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2018 | Book

Introduction Read chapter Read first chapter

Sports Volunteers Around the Globe

Meaning and Understanding of Volunteering and its Societal Impact

Editors: Dr. Kirstin Hallmann, Sheranne Fairley

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Book Series : Sports Economics, Management and Policy

Part of: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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About this book

This book provides an overview of perspectives and approaches to the cultural meaning of sport volunteering in different countries. The main objective is to reflect on the diversity of meanings with regard to volunteering in different cultures and societies. Additionally, this book will shed light on volunteering practices and the impact of volunteering from both an economic and a sociological perspective.

The book begins with an introductory section that gives an overview of the rationale of the text and the diversity of sport volunteers in general. From there, the book's 25 chapters each discuss a specific country case study provided by researchers from the respective country. These studies provide a comprehensive overview of volunteering in each country, such as motivations of volunteers, satisfaction of volunteers, their perceived cost and benefits, and many other areas related to the overall study. By having twenty-five different countries represented and a native of each country authoring the respective chapters, this book serves as a comprehensive and diverse review of sports volunteering around the world and can be incorporated into courses in economics - particularly those dealing with sports economics - and can also be used as a reference for volunteer organizations and sports economists worldwide.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Introduction
Abstract
Volunteers are an integral component of sport events throughout the world (Cuskelly et al. 2006; Kemp 2002). Sport and event managers must therefore understand the motives and experiences of volunteers in order to effectively recruit, retain, and manage volunteers. Western countries such as Australia and the United States have a strong history of hosting events that utilize a considerable number of volunteers. Events such as the Olympic Games have been recognized as a potential impetus for a volunteering career (Fairley et al. 2014, 2016) and therefore may increase the interest in volunteering in the host country. There is an increasing trend for Asian countries to host sport events (Dolles and Soderman 2008). With increased event hosting, there is an increasing need for volunteers (Kim et al. 2010). Research, however, suggests that there are significant differences between how volunteering is perceived and conceptualized in different countries and cultures (Fairley et al. 2013; Handy et al. 2000; Halsall et al. 2016). While large-scale events rely on volunteers regardless of where they are held, the prevalence of volunteering both in relation to sport and society varies by country.  This book examines the cultural environment in which volunteering takes place by identifying the ways in which volunteering is conceptualized, valued, and enacted in different countries.
Sheranne Fairley, Kirstin Hallmann
Chapter 2. Australia
Abstract
Volunteerism is a central part of Australian society. Volunteering is culturally significant with its roots firmly entrenched in the history and development of the country. The importance of volunteering is reflected in the number of government and non-government agencies who have worked hard to establish and refine its definition which has provided legal status and stability for those who volunteer and for those who engage volunteers as a legitimate part of the workforce. In the sport sector, volunteers have been described as the backbone of the sport system. Sport relies heavily on volunteers – not only to stage sport events but also to deliver sport to the masses through a well-structured and formal network of community clubs and organizations. Australia’s hosting of large-scale events such as the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the 2007 FINA World Swimming Championships, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games has illuminated the value of volunteers, the reliance upon them, the skills that they contribute, the work that they undertake, and the contribution that they make to Australian society. Further, these events highlight how important engaging in volunteer roles can be to the health and well-being of those individuals. While events can be leveraged for volunteer outcomes, there is much more that can be done to capitalize on the attention that events bring to volunteers and the contribution that they make to society.
Sheranne Fairley, Pamm Phillips
Chapter 3. Flanders (Belgium)
Abstract
Because of the federalized structure of Belgium, sports volunteering is a complex policy issue. On the one hand, sports participation has been a Flemish policy area since 1970, while on the other hand social security and thus volunteerism are a federal policy domain. Based on a representative sample for Flemish inhabitants aged 15-86, it was found that in 2014, 8.3% of the population indicated they had been a sports volunteer at least once during the past year, making sports the most popular sector for volunteers. The majority of the Flemish sports volunteers are male, middle-aged, and highly educated, have a high income, and are sports participants. The sports club sector is by far the preferred setting for sports volunteers, while their engagement can be episodic (44%) or continuous (56%). The numbers indicate that both the number and the proportion of volunteers have risen through the last decades. As the Belgian government has decided to extend the legislation about the remuneration of “leisure work” in 2018, numerous stakeholders will keep an eye on whether this will induce a change in sports volunteering in Flanders.
