings and about what is happening on the levels of policy and that which is involved in areas such as advocacy practice. It also means that we need to take the and campaigning, culture, recreation and sport. challenges to existing definitions into account and ‘Unorganised’ acts of volunteering are rarely assess the extent to which they continue to stand acknowledged (despite the valiant championing up to scrutiny. of their cause by Williams, 2003a; 2003b; 2004a; As well as helping us be clearer about our own 2004b; 2008). field of study, then, we also believe that the search The second difficulty in developing models, concepts for greater clarity and a more comprehensive and tools is the tendency of researchers to treat overview of the different ways in which volunteering volunteering as a single entity and to attempt to has been defined and conceptualised will be of explain volunteering in general without due concern wider benefit. We believe that if policymakers and for the significant differences in the nature of the practitioners simply ‘get on with it’ without exploring experience and the kind of setting within which it some of the fundamental conceptual issues it can takes place. We hope that our working paper will lead to negative outcomes for volunteering (and make a contribution to overcoming those obstacles volunteers) and threatens realisation of the full and thus not only reshape the agenda for research potential of volunteering. but also lay the ground for a more nuanced understanding of volunteering. ‘A rose by any other name …’ Revisiting the question: ‘what exactly is volunteering?’ 5 To inform policy To guide practice Volunteering’s place on the policy agenda has rarely During the 12 year life span of IVR, there has been been more prominent and ‘the weight of expectation a striking expansion in the amount and range of about the contribution it can make to individual activities aimed at promoting ‘good practice’ in development, social cohesion and addressing social volunteer-involving organisations. These have need has never been greater’ (Rochester et al, 2010: included the publication of manuals and toolkits, the p1). We believe, however, that there is a considerable development of training provision, the drafting of gap between the conceptual understanding of National Occupational Standards and the formation of volunteering by some policy-makers and the reality a professional body for volunteer managers (Howlett, – particularly central and local government policy- 2010). There are two elements underlying this makers. Efforts have been made at local, national expansion – the codification of ‘home grown’ practice and international levels to promote volunteering and based on the experience of volunteer managers on increase the numbers of those involved in it, but the one hand and, on the other, the adoption of the many of these initiatives have been based on views battery of tools used by human resources managers of volunteering which are only part of a much bigger in dealing with paid staff (Zimmeck, 2001). picture and the means that have been selected to While much of this material is useful, there is growing increase volunteering – such as media campaigns concern that a heavily prescriptive and quite narrow and the appointment of ‘champions’ – have, as a view of what constitutes ‘good practice’ has been consequence, been aimed at too narrow a target.