Erik Thibaut, Jeroen Scheerder
Chapter 4. Botswana
Abstract
Botswana is a large but sparsely populated country within Southern Africa. Independent since 1966, the country has developed a vast and multilayered sports system featuring a myriad of organizations. Underpinning these organizations is a pool of over 3,000 volunteers who ensure the delivery of programs and events. Though Botswana is a collectivistic society that embraces values of cooperation and respect, personal and financial considerations nonetheless play a role in the nature of volunteering, both in sports and generally. The state also provides explicit support to a variety of volunteering initiatives, including financing the Botswana Sports Volunteer Movement, running the Botswana National Service Programme, and managing the Graduate Volunteer Scheme. In spite of this support, however, the aforementioned initiatives have come under frequent criticism, and, if unresolved, these criticisms risk eroding the overall quantity and quality of volunteers in the country, which in turn will have a detrimental effect on the sports sector and civil society in general.
Louis Moustakas
Chapter 5. Brazil
Abstract
Volunteering in Brazil is historically connected to religious initiatives, but the complexity of its concept has changed over time. From simple acts of charity, regarded as assistencialism, it evolved to be considered an instrument of social change. The Brazilian volunteer is an engaged, active, and participative citizen who, by donating time, work, and talent to causes of social interest, seeks to solve social problems. Despite an estimated workforce of 33 million volunteers, the rate has changed little in the last decade and is considered low compared to other countries. Volunteering is regulated by the law N° 9.608/98. In Brazil, volunteering mostly takes place in religious, health, social assistance, or educational organizations of a private or public nature. The field of sports and physical activities favors volunteering initiatives that meet social demands, mostly using sports as a tool for social inclusion, integration, and education of socially excluded populations. Health promotion activities, event organization, or sports club management are other practices of sports volunteers. Sports mega events have also benefited from the work of volunteers in the last decade, a fact that has generated critics and protests. Currently, the state, with its neoliberal perspective toward social problems, entails to the civil society an increasing responsibility to meet the social demands, thus masking its own inefficiency.
Ângelo Felipe Müller
Chapter 6. Canada
Abstract
Volunteers are the backbone of the nonprofit and voluntary sector in Canada. The act of volunteering represents an important tradition in a country which projects a powerful global image of inclusion, diversity, and policy innovation. Volunteering offers individuals of all ages an opportunity to foster meaningful engagement and create community change. Volunteers are central to the operations of amateur sport organizations and events in Canada where sport volunteers get involved for many reasons such as helping their sport and/or community, using their skills and experiences, and because they are often passionate about the sport themselves or are parents of children who participate. Sport volunteers take on many diverse roles, such as coach, referee, official, or administrator, and offer their time and dedication in episodic or continual roles. This chapter reviews the characteristics of Canadian sport volunteers and the key factors shaping the volunteer experience.
Katie Misener, Kristen Morrison
Chapter 7. China
Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of the meaning, development, and role of volunteering in modern Chinese society. Fundamentally, volunteering in China is underpinned by traditional virtues and cultural values such as benevolence, harmony, and selflessness. The communist ideologies of dedicating one’s life to serving the people and helping others also help to shape the perception of volunteering. While the top-down initiatives of the state contributed to the growth of volunteering in China, recent mega-events such as the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, and the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou further raised the profile of volunteering in the country. As a result, volunteering has transformed from compulsory service to a respected position, generating significant economic benefits. Volunteer workforces seem to be concentrated in large cities. Sport volunteers are comprised of mainly students, perhaps due to the perception that volunteering offers opportunities for social networking and enhancement of one’s employability. Despite the legacies of recent mega-events, volunteering for community sport remains an uncommon practice. There is a need to develop a better understanding of volunteering and activities involved, with regulations to protect the rights and interests of volunteers. Research is required to inform future volunteering policies and strategies in China.
Ye Xing, Sheranne Fairley, Yan Wang, P. Monica Chien
Chapter 8. Finland
Abstract
The voluntary sports sector is the core of the sports system in Finland. Typically sports volunteers are coaches and active parents in sports clubs or volunteers in sports events. The importance of nonprofit sports clubs dates back to the mid-1800s when the first sports clubs were founded in Finland. The foundation of the strong voluntary civic sector stems from the historical background in which sports club formation was closely connected to temperance, labor, and youth movements of the independence seeking society. Nowadays there are nearly 10,000 sports clubs, most of them nonprofit registered associations, and hundreds of sports events organized annually in which an estimated half a million Finns work voluntarily. The future challenges of sports volunteering in Finland relate to the demographic changes and economic fluctuations of the society and individualistic motives of the citizens.
Hanna Vehmas, Pasi Koski, Kati Lehtonen
Chapter 9. The Gambia
Abstract
Volunteering in Gambian sports derives its inspiration from traditional voluntary practices embedded in the social fabric of a diverse society. Drawing from telephone interviews that were conducted with a volunteer (the Chairman of Secondary School Sports Association), a volunteer coordinator (the Media and Marketing Officer of the Gambia Football Federation), and data from an annual community football tournament “Super Nawettan,” the state of volunteering in organized sport in the Gambia was assessed. The study shows that organized sports depend largely on a diverse pool of voluntary workforce in the execution of community, national, and international sports events in the country. However, unfavorable working conditions, insufficient reward, and recognition for volunteer efforts are changing the perception and approach to volunteering in general. This has implications for organized sports in a small and developing country as it could potentially affect the development of local sports.
Pascal Mamudou Camara, Maximilian Seltmann
Chapter 10. Germany
Abstract
Volunteering has a long tradition in Germany and is an important part of civil society and German culture. Historically, volunteering appeared in the social context as an act of helping others. As such, volunteering was, and still is, understood as an honorable position which is typically undertaken without any form of monetary remuneration or only a small remuneration in the form of a lump-sum or indirect benefits like tax reductions. In sports, volunteering plays an important role. There are different forms of volunteering. One form is volunteering in nonprofit sports clubs in a fixed position on the voluntary board. Such a position is reached through democratic elections of club members. This form of volunteering is called Ehrenamt and is the classical form of volunteering. Moreover, many sports clubs rely on voluntary helpers or secondary volunteers, that is, volunteers in non-fixed positions. These volunteers are called Freiwillige. Third, volunteering takes place outside of sports clubs, mainly at large sport events. Recent large-scale events in Germany where volunteers offered support were, for example, the Track and Field World Championships 2009 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011.
Svenja Feiler, Lea Rossi, Kirstin Hallmann
Chapter 11. India
Abstract
The following chapter provides ethnographic insights into the topic of sports volunteering in India. The concept of volunteering in India stems from cultural and religious backgrounds, with an emphasis on helping less fortunate segments of society. The realities of the economic and social conditions in the country prevent sports volunteering from existing as a culture in India, nor is it in the current mandate of the government to develop it. Sports volunteering in India is mostly episodic, specifically, volunteering at large-scale events. The role of volunteers in the newly launched sporting leagues is dependent on the policies of the individual firms that run the leagues. In contrast to volunteering at large-scale events and leagues, non-episodic volunteering remains comparatively rare, informal, and unregulated.
Pritha Chakravarti
Chapter 12. Japan
Abstract
The concept of volunteering grew widely in Japan after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995. Since then, the image of volunteering in Japan has been closely linked to altruism. Increases in volunteering in the country can be seen after each earthquake such as the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and the Kumamoto Earthquake in 2016. Large-scale sport events in Japan, such as the 1985 Summer Universiade in Kobe and the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic Games, have also drawn temporary attention to volunteering. Volunteering in sport, however, is still a relatively unfamiliar concept. As Japan is hosting three large-scale sport events in the next three years, the 2019 Rugby World Cup, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the World Masters Games 2021 Kansai, the spotlight is once again on volunteers. It is hoped the events can be leveraged to create a sustainable volunteer culture in Japan.
Takahiro Ikeji, Eiji Ito, Sheranne Fairley, Shiro Yamaguchi
Chapter 13. The Netherlands
Abstract
The voluntary sports sector is the largest voluntary sector in the Netherlands. Due to the period of pillarization in the 2000s, a sports association boom was established. Volunteers still mainly run sports clubs. However, some elements of voluntary work are changing. Members tend to act more as consumers, and the government tries to incorporate sports organizations in its policy regarding social issues. These changes put pressure on the voluntary sector. However, thousands of people are still active on and around the Dutch sports fields every weekend. They perform different kinds of tasks, varying from administration and management tasks to training, coaching, and arbitrating tasks. Sports associations can remunerate their volunteers by paying them a tax-free volunteer allowance up to 1,500 EUR per year. In addition to the remuneration, many sports clubs have initiatives to retain their volunteers and recruit new ones. The appreciation of volunteers has also become an important issue.
Jo Lucassen, Marieke Reitsma
Chapter 14. New Zealand
Abstract
The culture of volunteering constitutes an integral part of active lifestyle and national identity of New Zealanders. However, Smith and Cordery (2010, p. 6) delineate “the difference between the European concept of giving (volunteering) and the Māori concept of cultural obligation (sharing).” As such, the concept of volunteering can be most closely translated to the term mahi aroha in te reo (Māori language). In 2013, it was estimated that over 1.2 million New Zealanders participated in volunteering in a country of 4.4 million population. More recently, Gemba (2015) reports that over half of New Zealand’s sports volunteers also participated in event volunteering at least once a year. This chapter provides an overview of New Zealand’s expanding sports volunteer workforce, acknowledging the impact of the isolated nation’s emergence as an award-winning international sport event destination. It documents the role and relationship of central government in both fostering and funding local volunteer programs, before making a link to the concepts serious leisure and social capital. Finally, it provides a case study of the 2017 World Master Games Pit Crew, a team of 3,216 largely local volunteers who donated more than 75,000 hours of their time, working 19,000 shifts over a two-week period.
Richard Keith Wright, Koji Kobayashi
Chapter 15. Oman
Abstract
This chapter discusses sports volunteering in Oman and focuses on volunteering at the 2nd Asian Beach Games Muscat 2010 as a case study. The 2nd Asian Beach Games Muscat 2010 is the largest sports event ever held in Oman and attracted the largest number of volunteers among Oman’s sports events with 3,500 volunteers. This discusses how sports volunteering is not very popular in Oman compared with social and religious volunteering. There is no database for sports volunteering in Oman. Omanis have different motives to become involved in volunteering at the 2nd Asian Beach Games Muscat 2010, such as self-development, passion for the games, commitment as a citizen, nationalistic pride, and networking. The lack of management expertise is the main obstacle in organizing volunteers. Despite this, most of the Volunteers who are satisfied with their experience and gain personal benefits demonstrate an increased willingness to volunteer for sport events in the future. 
Hafidh Alriyami, Mohammed Alkharusi, Hamed Almuhrzi
Chapter 16. Paraguay
Abstract
This chapter aims to describe sports volunteering in Paraguay and the reasons why it is a rather small phenomenon in contrast to other countries described in this book. To understand the scope of sports volunteering in Paraguay, it is important to understand the overarching concept of volunteering for its inhabitants. In a society where people are striving to find a secure job and a stable income, to dedicate much time to volunteer in sports can be challenging. To society, volunteering is understood as the time one dedicates for a cause, event, or institution without receiving financial remuneration. The willingness to help and volunteer is a major pillar in the Paraguayan society, as reflected by large events – mainly religious events – and fundraisers for nonprofit organizations. As for volunteering in sports, the demand for volunteers is mainly for sports events and, if needed, mostly not in large numbers. Information on sports volunteering is limited, but nonetheless this chapter provides a better understanding of the volunteering landscape. The lack of literature and information on volunteering in sports is a hindrance to obtain a deeper insight into the voluntary engagement in sports clubs all over the country – therefore interviews were conducted and an ethnographic perspective is taken.
Johannes Regier
Chapter 17. Russia
Abstract
Today in Russia a number of initiatives to involve citizens in the volunteer activities of NGOs at the federal level exist. One of the most striking examples is sports volunteering – the Olympic volunteer movement and the Sochi 2014 Volunteer Training Centers. Nine years before the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, Volunteer Training Centers were installed as nonprofit organizations. Their structure was transformed into the Association of Volunteer Centers of Russia. In recent years, Russia has hosted several major international events that have all involved volunteers. To improve programs for working with volunteers and to increase the number of volunteers and the quality of their work, it is necessary to have information about the motivation and expectations of volunteers, the result of their work, and how they use their volunteer experience. The program initiated to train and educate the volunteers for the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games has turned out to be very useful. The program has measures to support and motivate volunteers of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Marina Sukharkova
Chapter 18. Slovakia
Abstract
Slovakia is a small country in the heart of Europe, and its complex history and ruling governments over the past decades have affected the third sector immensely. Slovakia’s voluntary organizations are financially dependent on third parties and receive financial support from the present government through grants offered by the Slovak Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport and the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, and Family, as there is no financial support system that targets volunteering organizations and centers specifically (Country 2012). Once the Law of Volunteering was officially passed in 2011, the infrastructure for nonformal networks of volunteer centers was improved. However, the society’s lack of clarity of what volunteering means is best portrayed in the following statement of a young man helping at one of the youth centers in Bratislava. He said, “I am not a volunteer! I just simply do it... [Referring to volunteering],” which resonated in the volunteering community and was hence used as a basis for publishing a volunteering brochure for youth. Moreover, the Country Report Slovakia’s (2012) authors stated that there is a general lack of information about volunteering, as well as about its importance, and many people do not refer to themselves as being volunteers. This is perhaps because sports volunteering organizations do not operate like typical voluntary organizations such as the Slovak Red Cross. Nevertheless, it takes some time and explanation for people to realize that they are indeed volunteers. The lack of information, drive, enthusiasm, capacity, and sometimes the necessary negotiating skills makes volunteering in the nonprofit sector difficult. This general trend can be seen in every type of volunteering organization. Therefore, clearer communication, efficient promotion of volunteering possibilities, as well as some financial governmental support is needed to strengthen Slovakia’s decreasing volunteering sector.
Alexandra Závadská
Chapter 19. South Africa
Abstract
South Africa has a history of organized sports and has played host to large sports events, which have depended on high numbers of volunteers. Annual events, such as Comrades Marathon (±20,000 entrants), Cape Town Cycle Tour (30,000 participants), Two Oceans Marathon (34,000 participants), and once-off major events such as the All-Africa Games in 1999 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, depended on volunteers for their successful presentation. In the latter mega event, a volunteer program was developed, which was a critical success factor. The program introduced a template for volunteer management in South Africa, focusing on establishing a well-structured, well-resourced national program intended to be used by sports federations and national bodies and at other events. This chapter situates volunteerism in South Africa in “Ubuntu,” its broader cultural and philosophical context, as well as in contemporary sports policy imperatives and challenges linked to the centrality but decreasing numbers of volunteers in sports events. Drawing on this context, it discusses the volunteer program established through the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the subsequent volunteer policy and implementation plan. It then assesses ways in which major events such as the Cape Town Cycle Tour and Two Oceans Marathon leveraged this approach to volunteerism in sports events. In the sports arena, volunteers have been and remain a core component of sports delivery in South Africa. However, a closer analysis will show that the pool of volunteers is dwindling, insufficient younger people are volunteering, and health, safety, and security policies are becoming increasingly onerous on sports organizations.
David Maralack, Donovan Jurgens
Chapter 20. South Korea
Abstract
South Korea has a long history of volunteering, one that is based on the traditional spirit of mutual goodness among Korean neighborhoods. It was early in the 1900s that Korea was introduced to the concept and activities of Western volunteering through the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). In the 1960s, volunteering was widely promoted by the Red Cross. In 1988, the sports volunteer spirit picked up great momentum across the country, thanks to the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. In 2006, the Korean government passed the Framework Act on Volunteer Service Activities (FAVSA). Therein, volunteering is defined as “an activity performed by an individual or organization for the benefit of community, country, and human society for nothing in return” (Volunteering Korea, 2018). Sports organizations, however, differ in how they perceive the concept of volunteering. Rather than focusing on public interest, sports organizations perceive volunteer efforts as a marketing vehicle that benefits the organization. The number of volunteers in South Korea has continually increased; as of April 2018, Korea had 12,478,314 people registered as volunteers (male, 5,367,855; female, 7,110,459; Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 2018). The sports volunteering system in South Korea has developed in recent decades along two main streams: (1) hosting large-scale sport events and (2) sports for all. However, the current policy of sports volunteering has several limitations. It is necessary to develop a long-term plan to improve the impact of sports volunteering in Korean society.
Geumchan Hwang, Kyu-soo Chung
Chapter 21. Spain
Abstract
The volunteering boom that occurred in Spanish society in the 1990s was strongly associated with activities related to solidarity and altruism and did not contribute to increasing the social visibility of sports volunteering, even though the first sports clubs and associations were created in Spain at the end of the 19th century. This situation has changed in the past 15 years due to the growth in the number of initiatives that look at sports for social purposes, as well as the proliferation of large popular sports events and competitions whose organization requires the mass participation of sports volunteers. Coinciding with this evolution, the recently passed Volunteer Law 45/2015 proposes a broader vision of volunteering – that no longer views altruism as its main motivation – and explicitly refers to the sports volunteering phenomenon at the same time that it points out its benefits for society in terms of citizen cohesion, the community dimension of sports practice, social inclusion, and associative life.
Ramón Llopis-Goig, María P. García-Alcober
Chapter 22. Sri Lanka
Abstract
While it is recognized that volunteers can have a significant impact on the operations of sports organizations, previous research has not focused on the motivations and experiences of overseas volunteers in sport-for-development (SFD) settings. In addressing this issue, this chapter reflects on an empirical study around motivations and experiences of international SFD volunteers in postwar Sri Lanka. Based on focus group and interview data from international volunteers of the Asian German Sports Exchange Programme (AGSEP), the chapter outlines and discusses key thematic findings around aspects of (1) safety, (2) social contacts and networks, (3) personal development, (4) professional development, and (5) travel and cross-cultural experiences. Overall, motivations and experiences of international volunteers were largely aligned; however, perhaps surprisingly, neither sports nor Sri Lanka’s postwar context was mentioned as a motivating factor by the international volunteers. The chapter highlights the volunteer management implications for AGSEP and other similar SFD-focused organizations.
Preben Stai, Nico Schulenkorf, Jane Godfrey, Sean Phelps
Chapter 23. Switzerland
Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the meaning and understanding of sports volunteering as well as the voluntary workforce in Switzerland. The term volunteering (“Freiwilligkeit”) is used in Switzerland not only for voluntary, unpaid work but also for donating money or goods. Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, volunteering has played an important role in Swiss society and particularly in the Swiss sports system. Current surveys show that nearly one out of five persons of the adult population volunteers regularly in sports clubs, and nearly half of all members do volunteer work in their club. About 10 years ago, there was a reduction of volunteering in sports clubs. However, current figures show that the number of volunteers has increased again, although there is neither a national policy nor a specific program in Switzerland to promote volunteering in general or in sports.
Volunteers in Switzerland pursue altruistic as well as self-oriented motives. Current studies show that several factors are relevant for the satisfaction of volunteers in sports clubs, for example, interesting tasks, material incentives, appreciation and recognition, and support. For volunteers at sports events, the following motives play an important role community involvement, interpersonal contacts, career orientation, personal growth, and extrinsic rewards.
Siegfried Nagel, Markus Lamprecht, Torsten Schlesinger, Rahel Bürgi, Hanspeter Stamm
Chapter 24. United Kingdom
Abstract
Within the United Kingdom (UK), sports volunteering is understood broadly as willingly giving up one’s free time to assist others in sport for no payment. It involves a very wide range of activities, contexts, and roles which are outlined in the chapter. It is widely accepted that volunteers are the “lifeblood” of sport, and approximately 15% of people in England (6.7 million) volunteered in sport at least once during 2016. The main context for sports volunteering is the sports club or community sports association (75% of sports volunteers). Sports event volunteering is becoming more visible but remains just a fraction of the overall volunteering activity in sport (1.3%). Overall volunteers are the main decision-makers in sport in the UK, although a professionalization agenda has increased the number of paid staff in larger, national organizations.
Fiona Reid, Lindsay Findlay-King
Chapter 25. United States
Abstract
Volunteering is a value long entrenched in American life. The very structure of the United States government lends itself to citizens’ self-organization, while the altruistic desire to serve others directs volunteer activity. As a result, one in four Americans volunteer. Americans of all ages volunteer in the sport and recreation sector, with young people and older adults leading the way. Yet, altruism as the core component of volunteer efforts no longer stands alone. Instead, Americans volunteer for a plethora of reasons, some of which blur the traditional expectations that volunteering is both voluntary and uncompensated. The emphasis on commercialization throughout the United States sport system is changing the traditional perceptions of volunteering and impacting on the types of volunteer experiences provided.
Jeffrey R. Farr, B. Christine Green
Chapter 26. Conclusion
Abstract
The conclusion will highlight and compare the different perspectives on sport volunteering around the globe. Main differences will be discussed with regard to (a) meaning and understanding of volunteering; (b) volunteering and sport volunteering; and (c) volunteering, state, and civil society. The objective is to summarize the different viewpoints and reflect on the diversity of approaches.
Kirstin Hallmann, Sheranne Fairley, Elisa Herold
Metadata
Title
Sports Volunteers Around the Globe
Editors
Dr. Kirstin Hallmann
Sheranne Fairley
Copyright Year
2018
Electronic ISBN
978-3-030-02354-6
Print ISBN
978-3-030-02353-9
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02354-6

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